Wine Press Northwest Spring 2011

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02 Columbia Gorge Hotel 2/27/11 5:25 PM Page 2

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6 Wine NoseA tale of two wines

8 A Distant PerspectiveDon’t put all your Pinot in one basket

10 Northwest EdgeWine country comes to the big city

12 Swirl, Sniff & SipVerticals show how wines age

14 Urban SipsKeep the tassels twirling

14 BloggerWashington Syrah: star or FUBAR?

18 10 Things to Do21 Northwest Wine Events24 Nom de Vine72 Recent Releases90 Vintage Musings

Elk Cove more than great Pinot

DEPARTMENTSFEATURES

Spring 2011Vol. 14, No. 1WINE PRESS

N O R T H W E S T

26 Zerba CellarsOur 2011 Pacific Northwest Winery of the Year has earnedits stripes.

30 Regional Wineries of the YearDiscover which wineries in Oregon, Washington, Idaho andBritish Columbia have won awards this year.

44 Pinot Noir JudgingWe blind-taste 170 Pinot Noirs from Oregon, Washington,British Columbia and Idaho.

62 Tagaris Winery and TavernaTagaris Winery’s Team Frank in the Tri-Cities tempts yourtaste buds with these pairings.

COVER STORYOn the cover: Doug Niermanmakes wine at Zerba Cellars.

Story begins on page 26.

This page: Illahe Vineyardswinemaker Brad Ford andhis wife Bethany walk Docand Bea through the vine-yards. The horses are put towork in the summertimehauling special mowersbetween the rows.

Story begins on page 33.

Photos by Jackie Johnston

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SPRING 2011 • WINE PRESS NORTHWESTWINEPRESSNW.COM 5

Wine Press Northwest is for those with an inter-est in wine — from the novice to the veteran. Wefocus on Washington, Oregon, Idaho and BritishColumbia’s talented winemakers and the wineries,vintners and restaurants that showcase Northwestwines. We are dedicated to all who savor the fruitsof their labor.

Publisher: Rufus M. Friday

Editor-in-chief: Andy PerduePhone: 509-582-1405Fax: 509-585-7221E-mail: [email protected]

Managing editor: Eric DegermanPhone: 509-582-1404Fax: 509-585-7221E-mail: [email protected]

Editor at-large: Jon Bauer

Tasting editor: Bob Woehler

Tasting panel: Winnie Alberg, Whitney Maldonado,Kate Michaud, Kerry Norton, Eric Zegzula, DanSkorski, Mike Rader, Ken Robertson, Coke Roth,Dave Seaver, Paul Sinclair, Bob Woehler, EricDegerman, Andy Perdue.

Master facilitator: Hank Sauer

Page designer: Jackie Johnston

Columnists: Jon Bauer, Dan Berger, Teri Citterman, Braiden Rex-Johnson, Ken Robertson, Bob Woehler

Contributing photographers: Jackie Johnston, Katherine Jones, J. Kevin Dunn, Jeremy Quant

Contributing writers: Sean P. Sullivan

Ad sales:Parker Hodge, 509-585-7257E-mail: [email protected]

To subscribe: Subscriptions cost $20 U.S. per yearfor four issues. Mail check, money order or creditcard number and expiration date to address belowor subscribe securely on our Web site.

Subscriptions and customer service: 800-538-5619; e-mail: [email protected]

Letters to the editor: We encourage your thoughtsand comments about our publication and aboutNorthwest wines in general. Write to us at theaddress below.

Free weekly newsletter: Sign up for our free PacificNorthwest Wine of the Week e-mail newsletter atwww.winepressnw.com

Address:333 W. Canal DriveKennewick, WA 99336

© 2011 Wine Press NorthwestA Tri-City Herald publication

WINE PRESSN O R T H W E S T

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COLUMN the wine knows

WINE PRESS NORTHWEST • SPRING 2011 WINEPRESSNW.COM6

Idon’t know that two red wines could be more oppositethan Pinot Noir and Petite Sirah.

One is classy, the other brash. One is a poet, the othera rocker. One is a ballerina, the other a pole dancer. One isIchiro, the other Hulk Hogan. One is Jacob, the other Esau.

One I adore, the other I crave. One I love, the other Idesire.

Perhaps I can more deeply understand yin yang throughPinot Noir and Petite Sirah. Or why men and women are soutterly different yet so fully capable of affection for eachother.

To me, a perfect day of wine tasting would start with PinotNoir and conclude with Petite Sirah. That perfect day wasJan. 6.

As I do nearly every year, I trekked to California soonafter New Year’s Day to participate in the San FranciscoChronicle Wine Competition, the largest judging in NorthAmerica. It’s held in Cloverdale, a wide spot along Highway101 in northern Sonoma County. I like to drive because itgives me about 30 hours in the car to listen to music, it’seasier to bring back wine in a car than on a plane, and theRedwood Highway is one of the most beautiful drives inAmerica.

Many competitions ask each judge ahead of time what theymight be interested in tasting. Everybody puts down PinotNoir, and nobody puts down Chardonnay. The running jokeat every competition is you’ll probably end up withChardonnay — and never what you request. I put downPinot Noir, Petite Sirah and Riesling. I’m happy to taste any-thing, even Chardonnay, but these are the three varieties I’mmost interesting in judging.

After a couple of days tasting Cabs, Syrahs and red blends,our panel found wine-judging nirvana — at least my versionof it: We had 85 high-priced Pinot Noirs before lunch and 50upper-end Petite Sirahs in the afternoon.

(Before you say, “How in the world can you taste so manywines!” just know that this is an ordinary day at a wine com-petition and is surprisingly not difficult.)

I had a feeling this was going to be a memorable and glori-ous day, but I didn’t think it would be the greatest day in mywine judging career. Our panel of five looked forward tospending the morning with Pinot Noir. Its plush elegance,modest tannins and refined complexity were welcomed atour table.

Honestly, my opportunities to enjoy Pinot Noir are morerare than you might expect. I adore the grape, but my wifedoes not, even though she grew up in the Willamette Valley. Ilovingly refer to her as my “bad Oregonian” because sheeschews Pinot Noir in favor of Syrah, Merlot and CabernetSauvignon. Her parents, who still reside just south of Portland,also prefer Washington reds for their quality and value.

So my personal collection of Pinot Noir grows and lan-

guishes, awaiting the day my bride will have an epiphany andbegin to share my love for the greatest of grapes.

On this sunny day in Northern California, the Pinot Noirsdid not disappoint. In fact, the first wine out of the chuteearned a unanimous gold medal from our panel. To provideinsights on the rarity of this, it is nearly impossible to gettwo judges, much less five, to agree on Pinot Noir. At aCalifornia competition many years ago, I had to physicallyrestrain two judges who nearly came to blows over PinotNoir.

On this day, there were no such theatrics, only harmony aswe worked through the 85 wines, which were priced in thatsweet-spot range of $30 to $34.99. We found many to like andfew to discard at this price point. Most were from 2008, asuperb vintage up and down the West Coast, and they weremajestic. I thought I knew Pinot Noir, but this day took me toa greater level of understanding the majestic grape. Thesewere not overripe, over-extracted, Syrah look-alikes. Thesewere what Pinot Noir was supposed to be. They were dancerson another plane of existance. They were purity. They weresublime.

During lunch, I salivated at what the afternoon wouldbring. Many think of Petite Sirah as a brutal taskmaster. I viewit more as a long-haired, leather-clad demon on wheels, afree spirit pushing its way along a winding highway. PetiteSirah is Hunter Thompson writing Fear and Loathing in LasVegas. It is bold, bombastic and in your face. It makes noexcuses or apologies, nor should it.

We attacked the afternoon session with gusto, knowing wewould end the day with hobolike blackened teeth. I found akindred spirit in Christopher Sawyer, a California sommelierand fellow judge who shared my lust for Petite Sirah. Buoyedby the wines before us, Christopher and I bullied the othersinto awarding gold medals to deserving wines. We were asunconstrained as the Petite Sirahs before us.

On a nearby panel was Dan Berger, California’s renowedwine writer and notorious Petite Sirah lover. A few yearsago, the California Petite Sirah trade association was lookingfor a catchy name, and Berger suggested, “P.S. I Love You.”The Petite Sirah advocates liked it so much, they took it astheir name. On this day, there was no love for Petite Sirah.It was pure lechery, and Christopher and I decided we want-ed to change the name of the group to “P.S. I Want YouBad.”

By the time we were through, I was nearly breathless yetstill energized from what I’d just experienced. This was thegreatest day of my wine tasting life, even if it didn’t includeRiesling.

ANDY PERDUE is editor-in-chief of Wine Press Northwest.

A tale of two wines

BY ANDY PERDUE

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It isn’t quite like saying that it’s best not to put all yourhatchlings into a solitary container, but a statistic was justhanded to me that makes it seem so.

Let’s back up.Napa Valley is primarily Cabernet Sauvignon. Oh, sure,

there are a few other wines in Napa, but they are merely thesecond string, the support players, members of the Greekchorus, spear carriers who seem to fade into the woodwork.

Despite the overwhelming nature of Cab in Napa, the winecan carry its own weight. When you consider that the cost ofthe juice in even the most expensive Cabernet is about $10,then the wine clearly can sustain its own avoirdupois. InNapa, $50 is a cheap wine.

And the reason has as much to do with the weather as any-thing else. California gets a lot of sun. Emphasis on “lot.” Theresult is that California Cab-makers can get the stuff as ripe asthey want, and for the last 14 years or so, they have wanted alot of ripeness. Emphasis on “lot.”

There are many reasons why this new-style Cabernet ispopular, and why people are willing to part with significantamounts of pelf to acquire some of the absurdly pricedpotable. But suffice it to say that despite the downturn in theeconomy, the mindlessness with which some people acquirethese wines almost regardless of price helps to maintain thelandscaping in front of the palatial manors.

And here’s a key point: all this can be reliably producedyear after year because of the plethora of sun and the willing-ness of the producers to avoid as much vintage variation aspossible through tactics that dumb down the wines.

Distinctiveness? It’s a word that has little place in Napa anymore. The populace seems mesmerized by this iconic wine.

Now that statistic: 53 percent of the wine produced inOregon is Pinot Noir. This is a lot and must be a result of thedemand for such wines, as well as the reputation they com-mand. In a way, Oregon Pinot has a reputation that Napa’sCabs have acquired. And Napa Cab is often compared withBordeaux and Oregon’s Pinots are compared with Burgundy.

So can we compare Oregon Pinot to Napa Cab? Both areiconic wines and operate similarly in the marketplace.

But it’s not fair to compare. The wines are miles apart in acritical way. For me, it comes down to one thing: the sun.There’s not always a lot of it in Oregon.

Most of Oregon is, let me be clear, a superb growing area forPinot Noir because of its cool temperatures. Pinot likes cool, yetthere is such a thing as too much cool. And in some vintages,Oregon Pinot can show a less-than-appealing awkwardness.

Great producers usually solve this problem, but occasional-ly the wines display distinctive vintage variations. This is a

good thing. Buyers of Bordeaux and Burgundy have longaccepted vintage variation as a way of sorting out the goodfrom the great — and of course they get a few “serviceable”vintages, in which the prices drop precipitously.

If prices for Bordeaux and Burgundy drop when the vin-tage isn’t very great, shouldn’t Oregon’s? And if not, what isthe consumer to think? “I’m paying $50 for this stuff?”

Moreover, though Oregon Pinot and Napa Cab are bothiconic wines, the latter has recently shown a homogeneitythat can be awfully boring. Though there is rarely much bor-ing about Oregon Pinot, there is a growing sameness that isborne of attempting to justify high prices in some vintageswhen it isn’t warranted by the quality. (Oak anyone?)

So putting 53 percent of your eggs in a single basket maybe a bit of a risk, especially when Oregon can make sensa-tional Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris and especially Riesling.

That said, look at Washington. Only 20 percent of its fruit isin Riesling, though that percentage is fast expanding.

Assume that Riesling doubled its visibility in Washington tothe same 53 percent that represents Pinot to Oregon. Wouldthat entail the same sort of risk?

Not at all, and for a very interesting reason. Riesling is nowbeing sold based on three different criteria: sweetness,regional characteristics and age-worthiness. Oregon PinotNoir has only the latter two such criteria.

If 53 percent of the wine Washington had to sell wereRiesling, the risks would be significantly less than Oregonnow faces with Pinot. For one thing, consumers could choosebone dry Riesling, medium sweet, dessert or anything inbetween. And they could get a wine like those from Yakimaor a wine from the Gorge, or any number of other regions.

Now the last parameter: aging. Not many people have yetdiscovered the absolute joys of aging Riesling. Their loss. Wehave long loved what happens to the drier styles of Rieslingwith bottle age, and yet we also have experienced the otherend of the stick: Oregon Pinot Noirs that were aged too long.

Sometimes the best a Pinot Noir can be is at age 3 or 4, andafter that the wine tends to lose character. In more casesthan I can count, Riesling with the proper acid and pH will bea dramatically fine wine with time in the cellar.

My conclusion: Perhaps Oregon should remove some ofthose marginal Pinot plantings and put in more Riesling.

DAN BERGER is a nationally renowned wine writer wholives in Santa Rosa, Calif. He publishes a weekly commen-tary Dan Berger’s Vintage Experiences(VintageExperiences.com).

Don’t put all your Pinot in one basket

BY DAN BERGER

COLUMN a distant perspective


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COLUMN northwest edge

WINE PRESS NORTHWEST •SPRING 2011 WINEPRESSNW.COM10

Terry Thompson is such an ardent fan of Washingtonwines and winemakers that he sold his successful com-mercial interiors business in 2009, enlisted his entire

family and a “dream team” of industry professionals andspent over a year creating URBAN enoteca (Ue), a warm andwelcoming “wine center” that debuted last December justsouth of downtown Seattle.

Thompson was inspired by the Italian “enoteca” or “winerepository,” a special kind of wine shop that brings togetherthe best wines from small, local wineries in one easy-to-access location for sampling and wine purchase. Plans for Uesolidified after a visit to Press Club San Francisco, a tasting-bar concept that brings Napa Valley wines to the big city foreasy sampling.

But Thompson conceived Ue on a much more grand andlavish scale. Not to be confused with a single tasting room, awine bar or a restaurant, Ue offers up a “full Washington wineexperience and entertainment destination” that includes aspacious wine-tasting venue, top-notch wine-country-styledrestaurant, 20,000-square-foot private-event space and 150free covered and lighted parking spaces-all within one beauti-fully designed complex.

The former warehouse oozes “urban-rustic” charm thanksto repurposed and up-cycled timber beams and columns,stained-concrete floors, rich wood finishes, stone and traver-tine walls and multiple fireplaces. Vintage metal gates, recy-cled wine-barrel-stave sconces, ornate ironwork, birch doorsand African mahogany cabinetry act as integral works of art.

At Ue’s heart lies The Tasting Center, comprised of seven(eventually, up to 13) tasting bars featuring EasternWashington wineries.

“In choosing our winery partners, we have three criteria,”the ebullient Thompson told me. “The best wine in the state,the best people to do business with and that they have nocurrent presence on the west side of the state.”

Ue’s tasting bar wineries read like a “who’s who” ofWashington’s finest: Five Star Cellars (Walla Walla Valley),Cave B Estate Winery (Columbia Basin), Côte Bonneville(Yakima Valley), Fielding Hills Winery (Wahluke Slope),Fidelitas (Red Mountain), Kiona Vineyards & Winery (RedMountain) and McCrea Cellars (Seattle).

When guests arrive in Ue’s Grand Hall, the conciergeswipes a credit card and creates a “library card,” which allowsguests to taste selections from any of the seven wineries andpurchase the wines they like. Upon check-out, guests pick uppurchased wines to carry away or have shipped home.

Ue’s private-event spaces include the rustic, yet elegantRiddling Room. With capacity for 175 seated guests, it’s per-fect for receptions or galas. The 40-seat Barrel Room is oftenbooked by grooms or for corporate business meetings thanksto its dark leather armchairs and masculine vibe. Totallytricked out in white with contemporary furnishings and seat-ing for 25, the Blanc de Blanc Room is a favorite of brides

and red-wine lovers, since the wines show up so well againstthe pale background.

With his experienced palate and superior wine-pairingskills, Ue chef de cuisine Christopher Opsata creates culinarymagic in The Library Lounge, offering bites, small plates,shared boards and platters, and sweets. We were particularlytaken with his Bagels & Lox, an upscale, playful reinventionof the classic served on a toasted-brioche-crumb base andpaired with deftly oaked Fidelitas 2009 Optu White Wine. Thechef ’s rich Roasted Mushroom Soup made a perfect matchwith McCrea Cellars soulful 2006 Ameríque Syrah. Servedwith silky Côte Bonneville 2009 Late-Harvest Riesling,Opsata’s Homemade Sweet Potato Doughnuts with TartCranberries and Sweet Potato Ice Cream formed a fittingfinale to a sumptuous supper.

Thompson calls the idea, planning, creation and openingof URBAN enoteca the best business decision of his life.

“There’s tremendous growth potential in Washingtonwines. We haven’t even scratched the surface yet.”

Coordinates:URBAN enoteca4130 First Avenue SouthSeattle, WA 98134206-467-WINE (9463)urbanenoteca.comOpen Tuesday-Sunday. Hours vary.

Braiden Rex-Johnson is a Seattle-based cookbook author,food-and-wine columnist and blogger. Visit her online atwww.NorthwestWiningandDining.com.

Wine country comes to the big city

BY BRAIDEN REX-JOHNSON

URBAN enoteca, a tasting room for several Washington winer-ies throughout the state, opened in December in Seattle’sSODO district. (Photo by Team Photogenic)

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COLUMN swirl, sniff & sip


I’ve heard the term “vertical tasting” a number of times, but am notsure exactly what it means or what its purpose is. I’d like to knowmore.

Avertical tasting offers a chance to compare a set ofwines, generally from the same winery, over a series ofyears. It allows the tasters to make a number of com-

parisons, but the focus typically is to observe how a particu-lar wine varietal ages and note its changes over a number ofyears. There is no set number of wines to include, but usuallythere are at least five vintages.

In the spring of 2000, Wine Press Northwest did a verticalof Woodward Canyon Winery’s Cabernet Sauvignons from1981 to 1999. They included the predecessors to winemakerRick Small’s “Old Vines” series and the first years of “OldVines,” starting with 1995.

Our aim was to see how the wines were aging and to look atthe progression of a single high-quality producer of renownedNorthwest wines. My sidebar piece that recounted how eachvintage from the Lowden, Wash., winery was aging began:“’The tasting panel agreed this was an incredible set of wines.”

Sipping the 1983, Small observed about the then 17-year-old wine — which was the tasting panel’s favorite — “It feelslike an old friend every time I drink it.”

More recently, my wife and I attended a different type ofvertical in February at Terra Blanca Winery’s winemaker’s din-ner. Winemaker Keith Pilgrim had paired up his premiumBordeaux-style red, Onyx, from vintages 1999 through 2007with a seven-course meal prepared by Dale Shepherd and hisstaff from the Blue Moon Restaurant in Kennewick.

It was a very different, less analytical vertical tasting of theRed Mountain winery’s signature red wine, but in its own wayeven more satisfying because two years in the series wereoffered for tasting with appetizers, then each of the rest care-fully paired with a course of food tailored to each wine’s indi-vidual character.

For even more fun, one course featured two wines becausethe winery and cooking staffs were evenly split over whichpaired better with an arugula and spinach salad featuring gje-tost cheese and a chocolate balsamic dressing.

Aging Northwest wines: A reader update

In response to my last column on the aging potential ofNorthwest wines, a former Washington resident now living inTexas sent me a note that indicates with even a little care, ourred wines — especially Cabernet — last a long time.

Lloyd Piper, who lived in Richland from 1995-2003, report-ed he added a lot of Washington reds to his roughly 500-bot-tle cellar during his time in the Northwest, “mostly Cab, butsome Merlot, Syrah and blends.”

After two moves, first to Carlsbad, N.M., and then to Texas,in 2007, he reports his Northwest wines are doing welldespite less-than-perfect conditions — “stored horizontally atair-conditioned house temperatures.”

Even so, he reported few concerns. The first red he addedto his cellar after arriving in Richland was the 1992 KionaReserve Estate Cabernet Reserve from the pioneer RedMountain winery. For the next several years, he added casesof the estate reserve and some of the Washington Cab.

“All the Kiona Cab has held up exceptionally well,” hereported. “When I first started tasting them at 8 and 9 yearsafter the vintage, they were wonderful and fresh with manyyears to go. I would not hesitate to let them go 15 years in mystorage conditions, and have without a significant drop-off.”

Wine words: Fining

When you admire the crystal clarity of a wine, chances areyou’re observing the result of a combination of several proce-dures used to prepare a wine for bottling. The several-stepprocess usually starts with racking, then fining, then perhapscold stabilization and filtration.

Virtually all wines are at least racked, which gradually sepa-rates out the lees, or sediment, left behind as wines fermentin a tank or barrel. Fermenting and aging on the lees adds fla-vor and complexity, but most wine lovers want no part of thegunk that accumulates in the bottom of a tank.

Even after careful racking, many wines will have a bit of ahazy look to them, generally the result of suspended matter.Most of the suspended matter has either a positive or a nega-tive charge, and the fining agent chosen will depend on whatneeds to be removed.

The most commonly used fining agents are egg white, tan-nin, gelatin, bentonite, isinglass and casein. Egg white, withits positive charge, takes out negatively charged particles,such as certain tannins and anthocyanins, which are the colorpigments from grape skin. Bentonite, a claylike substance,has a negative charge, and commonly is used to fine out pro-tein haze and other organics.

Winemakers striving to preserve the maximum amount of awine’s character and “natural” state often are leery of coldstabilization, which removes tartrates, a natural (and taste-less) part of the winemaking process. Certain purists feel thepresence of tartrates is more likely to mean you’re drinking aless processed, more natural wine.

Filtration also is frowned on by those who believe less fuss-ing over a wine produces a more natural result. And they oftenpoint to filtration as removing elements that may be desirable.This, it’s rather common to see wines labeled as “unfiltered,”especially Pinot Noir, which many feel is especially prone todropping out its lovely colors if it’s overly processed.

KEN ROBERTSON, a newspaperman since 1968 and aWine Press Northwest columnist since its founding, hasenjoyed sipping and writing about Northwest wines for 33 years. He lives in Kennewick, Wash. Have a question forKen? E-mail [email protected].

Verticals show how wines age

BY KEN ROBERTSON

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COLUMN urban sips


Now that the Oscar’s red carpet is respectfully rolled upand you’ve probably had your fill of bad girl ballet, Iwas peering into a juicy red bubble of love and started

thinking about all the wonderful things that simply fit togeth-er — like Pinot and Noir, Adam and Eve, ballet and bur-lesque. Yes, you heard right! Grab a glass of grace and good-ness and let’s make those tassels twirl with a flurry. BlackSwan madness — that’s what I’m talkin’ about!

Dive into the full fleshiness of Syncline Wine Cellars 2009Subduction Red. Young and ripe and heavily steeped in myfavorite Mourvèdre, this wine spills over its cup size —uncontained and juicy. Dark plum and blackberry untie into aloose string leading to a spicy finish. Supple and seductive,this wine twirls its tassels with smoldering intensity. I lovethat it’s the real deal, bouncy and perky — an expressivehandful, meaning a mouthful for every occasion.

Taking second position, the Jones of Washington 2007 EstateSyrah pours with arabesque grace — long legs extend withsinewy muscle and razor-pointed toes. Blackberry! Blueberry!Raspberry! Oh my. Poised in its berry cobbler filling wrappedin an approachable mystery inside a mocha finish, this wineis dancer-balanced on point with strong aptitude and delicateprecision

Stage left and back to bawdy, lips doused in a shimmer ofred, Strut Wines’ 2008 Red Over Heels from British Columbiachecks its inhibitions at the door. It’s crimsonly simple withastute acid and tannic intentions. Silken and wiggling, thiswine breathes Merlot in the form of canned cranberry, cherryand spicy red currant. Black sheer stockings with seams upthe middle light up the night, as a plunge of low-cut fruitenvelopes your tongue. Grab the pole, honey, I think we’vecaught a live one!

Now wait a minute! Burlesque and ballet are not just aboutchicks flitting around on stage in tu-tus or G-strings.Boylesque anyone? Wilridge’s 2008 Melange is loaded withleather and soy sauce, this rock salt of masculinity blowsblackberry, candied orange peel and cedar. Its unparalleledenthusiasm reveals violet, black plum, baking spice and aslight hint of lavender wrapped up and worth ogling in thosetight tight tights! It’s hard, if not impossible, to overlookthose sturdy tannins staring back at us with intensity. Ayummy package indeed!

And of Wilridge, there’s more and more. Its 2007 Nebbiolodoes not mince words in its chassé across the stage. Chasingwho knows what or whom, it’s pretty and light, and packs apowerful tannic punch with a steel fist in a velvet glove. Withits grand jeté it splits the air, and grand-plié lands deep andfulfilling. This wine springs solid mid-tongue tannins that hitright where you hoped they would in sudden bursts of brightcherry and pomegranate, its finish releases into a strappingpirouette of black rope licorice.

And then, in all its drama, Torii Mor 2008 Pinot Noir,

Willamette Valley, slithers on stage as the naughty housewife.Light as a feather duster and sexy as French lace, this winekicks off the covers, revealing a lot more going on under-neath layers of smooth spice, bright cherry and blackberry.It’s a pretty wine, simply robed in earthy ruby, cranberry anddried red fruit. Poised acid entwines its legs around bump ‘n’grind rhythms of raspberry leading to a time-consuming (in agood way) finish.

But back to ballet, nothing says Black Swan like Efeste 2007Final Final Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Mourvèdre. It’s an erup-tion of dark chocolate and juniper spice. Powerful and ironic,this wine drinks you in with Port de Bras strength in its car-riage. Daring and provocative with black plum ripplingthrough juicy boysenberry, it’s a bottle of balance with adense backbone of mischief and mayhem. Cherry undula-tions lead to a lasting finish that opens wider and wider asthe curtain draws to its final close of prolonged applause. It’scalled Final Final for a reason.

Barrister Winery’s Rough Justice truly is the stage kitten ofwine. Breathing gently with black plum boa and black lace —purring and pleading to be subdued by a swirl of Grahamcracker piecrust. Rich and jammy, this wine does a little morethan suggest you pay attention with shocks of blackberry fill-ing, pasties a-twirling silky tannins and a drawn-out finish tomake any onlooker pretty damn eager to indulge.

And with that, L’Ecole’s 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla WallaValley, takes center stage with its quick complexity —Entrechat-Quatre, powerful thrusts of blackberry and darkcherry. Inspired by the grace and elegance of a swan, thiswine shows French discipline in its Old World structure —with an earthy rawness that comes from none other but theunderworld — beautiful, balanced and bawdy.

Finally, the Nelms Road 2008 Merlot may be the road lesstaken. Or not. This ruby is a dalliance from disciplined cor-rectness. It tempts your taste buds in a mouthwatering teaseof deep, sweet black currant and pepper. Vanilla, blackberryand dark, ripe raspberry meander through a rage of roundand supple tannins full and cascading to a fine and warrantedfinish. While you know where this wine is going, it’s an arous-ing journey to get there.

Who’s not having a good time now? I dare ya!

Signing off, Juicy McFly! (my official Burlesque name)

With sass and attitude, TERI CITTERMAN is a Seattledweller and an eager wine enthusiast. She is the author ofthe latest edition of Best Places to Kiss in the Northwest andthe Northwest Wine Journal. She also was the winner of theNapa Valley Wine Writers Editor’s Choice Award in 2007. Shecontributes to Seattle Metropolitan and writes An Urban SipWine Blog at anurbansip.com.

Keep the tassels twirling

BY TERI CITTERMAN

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COLUMN bloggers’ blend


Editor’s note: In each issue, this column rotates amongthe top wine bloggers in the Pacific Northwest.

We all know the problems of Syrah in Washington andelsewhere these days. We know the jokes contrastinga case of Syrah to a case of pneumonia (you can get

rid of a case of pneumonia). But Washington Syrahs have alsogained huge scores and accolades in recent years. So at thisyear’s Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers con-ference in February, a simple question was posed: IsWashington Syrah a star or is it FUBAR? Here is why I person-ally believe that it is, in fact, FUBAR.

Just kidding.Syrah’s market performance is indeed morose. The nation-

al numbers presented by Brett Scallan of Ste. Michelle WineEstates at the growers conference were funereal. However,there are a number of Washington wineries whose Syrahs aredoing well with consumers and displaying something uniquethat is causing commotion. So why has Syrah not caught onas much as many believe it should or thought it would? Hereis what I believe some of the issues are and why I believe thegrape will ultimately succeed in Washington.

To date, many reasons have been posited for Syrah’s lack ofsuccess, with the most common being consumer fatigue withAustralian critter wines; confusion about what Syrah is goingto taste like given the range of styles available; and largeamounts of not-very-high-quality domestic Syrah comingfrom California. (Damn those Californians!)

All of these things are true. There is a marketing and per-ception problem with the grape, and Syrah is currently on adownward trend nationally, although Washington Syrah salesare, interestingly, rising. However, everything is cyclical, andconsumers are nothing if not malleable. Remember how easi-ly the fates of Merlot and Pinot Noir were altered? Over time,consumers may still come to love Washington Syrah.

But this will happen only if they have a good experiencewhen they open a bottle and if they can explore the grapewithout breaking the bank. The highs in Washington Syrahare extraordinarily high, but the lows are quite low. ManySyrahs in the state taste nondescript and monolithic. Manydon’t taste particularly like Syrah.

Why is this? Winemaker Bob Betz of Betz Family Winerylikes to say that Syrah is a “chameleon.” It expresses its site. Ipersonally like to say that Syrah is like a sponge. It soaks upthe terroir of the place that it is planted. It also soaks up thevineyard practices applied to it. And it also soaks up wine-making techniques.

Writer Jay Miller at Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocatenoted last August in the publication’s annual review ofWashington wine that many growers and winemakers inWashington have treated Syrah like Cabernet Sauvignon. Ibelieve this is true, perhaps most notably in regard to theamount of new oak many winemakers use. Some positively

bludgeon the grape. Others ripen Syrah to the point where itloses both its typicity and balance. While Syrah may not bethe famously thin-skinned Pinot Noir, it is still a somewhatsensitive grape and needs to be treated carefully.Interestingly, those who have excelled with the variety havetended to be wineries where Syrah is a large focus of theirprogram, rather than just another wine in the lineup.

Another problem is that there is a hole in Washington interms of high quality, value-priced Syrahs. While many of thehigher end wines are exceptional and merit their pricepoints, it is difficult to give consumers a teaser at the low endand then march them up the price ladder. Consumers can’tbe expected to spend $30 to $40 a bottle to see what all thefuss is about.

Finally, remember that Syrah’s history in Washington isshort — just approaching the quarter-century mark. Tenyears after the first vines were planted at Red WillowVineyard, there were barely over 300 acres planted in thewhole state. By 2010, the acreage was 10 times that, makingSyrah one of Washington’s most planted red grapes. Thismeans that most of the vines are very young. Even a numberof Cayuse Vineyards’ vaunted sites are less than 10 years old.It will take time for these vineyards to truly show themselves.

However, the best Syrahs coming out of Washington areunique and stylistically diverse. Think about the wines of KVintners, Charles Smith, Cayuse Vineyards, Reynvaan FamilyVineyards, Betz Family Winery, Gramercy Cellars and RasaVineyards, to name just a few that are particularly excellingwith the grape. There is a common thread in these wines,but there is also tremendous diversity that speaks both to dif-ferences in vineyard site and winemaking style. These are thethings that get wine lovers excited. Importantly, these Syrahsare not just great Washington wines. They can stand along-side the best Syrahs in the world.

So, yes, there is cause for concern. But there is also reasonfor optimism. Washington Syrah has already made tremen-dous inroads. People who pay a lot of attention — critics,sommeliers and hard-core wine lovers — are already keenlyfocused on Washington Syrah. Is Syrah going to be the quickhit and rise to stardom in Washington many thought it wouldbe? Yes and no. And this is where much of the disappoint-ment lies. The top wines have excelled — and sold — butmany, perhaps most, have not.

But don’t give up on Washington Syrah. Its time in the sunwill come. However, Syrah succeeding on a large scale in thestate is going to take some time and effort. So pack your bagsfor the long haul — and don’t forget to put a bottle of Syrahin there.

Sean P. Sullivan writes the Washington Wine Report blogat wawinereport.com.

Washington Syrah: star or FUBAR?

BY SEAN P. SULLIVAN

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WINE COUNTRY activities

BY ERIC DEGERMAN

One of our favorite debates aboutwine comes down to those whoview it as the devil’s work.

Thanks to a note from an Air Forcemaster sergeant in Richland, Wash., I’vegot some new material for those folks.

Jerry Butler, a Texas minister, haswritten a book called Wine & Spirit. Hecredits time with Christian friends inGermany and France for the inspiration.

Meanwhile, the conservative wing ofChristianity chooses to overlook eventssuch as Jesus turning water into wineand the role of wine at the Last Supper.

My colleague Ken Robertson readilypoints out that ranking members of theCatholic church during the Middle Agesboasted of their wine cellars. There arealso luminaries such as Martin Lutherand Dom Perignon. Unless I’m seeingstars, neither was a teetotaler.

Earlier this winter, Butler told the SanAntonio Express-News, “My basic thesisis that wine is a gift of God to enjoy, andunquestionably, the principle of modera-tion is pervasive through that. But theconservative-fundamentalist mindsetwas that if it can be abused, it shouldn’tbe used. We apply it to alcohol, but notto other things like money and greed.”

Let’s drink to that!

1The Poet Laureate of Wine PressNorthwest. This might be thebiggest news to come out of this

issue, but yes we plan to add a specialsomeone who may be the most talent-ed and original-thinking member of ourteam. (Watch out, Juicy McFly.)

His name is Jordan Chaney, andbelieve it or not, he lives inWashington’s Tri-Cities. Editor AndyPerdue came across Jordan at a local lit-erature festival and was astounded byhis poetry and his reading of it.

Guests of Col Solare will vouch for

that. He occasionally performs readingsat the Red Mountain showpiece winery,and they’ve booked him four times thisspring, including March 26 and April 17.

We recently posted an onlineslideshow of Jordan reading his firstremarkable poem on wine. Look for hisfirst contribution in our Summer 2011issue. Get a read at billowingwords.com.

2Swirling around the Pearl. Wineriesin the Columbia River Gorgeregion will take their act on the

road March 28, heading to Portland’stony Pearl District. More than 20 winer-ies will kick off their annual PassportWeek with an evening pouring at UrbanStudio. Tickets are $25, which includes awine glass, small bites and a passport forthe April 1-2 weekend back in the gorge.Blow over to ColumbiaGorgeWine.com.

3Hike the vines on Red Mountain. Itseems as if Heather Unwin is alwaysrunning around at Terra Blanca

Winery and Estate Vineyard. Starting inApril, she and staff will slow down a bitjust after lunch on Fridays and Saturdays.That’s when they lead guided walks ofthe vineyards, a program she calls, “WatchWine Grow” among the 300 acres.

The walks run 1-3 p.m. from AprilFool’s Day to Oct. 29. Get up-close andpersonal with anecdotes, birdwatchingand samples of wines connected to thevarieties touched in the vineyard. Cost is$15. Reservations are urged. Lace ‘em upat terrablanca.com.

4Wake up to Sleeping Lady. Anothersign that we live in wine country iswhen a resort builds grand events

around food and regional wines. Well, Sleeping Lady in Leavenworth has

been getting down with WenatcheeValley winemakers for a number of years.The mountain resort in Icicle Canyon —created by famed Seattle philanthropist

Harriet Bullitt — is also a member ofChefs Collaborative, which promotes sus-tainable food practices.

On April 8, New York Times colum-nist Mark Bittman spends the eveningat Sleeping Lady Mountain Resort topromote his latest book, Food Matters:A Guide to Conscious Eating. Winesserved at the VIP dinner are 100%Northwest, some from certified organ-ic, if not biodynamic, fruit.

Can’t make that? Sleeping Ladystages monthly “harvest dinners” Maythrough October to spotlight localfood and wine pairings. Lift the coversat sleepinglady.com.

5Rooting for the New World. Once amonth, Laurent Montalieu andDanielle Andrus Montalieu’s

remarkable Soléna Estate project in theWillamette Valley will throw open thedoors for comparative tastings that pitNew World (Oregon) vs. the Old World.

These are often complimentary tast-ings and staged at the Soléna tastingroom in Carlton and the Soléna/GrandCru Estates gallery in Yamhill.

On April 16-17, it’s Chardonnay, whichcan be almost as controversial/confronta-tional as Pinot Noir. Get your oak on atsolenaestate.com.

6Derby Day in the Snake River Valley.Among the few sporting events Ican get my wife to sit down and

watch with me is the Kentucky Derby orthe other Triple Crown races. Pre-me,she was a groom for thoroughbred racehorses and saw parts of the country thatI’ll never make it to. She even witnesseda running of The Preakness.

If we’re in the Boise area May 7, here’san event I wouldn’t have to nag her about.Woodriver Cellars in Eagle — formerly theWinery at Eagle Knoll — is holding itsDerby Party. They invite patrons to get“dressed in your best and celebrate the

great things to doin Northwest wine country10

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WINE COUNTRY

running of the Kentucky Derby.”I’d much rather quaff a dry Riesling

than a cloying mint julep. Saddle up atwoodrivercellars.com.

7Wine, whine while your run. Thosecrazy Canucks. The SouthOkanagan Winery Association

(SOWA) will hold the second annualHalf-Corked Marathon on May 28-29.

They expect more than 300 entrants,and it will cover 18 kilometers (11 milesfor Yanks). It’s modeled after the famedMarathon du Medoc, which lures 8,000runners each year.

In the Okanagan, runners get to sam-ple wines at each of the 20 participatingwineries along the Golden Mile andBlack Sage Bench, including our 2011Winery to Watch — Cassini Cellars. I’mguessing the stretch up to TinhornCreek is the toughest. Both the speedi-est and best dressed will be feted. Costis $75. Run over to sowasite.com.

8Taste Washington Spokane 2.0. TheWashington Wine Commissionpulled the plug on its annual Taste

Washington event at The Davenport. Don’t despair. Vintage Spokane is

June 5. Varsity Communications hasstepped in, and the remodeled event atthe Lincoln Center — while a bit differ-ent — should still be a good time.

Varsity produces most major WWCevents, including TW-Spo, so it has an“Outstanding!” track record. Go to vintagespokane.com or varsitycommu-nications.com. Wine Press Northwest isa sponsor, so look for our booth.

9Gold-winning winemakers go iron.It’s been written here that if youread this, then you owe it to your-

self to indulge at least one time anddine at The Herbfarm and spend thatnight across the parking lot at WillowsLodge in Woodinville.

But there’s more to Willows Lodgethan a place to rest your head. BarkingFrog executive chef Bobby Moore rankswith the best in the Northwest, andboth he and the lodge are active in theWoodinville wine scene.

Late this spring, Willows Lodge playshost to the second annual Iron Vintner

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WINE COUNTRY

Challenge. Think of the TV show IronChef, only with local winemakers work-ing the line rather than celebrity chefs.The lineup features chef/winemakersJohn Bigelow (JM Cellars), ChrisGorman (Gorman Winery), ChrisSparkman (Sparkman Cellars) and ChrisUpchurch (DeLille Cellars).

The early betting favorite in Vegas hasto be Sparkman — ex-GM of Seattle’sWaterfront Seafood Grill. Watching theentertaining and fast-talking Moore asMC alone will be worth the admission.

Round One is June 8. Admission ($35)includes tastes from competing winer-ies. Willows Lodge also offers discount-ed lodging. Proceeds benefit the LittleBit Therapeutic Riding Center inWoodinville. Start at willowslodge.com.

10Walla Faces many phases. WallaFaces is a little difficult todescribe.

It’s a tasting salon/art gallery thatpours its own wines. And there are twoinns. And the wines come from vinesowned by Rick Johnson, who also over-sees both Walla Walla Inns and thesalon/gallery. One inn is adjacent to thegallery. The other is at the Walla FacesVineyard, which the Johnsons purchasedfrom the Ahlers in 2006. Acclaimed vint-ner Matthew Loso, formerly of MatthewCellars, crafts the “house” wines.

Each week, I spend a few minutesapproving Walla Faces calendar items forour free online Wine Events page atwinepressnw.com. The Faces is a busyplace, with a live performance seeming-ly every night of the week.

Among the recent performers isProsser-based jazzman WaymanChapman, who does an “Outstanding!”job every year providing entertainment atAlexandria Nicole Cellars’ Harvest Party.A bunch of my Facebook friends “like”Walla Faces. Take a look at the photosposted there, and you likely will beinspired to check it out. Start with wal-lafaces.com.� What is your favorite thing to do inNorthwest wine country? Send yourideas to [email protected].� Have a Northwest wine item to poston our free online Wine Events calen-dar? Go to winepressnw.com/events.

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events WINE COUNTRY

March26 Capital Food and Wine Festival, Lacey, Wash. Northwest wines take centerstage at the 21th annual fundraiser for St. Martin’s University. Cost is $14.Contact 360-438-4366 or go to capitalfoodandwinefestival.com.26-27 Taste Washington, Seattle. Washington’s signature wine event startsSaturday with seminars at Bell Harbor and ends Sunday with the tasting at theQwest Field Event Center. Cost starts at $75. Go to tastewashington.org.

April1-3 Columbia Gorge Passport Weekend. Wineries along both sides of the ColumbiaRiver participate. The weekend includes a winegrowers fundraising dinner, pour-ing and auction for hospice. Go to columbiagorgewine.com.8-9 10th annual Celebration of Syrah, Troutdale, Ore. McMenamins EdgefieldWinery brings in winemakers and distributors from the Northwest and beyond fora Syrah showdown. Call 800-669-8610 or go to celebrationofsyrah.com.15-16 Festival of Wine and Flowers, Spokane, Wash. The 20th annual tasting andauction of Washington wines raises money for St. Luke’s Rehabilitation Institute,which stages the event. Cost is $125. Go to festivalofwineandflowers.com.16-17 Passport to Woodinville, Woodinville, Wash. These are the only two days ofthe year during which all these wineries are open to the public. Cost is $65 perperson. Call 425-205-4394 or go to woodinvillewinecountry.com.15-17 Spring Barrel Tasting, Yakima Valley, Wash. This longtime annual event show-cases the more than 50 wineries and special seminars in the Northwest’s oldestappellation. Cost is $45. Call 800-258-7270 or go to wineyakimavalley.org.29-May 1 Astoria-Warrenton Crab & Seafood Festival, Astoria, Ore. Sip wine from morethan 40 Oregon wineries while enjoying seafood at the mouth of the Columbia River.This marks the event’s 29th year. Call 503-325-6311 or go to oldoregon.com.

MayApril 28-May 9 The Okanagan Spring Wine Festival, Okanagan Valley, B.C. Itincludes more than 100 events. Go to owfs.com or call 250-861-6654.6-8 Spring Release Weekend, Walla Walla, Wash. This is one of two weekends whennearly each winery is open. Call 509-526-3117 or go wallawallawine.com.6-8 Spring Barrel Tasting, Spokane, Wash. Spokane wineries continue to opentheir doors to visitors on Mother’s Day weekend. Go to spokanewineries.net.7 Ellensburg Wine Festival, Ellensburg, Wash. Nearly 30 wineries are set to pour atthe third annual event. Cost is $30. Go to ellensburg-chamber.com.14 Indie Wine Festival, Portland. Wineries making less than 2,000 cases competeto pour at this block party in the Pearl. Cost is $75. Go to indiewinefestival.com.20-22 North Central Washington Barrel Tasting. Chelan, Cashmere, Leavenworth,Oroville and Wenatchee wineries participate. Go to columbiacascadewines.com.28-30 Memorial Weekend in Wine Country, Willamette Valley, Ore. This is one of tworegional weekends in the valley. Call 503-646-2985 or go to willamettewines.com.

June5 Vintage Spokane. After nine years, the event has been rebranded and moved tothe Lincoln Center. Go to varsitycommunications or vintagespokane.com.12 Savor Idaho, Boise. The Idaho Wine Commission puts wineries and restaurantson display at the Idaho Botanical Gardens. Cost is $40. Go to savoridaho.org.10-12 Winthrop Wine Festival, Winthrop, Wash. Regional wineries pour for the sev-enth year near the Methow River. Cost is $30. Go to winthropwashington.com.25 Sunshine & Wine, Yakima, Wash. Sample wines from the Washington StateWine Competition, watch the awards ceremony, enjoy a five-course dinner and anauction. Cost is $125. Call 509-248-7160 or go to fairfun.

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BY “BARGAIN BOB” WOEHLER

Chateau Ste. Michelle, Washington’sflagship winery, is nearly as old as I am.That means I’ve had a lot of years to be

able to taste wines from the Woodinvillebehemoth.

Subsequently, it has a lineup of winesthat are more than a pip on BargainBob’s radar.

These are wines that cost $15 andunder, ranging from a jammy Syrah to afruit-forward Riesling.

Chateau Ste. Michelle is the oldestwinery in Washington, dating back to1934, and the state’s second-largestwinery after Columbia Crest.

So it’s only natural it would havesome fine examples of bargain wines.The prices listed are those at stateliquor stores and other retail outlets.

2009 Riesling, Columbia Valley, $6: Thisvariety put Chateau Ste. Michelle on theworld’s wine map in a California tastingin mid-1970s.

2009 Dry Riesling, ColumbiaValley, $6: This is my person-al Riesling favorite becauseof its wide food applica-tions. Crisp, refreshingstarting with peach andapricot aromas, thenmore tree fruit flavorsand a clean finish.

2007 Syrah, ColumbiaValley, $9: Co-ferment-ing with Viognier givesit a touch of citrus togo along with the darkberry jam flavors. Softand ripe fruit makesthis an easy-to-drinkred.

2009 Chardonnay,Columbia Valley, $9: Asoft style of Chardonnaywith bright sweet citrus fruit characterand subtle spice and oak nuances.

2009 Gewürztraminer, Columbia Valley, $6:Classic floral and spice characteristics. Atouch of Muscat offers citrus notes anda deeper spice charm.

2009 Sauvignon Blanc, Columbia Valley, $9:Refreshing style offering fresh aromasand flavors of lemongrass, apple andmelon.

2008 Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley$12: Extremely berry driven with silkytannins, excellent structure and greatfood applications.

2007 Merlot, Columbia Valley, $12: Thinkblack cherries on the tongue withleather and spice aromas.

NORTHWEST W INE

Ste. Michelle doesn’t rob Bargain Bob’s wallet

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23 Spring Wine Beer ad 2/27/11 5:39 PM Page 23

NORTHWEST W INE


BY JON BAUER

What’s black and white, but red (orwhite) inside?

The answer is easy enough to find ina wine shop or grocery store. It’s abottle from K Vintners and CharlesSmith Wines, distinctive on the shelffor bold pen-and-ink designs and blocklettering in black and white only: acrown, comic-book bombs, a trident,an apple and apple blossoms, duelingskeletons, grape vines encircling aheart and dagger, a cow with a halo,some of which might look more athome as a tattoo on a biker than on awine label.

But then the winemaker himselfwouldn’t seem out of place amongstbikers. Walla Walla, Wash., winemaker

Charles Smith has cultivated a rock-starimage with his big hair and bold atti-tude since starting K Vintners in late2001, then branching out with theMagnificent Wine Co. and CharlesSmith Wines. Prior to coming toEastern Washington, Smith worked as arock band promoter in Scandinavia,which is where he met the woman whohas been a close friend and his designerfrom the start.

Originally from Denmark, but now inVenice, Calif., Rikke Korff said she andSmith met up in Danish nightclubs withthe third leg in their tripod, Sune RoseWagner, now of the alternative rockduo, The Ravonettes.

Nom de vine: Stories behind wine names

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22-25 FOB 3/1/11 2:42 PM Page 24

NORTHWEST W INE


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“They’d crash at myplace and we’d listen tomusic and drink awesomewine,” Korff said.

The friendship grewand continued after Smithmoved back to the UnitedStates and Korff moved toBrussels to work with LeviStrauss. Korff helpedSmith “express his vision”when he opened a wineshop on BainbridgeIsland, Wash., decorating the shop and designing its signs.

So there was little question who would design his labelswhen Smith started his Walla Walla winery.

The process for designing each label isn’t far removed fromthose nights in Denmark, with wine drinking and talk.

“It’s always been a dialogue,” she said.The black and white ethic grew out of what Smith wanted

to communicate about his wines, Korff said.“It’s just honest and direct, as simple as bread and butter.

It’s really as basic as it gets,” Korff said.The label for the 2007 and 2008 Eve Chardonnay shows a

fat apple, with a bite out of it, centered on the label andframed by apple blossoms, a design that reflects the wine’s

floral aroma and apple fla-vors.

The simple designs arealso intended to convey,Korff said, a feeling ofaccessibility and the invi-tation to drink the winesnow, rather than as some-thing to buy and collect.

“He wanted the wine tobe enjoyed that day, notsomething you’d have tostudy Robert Parker to

appreciate,” she said (though Wine Advocate seems to appre-ciate Smith’s wines, scoring 15 of them between 91 and 99points in 2010).

Korff, who is now running her own design house, TheKorff Kouncil, out of Venice, said she will continue to designlabels for Smith and is already working on two or three newlabel designs. Without giving away the surprise, Korff said thenew labels may find inspiration in themes and charactersfrom “Alice in Wonderland.”

She said she caught herself in a slip and nearly said, “Alicein Chains,” the Seattle grunge band.

But then, how far off the mark would Alice in Chains be forKorff and Smith?

22-25 FOB 3/1/11 2:43 PM Page 25

ZERBA CELLARSZerba’s zebra-themed tasting room in Dundee, Ore.

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2011 PACIFIC NORTHWESTWINERY OF THE YEAR

STORY BY ANDY PERDUE // // PHOTOS BY JACKIE JOHNSTON

Cecil and Marilyn Zerba

Mariah Donahue, wine club managere. Vintage snow shoes hang outside the Milton-Freewater logcabin tasting room.

26-29 Zerba.qxd 3/1/11 3:12 PM Page 27

AWARDS winery of the year


CECIL ZERBA HAS FACED CHALLENGES INthe past decade that made him wonder why he got intothe wine industry.

Chief among them was 2004, when a January freezehurt 80 percent of the vines in the Walla Walla Valley.

Cecil and his wife, Marilyn, were planting vines and build-ing their winery building in Milton-Freewater, Ore., about15 minutes south of Walla Walla. Zerba had just put vinesin and the weather froze them to the ground.

“At that point, construction stopped on the building,”Cecil said. “It all went back to being about the vineyardand the wine. I didn’t want to borrow any more money.”

At that time, Zerba Cellars had just finished its secondvintage, during which time Cecil reluctantly took over aswinemaker when his consultant moved on in the middleof harvest. The former electrician thought growinggrapes and starting a little winery would be a good retire-ment job.

“Little did I know!” he said with a deep, gruff laugh.“That about wore me out. It made an old man out of me.”

All the hard work paid off, as those wines from the2003 vintage turned out brilliantly and helped ZerbaCellars begin to stand out in the ever-growing Walla WallaValley.

Today, Zerba produces 7,500 cases of wine and hasthree tasting rooms in two states. It also is Wine PressNorthwest’s 2011 Pacific Northwest Winery of the Year.

The Zerbas took an unusual path to being one of thefinest wineries in the Northwest. Both grew up in the val-ley, with Cecil’s family’s roots here stretching back tobefore the Civil War.

They married in 1981 and soon after opened a nursery,growing plants for field crops such as tomatoes and mel-ons. They also grew a dozen different kinds of flowers.

“I didn’t know the difference between a marigold anda petunia,” Cecil said with a twinkle in his eye.

But that didn’t keep the business from being a success.They began selling produce to grocers between WallaWalla and Baker City and in 2000 sold more than 2 mil-lion pounds of pumpkins to Albertsons. They began

planting wine grapes in 2000 and sold the nursery busi-ness in 2003.

In 2002, the Zerbas launched their eponymous winerywith purchased grapes, then followed up in 2003 with amix of purchased and estate grapes from their WinesapVineyard. Success came quickly, as the 2003 Syrah earneda Platinum in Wine Press Northwest’s year-end best-of-the-best competition in 2005, and two more wines fromthat vintage won Platinum again in 2006. Merlots fromthe 2004 and 2005 vintages subsequently won Platinums,too.

In 2007, the Zerbas hired Doug Nierman as winemaker.Nierman, a Wenatchee Valley native, caught the winemak-ing bug a decade ago and moved to California to work atwineries in Sonoma and Napa before traveling to theUniversity of California at Davis to earn a master’s

How the Pacific NorthwestWinery of the Year is chosenThe Winery of the Year is selected by the edi-tors of Wine Press Northwest and is based ona set of criteria, including longevity, quality,reputation, industry involvement, facilities andother considerations. A winery may win theaward only once.

Past Pacific NorthwestWineries of the Year2010: Vin du Lac, Chelan, Wash.2009: Wild Goose Vineyards, Okanagan Falls, B.C.2008: Dunham Cellars, Walla Walla, Wash.

2007: Elk Cove Vineyards, Gaston, Ore.

2006: Barnard Griffin, Richland, Wash.

2005: Ken Wright Cellars, Carlton, Ore.

2004: L’Ecole No. 41, Lowden, Wash.

2003: Sumac Ridge Estate Winery,

Summerland, B.C.

2002: Columbia Crest, Paterson, Wash.

How the regional wineriesof the year are chosenRegional wineries of the year are selected by

the editors of Wine Press Northwest based on

blind tastings, visits, accolades and other

considerations. Wineries of the Year must

have completed at least five vintages, whileWineries to Watch must have been in busi-ness no more than five vintages.

2010 winnersWashington Winery of the Year:Dusted Valley Vintners, Walla WallaWashington Winery to Watch:Airfield Estates, ProsserOregon Winery of the Year:Sineann, NewbergOregon Winery to Watch:Watermill Winery, Milton-FreewaterBritish Columbia Winery of the Year:JoieFarm, Naramata

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WINE PRESS NORTHWEST • SPRING 2011WINEPRESSNW.COM 29

degree. He returned to the Walla Walla Valley to work atLong Shadows Vintners and Pepper Bridge Winery beforetaking over at Zerba. His first vintage there was an instanthit, with three of Zerba’s 2007 reds — Sangiovese,Tempranillo and Petit Verdot — winning Platinums lastfall. His philosophy is straightforward.

“We’re pretty low-tech,” Nierman said with a laugh.“We really try to keep everything separate. We have a lotof two-, three- and four-barrel lots, which ends up beinga lot of extra work. But we keep them all separate untilwe get ready to sit down for blending and end up with alot of tools and options.”

The Zerbas are glad to have Nierman, especially Cecil.“I did winemaking by consensus,” he said. “Doug has

the palate. He can determine what’s lacking in a wine andto bring it up. He’s just taken it to a whole new level.”

Nierman has a lot of great grapes from which to choose,as the Zerbas have three estate vineyards and a half-dozenothers under contract, all in the Walla Walla Valley. In addi-tion to “Dad’s Vineyard,” which is 4 acres, and Winesap,

which is 12 acres, the Zerbas also have Cockburn, a 188-acre vineyard (60 planted) in the southeastern corner ofthe appellation. Here, they have 20 different varieties,among them Nebbiolo, Dolcetto, Petite Sirah andSemillon. Planted in 2004, with new plantings three yearsago, the vineyard is pretty much in full production.

“It’s up off the valley floor and has a ton of promise,”said Cecil, who handles all the viticulture. “Everything wegrow there does well. It’s just a beautiful site.”

Not willing to stand still, last year the Zerbas openedtwo new tasting rooms, one in Woodinville and one inDundee. As an Oregon winery — even though they arejust a few hundred feet from the Washington border —the Zerbas have struggled to find their niche in theEvergreen State. At first, they flirted with the idea ofopening a production facility in Walla Walla so they could

officially be a Washington winery, too, but they ultimatelyfigured out another way to open the Woodinville tastingroom in May, just across from the HollywoodSchoolhouse. This was a great solution for reachingmany of their 700-plus wine club members who live inthe Seattle area.

They followed up in August with the Dundee tastingroom. It’s on Highway 99W, where traffic continuouslyseems to be at a standstill in the small Yamhill Countycommunity. For the Zerbas, this was a natural and easyfit. For years, they had been participating in Oregon wineevents in Astoria, Newport and McMinnville, so theyalready had a strong following in the Portland area.

“We weren’t sure how the Pinot guys were going tofeel about us coming in there,” Cecil said. “But they aregreat about sending people our way.”

And he has no thoughts of adding a Pinot Noir to hisalready lengthy list of wines just to fit in.

“We could put up a sign that says, ‘Everything butPinot,’ ” he said with a laugh.

In fact, offering something others don’t have ends upbeing a positive for consumers as well as neighboringwineries, he said.

The strategy of having three tasting rooms has paid offgreatly for the Zerbas, who have been able to weatherthe recession by reaching out directly to consumers.

“When you’re sending it to wholesale, you’re selling itat half-price and working harder to sell it,” Zerba said.“That’s the reason for the tasting rooms. I’d much ratherhave someone come in and buy it directly from us thanwait for a distributor to find shelf space for us.” �

ANDY PERDUE is editor- in-chief of Wine Press Northwest.JACKIE JOHNSTON , a freelance photojournalist, is a regular contributor and the pagedesigner for Wine Press Northwest. Her website is WineCountryCreations.com

British Columbia Winery to Watch:

Stoneboat Vineyards, Oliver

Idaho Winery of the Year:

Coeur d’Alene Cellars, Coeur d’Alene

Idaho Winery to Watch:

Davis Creek Cellars, Caldwell

Visiting Zerba CellarsZerba Cellars has three locations:

Walla Walla Valley:85530 Highway 11

Milton-Freewater, OR 97862

541-938-9463

Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily.

Directions: Take Ninth Street south from Walla

Walla. This will turn into Highway 11. Just

after crossing the Oregon border, look for

Zerba Cellars on the right in a log cabin.

Puget Sound:14525 148th Ave. N.E., Suite 114

Woodinville, WA 98072

425-806-2749

Hours: Noon-6 p.m. Thursday-Sunday.

Directions: The tasting room is across the

street from the Hollywood Schoolhouse. If you

are at Chateau Ste. Michelle, turn right and

head up the hill. At the second roundabout,

take the third right. Turn left at the first drive-

way. The tasting room is on the lower level.

Willamette Valley:810 Highway 99W

Dundee, OR 97115

503-537-9463

Hours: 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday

Directions: If you are driving south through

Dundee, the tasting room is on the right side,

across from Argyle Winery.

For more information on Zerba Cellars, go towww.zerbacellars.com.

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ALEXANDRIA NICOLECELLARS / Prosser, Wash.

If awards were given for most milesdriven, Jarrod Boyle might just be thewinner.

The owner and winemaker of our 2011 WashingtonWinery of the Year keeps his odometer spinning, thanksto running tasting rooms in the Yakima Valley town ofProsser and Woodinville near Seattle. Then add another40 miles from Prosser to his vineyard.

For Boyle, it’s all worth it to live the dream of being inthe Washington wine industry.

“I am very fortunate,” he said humbly. “I am blessed tobe surrounded by so many great people.”

Boyle grew up in Prosserand worked as the businessmanager for a farm after col-lege. In 1996, Wade Wolfehired him to work as a viticul-turist at Hogue Cellars. Oneday, he was in the HorseHeaven Hills to check ongrapes at famed ChampouxVineyard. As he drove down agravel road past a field thatwas mostly sagebrush androcks, he envisioned it filled

with vineyards. A little later that day, he saw friend RobMercer, whose family owned the land, and asked himabout it. Rob and his father, Bud, were not interested inbeing in the wine industry at that time (they later part-nered with Mike Hogue to create Mercer Estates), butthe idea never left Boyle’s fertile mind.

“I didn’t have any money and no way to pull it off bymyself,” he said.

In 1998, though, he partnered with the Mercers toplant what became Destiny Ridge, a 264-acre vineyardoverlooking the Columbia River. In 2001, he launchedAlexandria Nicole Cellars. The winery is named after hiswife, Ali. Without any formal winemaking experience, heleaned heavily on others for help, including Wolfe, whoowns Thurston Wolfe, as well as Dave Minnick of WillowCrest and Ray McKee, who got him through the earlystages of the winery.

“It was baptism by fire,” he admitted.Today, he makes about 10,000 cases of wine for

Alexandria Nicole and has a tasting room near HogueCellars, where Thurston Wolfe was located for manyyears. In 2007, he opened a second tasting room inWoodinville — one of the first wineries from EasternWashington to open a satellite operation there. The firstlocation was in what is known as the “warehouse dis-trict.” He has since relocated to the HollywoodSchoolhouse, just up the street from Chateau Ste.Michelle.

Both tasting rooms have secret rooms behind slidingwalls, which are open only to wine club members.

“I’m a big fan of the people in our wine club,” he said.“I wanted to provide something extra for them, some-thing exclusive. The hidden door is kind of fun, and peo-ple really like that.”

Wine club members get a different wine each month,and to accommodate that, Boyle makes about 20 differ-ent bottlings — “way too many,” he admits — but every-thing he does focuses on creating a fun and uniqueopportunities for his fans and customers.

One experience that has turned into a huge deal is“glamping,” a word that means “glamorous camping.”Customers can camp at the vineyard, but they aren’troughing it by any stretch of the imagination.

What’s next for Boyle? He’s kicking around the idea ofa third tasting room in Hood River, Ore., and he’s work-ing on building up a second label called A Squared. He’salso working with Dogfish Head Brewery in Delaware onsome unusual products. And he admits he’d love to starthis own microbrewery.

“But I have enough to do right now,” he laughed.— ANDY PERDUE

PHOTO BY JACKIE JOHNSTON/WINECOUNTRYCREATIONS.COM

Jarrod and Ali Boyle

AlexandriaNicole CellarsProsser: 2880 Lee Road,Ste. D, 509-786-3497.Open 11 a.m.-5 p.m. daily.Woodinville: 14810 N.E.145th St., 425-487-9463.Open noon-5 p.m.Thursday-Monday and until8 p.m. Friday. www.alexan-drianicolecellars.com.

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WESTPORT WINERY / Aberdeen, Wash.

Even with 700 wineries, the pioneeringspirit is alive and well in the Washingtonwine industry. Take the Roberts family,for example. Neither Blain nor KimRoberts has an agricultural background,but they love wine and enjoy being near

the ocean. A Washington State University county extensionagent suggested they plant grapes on the coast, somethingthat had never been done before.

So in 2007, they purchased land near Aberdeen, just 9 miles from the beach, and planted wine grapes, includingMadeleine Angevine, Siegerrebe, Pinot Noir, Riesling,Gewürztraminer and Cabernet Franc, bringing in plantsfrom a Bellingham nursery. Their vineyard is — by far —the westernmost vineyard in Washington. So far, they havenot produced a wine from estate grapes, instead relying onColumbia Valley vineyards until their vines are ready.

In addition to their 8 acres of vines, they have another 8 acres of berries and fruit trees, including cranberries,raspberries, huckleberries, Asian pears, apples and blueber-ries. As they are located on an area of Washington knownas the “Cranberry Coast,” most of their cranberries for winecome from a nearby Ocean Spray operation.

Son Dana Roberts is the winemaker, having learned hisskills at WSU, and daughter Carrie operates the tasting

room and handles the finances.The winery is easy to pick out, as it includes a 40-foot-

tall scale model of the iconic Grays Harbor Lighthouse.Kim, an architect by trade, said the choice was easy.

“We’re not in Tuscany, and we’re not going to pretendwe’re in Tuscany,” she said with a laugh.

Westport produces a dizzying array of wines — 32 andcounting. The strategy comes from when Blain and Kimowned the largest scuba diving business in Hawaii andworked hard to provide something for every customer.

“You find out what your customer wants, and you giveit to them,” Kim said. “When someone comes in andasks, ‘Hey, do you have such and such?’ we do our bestto produce it.”

Because they’re the only winery in the area and areable to draw in visitors who travel to Ocean Shores andother areas of the coast, they want to make sure they areproviding a great experience. Westport’s first bottling was2,100 cases, and the winery quickly sold out because ofthe local demand. This forced them to turn to fruit winesbecause of readily available sources, and that has turnedinto a booming business. As a result, nearly all of theirwines are sold directly to consumers, with just a littleavailable at retailers or restaurants.

The wines are meeting with critic acclaim. Both the2008 and 2009 Boom Runner Reserve Merlot received“Outstanding!” ratings in the past year, as did its 2009Jetty Cat red blend and 2009 sparkling Gewürztraminer.

As you can guess, Westport also is gaining a reputationfor clever labels and names. Blain was a nationally rankedsurfer in the 1970s, so “Surfer’s Last Syrah” was born. PinotNoirvana, which uses Yakima Valley grapes, honorsAberdeen native Kurt Cobain of Nirvana fame. One of thebiggest hits is “Bella,” a red blend that plays off the Twilightbooks and movies that are set in Forks, just up the coast.Proceeds from Bella benefit the local blood bank.

And to continue making Westport a true destinationwinery, the family opened an on-site restaurant inOctober, led by Erin Worth, a graduate of WesternCulinary Institute in Portland who also has worked forTom Douglas. She and her two chefs use herbs and pro-duce grown on site, as well as fresh regional ingredients.Kim said their take on beef Wellington, called “beefWashington,” is a local hit. The restaurant is open forlunch and dinner Thursdays through Sundays.

What seemed like a long shot just a half-decade agohas turned into a hit. Breaking the rules seems to help.

“We’re not conventional,” Kim said with a chuckle.“That’s one of the fun thingsabout us. We’re introducingpeople to wines.”

The quality of Westport’swines keeps them comingback. — ANDY PERDUE


The Roberts family,left to right, Dana,Blain, Kim andCarrie.

Westport Winery1 S. Arbor Road, Aberdeen,WA 98520, 360-648-2224,westportwines.org. Opendaily at 11 a.m.

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WILLAMETTE VALLEYVINEYARDS / Turner, Ore.

Jim Bernau didn’t start out wanting tomake great Pinot Noir or build one ofOregon’s largest wineries. He was just

a guy from Roseburg whose father was hired by RichardSommer, the granddaddy of Oregon Pinot Noir, to dosome legal work for HillCrest Vineyard.

In the early 1980s, Bernau was hired to develop awhite paper to explain to state lawmakers why theyshould support the Oregon wine industry by creating theOregon Wine Advisory Board. The legislation passed in1983, a year before the federal government approved theWillamette Valley as an American Viticulture Area.

By that time, Bernau was bitten by the wine bug andsmitten with the idea of getting into the industry. But hedidn’t have the means to get started and came up with anovel approach: stockholders.

“I worked my way throughcollege by working in asawmill,” the energetic Bernausaid. “I had no resources. Myidea was to build a world-classwinery by organizing manywine enthusiasts, and the onlyway to do that was with a pub-lic stock offering. It was nevermy original intention, but itwas the only way for me to doit. I didn’t know any wealthypeople, just people like me.”

Today, Willamette ValleyVineyards has 5,000 stockhold-

ers, and Bernau is the CEO. Hestarted out by purchasing 40 acresof land near the Enchanted Forestamusement park south of Salem.He bought vines from Susan SokolBlosser in Dundee and the Casteelbrothers at Bethel Heights nearSalem, who didn’t charge interestas a way to help out the enthusias-tic entrepreneur.

The first harvest was in 1989.Dean Cox came on as WillametteValley Vineyards’ winemaker andbrought in Forrest Klaffke as hisassistant. Cox died of a heart attackin the middle of harvest in 1995,and Joe Dobbes came in andhelped as a consultant. Dobbesreturned the following summer ashead winemaker, a post he helduntil 2002. Klaffke has been head

winemaker since 2002.In 1997, Bernau purchased Tualatin Estate near Forest

Grove, one of Oregon’s oldest vineyards.“That was one of our big breaks,” Bernau said.

“(Founder Bill Fuller) had 83 acres of vines planted in1973. It’s one of Oregon’s treasured vineyards, and that’swhere our best fruit comes from.”

Bernau has since expanded the vineyard to 200 acresof vines.

About the same time, Dobbes saw an opportunity withRogue Valley grapes, and Bernau created the GriffinCreek label. At 2,500 cases, it’s a small part of WillametteValley Vineyards total case production that nears 100,000cases, but the brand has performed well for Bernau.

Now, Bernau has leased revered Elton Vineyards andhas purchased an adjacent 80 acres.

“It’s going to take me another 15 years to see theresults of that effort,” said Bernau, who at 57 years oldhas no intention of slowing down.

He’s also helped revive interest in Oregon Riesling,producing more than 20,000 cases. He’d like more, butmost growers are interested in putting Pinot Noir orPinot Gris in the ground.

“We made a lot of Riesling in the early days because Ihad to pay the bills,” he said with a laugh. “I couldn’tafford not to make Riesling.”

But his passion has always been with Pinot Noir, thealluring grape that has bewitched many an Oregon wineenthusiast. Today, Bernau and his team craft a dozen dif-ferent bottlings of Pinot Noir.

“We’re concentrating on improving our Pinot Noirplantings,” he said. “The whole idea behind WillametteValley Vineyards is making classic cool-climate wines.”— ANDY PERDUE

PHOTO COURTESY OF WILLAMETTE VALLEY VINEYARDS

Jim Bernau

WillametteValleyVineyards8800 Enchanted Way S.E.,Turner, OR 97392, 503-588-8894, www.wvv.com.The tasting room is openfrom 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.daily. The Tualatin Estatetasting room in ForestGrove is open noon-5 p.m.weekends from Marchthrough December.

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ILLAHE VINEYARDS / Dallas, Ore.

When it comes to being good stewardsof the land, many wineries talk thetalk. Illahe Vineyards near Salem walksthe walk. Right down to its name.

Our 2011 Oregon Winery to Watch isa family operation, led by Lowell Ford,

who began planting wine grapes in 1983 and sellingthem to other wineries. In the mid-’90s, he plantedGlenn Creek Vineyard in West Salem. Then in 2000, heplanted Illahe, a 53-acre vineyard not far from famedFreedom Hill Vineyard. The name Illahe is a Chinookword for “land” or “soil.” Winemaker Brad Ford, Lowell’sson, likens it to a Northwest version of the French termterroir. For the first two harvests, the grapes were sold tonearby wineries, including Cristom, Evesham Wood andBethel Heights. They still receive about two-thirds of thegrapes each year.

Brad was a grant writer before becoming a winemaker,an odd career path but one that has been rewarding.

“People actually call me up to talk about winemaking,”he said, chuckling. “Nobody wanted to know about mygrant-writing work. Dad bought this property, and I sawan opportunity.”

He studied winemaking at Chemeketa CommunityCollege near Salem, where Lowell helped to establish the

Northwest Vitculture Center and once served asdean of students.

“This is a dream job.”The winery’s inaugural vintage was 2006, and

Illahe’s focus has been on Pinot Noir, whichaccounts for more than half of its 2,700 cases. Therest is divided between Viognier, Pinot Gris, Rieslingand Grüner Veltliner, and Brad, 40, is adding a rosémade from Tempranillo. Only the Viognier is frompurchased fruit.

The wines have been generally superb so far, withthe 2008 Pinot Noir earning our top “Outstanding!”rating and the 2009 Viognier an “Excellent.”

In addition to honing his winemaking skills, Bradalso is focused on getting back to basics. The win-ery is been LIVE (low-input viticulture and enology)certified and Salmon Safe, not unusual for Oregonwineries. But Brad is taking it a few steps further.

“My main focus is on historical Pinot Noir produc-tion methods,” he said.

This includes using horses instead of tractors inthe vineyard, using wood instead of plastic or metalwhen possible and generally being less mechanical.

“I think it is important to avoid push-button wine-making and not just rely on machines and technol-ogy. Everybody knows how winemaking works withmachines.”

This includes relying on native fermentations,and he is even having some clay fermenters made

and plans to bury them to see how they perform, point-ing out that the ambient temperature of soil is perfectfor fermentations. He plans to put his theories to thetest with a few lots before moving forward. He also plansto dig a cave in the side of the hill at the estate and useonly candlelight in it. He hopes to get to that project asearly as next year, after the winery adds a tasting roomand a patio for entertaining guests.

Illahe’s success has primarily been within the family,with Lowell overseeing viticulture and sales and Brad’swife, Bethany, serving as national sales manager. Brad’smom, Pauline, helps during harvest and with specialevents.

Illahe’s wines are available in 18 states, with the vastmajority in the Portland and Salem markets. They can befound at such locations as New Seasons, Fred Meyer andWhole Foods, as well as such wine merchants as E&R,Liner & Elsen, Oregon Wines on Broadway, Vino, Avalonand Woodstock. In the Seattle area, Illahe wines are soldat Town & Country Markets,PCC Natural Markets,McCarthy & Shiering inQueen Anne and Bin 41 inWest Seattle. — ANDYPERDUE


The Ford family,left to right, Lowell,Pauline, Brad andBethany.

Illahe Vineyards3275 Ballard Road, Dallas,OR 97338, 503-831-1248,www.illahevineyards.com.Open by appointment.

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PENTÂGE WINERY / Penticton, B.C.

Followers of British Columbia winewould have to be living in a cave tomiss the continuous mining of medalsby Paul Gardner and Julie Rennie atPentâge Winery.

Last year, they earned gold at theNorthwest Wine Summit for the 2008Pinot Gris, the 2009 Rosé and 2009

Slow Vineyards Icewine. The All-Canadian Wine Championships also recognized

the 2008 Pinot Gris and the Pentâge 2009 Gewürztra-miner as a gold, and the wine went on to earn a 2010Platinum in Wine Press Northwest’s annual best-of-the-best competition.

It continued a trend for Pentâge, which garnered aPlatinum the year prior for its 2008 Sauvignon BlancSemillon.

Such consistent excellence makes Pentâge our 2011B.C. Winery of the Year.

“We’ve been at this since 1996, so with another threeyears of hard work, maybe we can rest a little,” Gardnersaid with a smile. “Our focus is making small lots ofexcellent wine.”

The 60-case production of 2009 ice wine went on tofinish third overall in Wine Press Northwest’s regionaljudging of ice wine in 2010. That wine continued to flashPentâge’s knack for blending as it gathered up five whitevarieties — Semillon, Muscat, Chardonnay, SauvignonBlanc and Viognier — for a remarkable dessert drink.

Ironically, Gardner and Rennie named their wineryafter the Greek word “penta,” which translates to “five” –

a reference to the number ofred varieties they first plantedon their estate and used fortheir original red blend ofCabernet Sauvignon, CabernetFranc, Merlot, Syrah andGamay.

The Gamay now is featured by Gardner and youngwinemaker Adam Pearce for Pentâge’s highly sought-afterpink.

“It’s not a sexy grape, but I was advised to grow it in1996 by Richard Cleave, one of the pioneers,” Gardnersaid. “He thought it would be a great varietal for theOkanagan Valley, and I love the grape.”

Around the same time, Gardner, a former marine engi-neer, also began receiving winemaking expertise from upabove.

“I was lucky that first year,” he said. “When I was con-touring the slopes, my neighbor was looking down onthis show that was going on. It happened to be MarkWendenburg from Sumac Ridge, and if there is someonewho knows winemaking in the valley, it would be Mark.Well, he mentored us in the first year. We’ve met otherwinemakers along the way, and they’ve been a greatsource of knowledge and help.”

Pearce arrived in 2008 from Ontario’s Niagara region,and he’s helped Pentâge achieve success with full-bodiedreds, too. Wine Press Northwest recently deemed its2006 Merlot and 2007 Syrah as “Excellent.”

However, one may get a sense that Gardner’s true pas-sion is trellised to the vineyard.

Between his original Vista Ridge Vineyard and the newDirty Dozen parcel, Gardner works with 13 varieties. HisRhône varieties also include Grenache, Marsanne,Mourvèdre and Roussanne. Gardner’s “spice reds” inproduction are Malbec, Petite Sirah, Petit Verdot,Tempranillo and Zinfandel.

But wines and vines aren’t the only driving forces onthe 23 acres overlooking Skaha Lake, with the Pentictonskyline to the north. There’s also a remarkable cave proj-ect, “which seems to go on forever,” Gardner said with asmirk.

“In 2000, we found that a natural feature of granitefrom the Skaha Bluffs goes right through the propertyand that it was possible to do a cave,” Gardner said. “Itworks thermally. The barrels love it because the humidityis about 75 percent, so it’s a no-brainer. On this property,you don’t just get the big flat space where you can put abuilding. It optimizes the land, and I like to think that it’s‘green.’ ”

Now, it plays host to special events and safeguardsmuch of the 4,000-case production. So much for thosedays Gardner spent “dabbling as a home winemaker” in1995.

“I was happily living in Vancouver, but I always wantedto have a piece of land — property to walk around on —and I had the interest in grapes,” Gardner said. “Julie wasencouraging me to leave the house, and we came up tothe Okanagan for the weekend. By fluke, we stumbledupon this property. It was little bit more than we wanted,but two months later we owned it.”

And B.C. wine lovers are digging it. — ERIC DEGERMAN

PHOTO BY J. KEVIN DUNN

Adam Pearce, Julie Rennie, Paul Gardner

Pentâge Winery4400 Lakeside Road,Penticton, BC., V2A 8WC,250-493-4008, www.pentage.com.

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CASSINI CELLARS / Oliver, B.C.How hot is Cassini Cellars?

The owner recently changed his lastname back to Cassini — the family sur-name until his grandfather left Italy forRomania following World War I.

And based on the scoring of WinePress Northwest’s 2010 PlatinumCompetition, Adrian Cassini has reason

to be proud. His young winery along the Golden Mileproduced British Columbia’s best red last year — the2008 Collector’s Series Syrah from the Okanagan Valley.

It earned a Platinum and was judged to be the second-best Syrah in the 11th annual collection of Northwestgold-medal winners, qualifying with a gold at the All-Canadian Wine Championships. The ACWC also gave his2008 Nobilus Merlot a double gold and 2007 Maximusblend a gold. At the inaugural B.C. Wine Awards, criticshanded his 2007 Reserve Pinot Noir a gold.

Still, our 2011 B.C. Winery to Watch struggles to convincehis extended family in Romania that his wine is golden.

“They still believe the wine back home is better,” hesaid with a chuckle. “They say, ‘Canada? You’ve got to bekidding?’ Few people know of the pocket desert we havein the Okanagan Valley.”

Cassini started making wine in 2007, and he hired one ofthe province’s top winemakers, Philip Soo, as a consultant.

“He’s a very educated man, and he knows quite a bitabout barrels and blending,” Cassini said. “At the end ofthe day, we make a good team.”

While this is a third career for Cassini, the juice is in hisblood. His family tended vines for many years. “You areonly allowed to grow the grapes in Romania. You have tosell them to the government,” he said.

Back home, he managed nightclubs and restaurants. InCanada, he came to own a group of fitness clubs and ranconstruction in the Vancouver area until 2005 when hecashed in his chips and moved to the Okanagan Valley.

“Don’t we call that a midlife crisis?” he said. “I made myown wine all the time, so my interest grew. And I alwayswanted to retire and walk my dog in the vineyard.”

The quality of the wines definitely makes CassiniCellars known for what it is, rather than what the proper-ty used to be — a huge lavender nursery between Oliverand Osoyoos. When he got started in 2006, the landcame with 8,000 lavender plants.

“It was a shame to think about burning the plants, sowe did the excavation, scooped up the plants and putthe word out,” Cassini said. “By 8 a.m. the next morning,we had 20 to 30 cars waiting.”

That set the stage for Cassini to build his winery andbegin planting 5 acres of vines, which include CabernetFranc, Merlot, Pinot Gris and smaller blocks of Syrah andMalbec. Between those and purchased fruit, he’ll alsobottle Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache,Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc,Marsanne, two styles of Chardonnay and two Syrahs.

“I am very interested in Syrah in the Okanagan,” hesaid. “It’s like rediscovering the wheel for me. The winescan be so intense and so dramatic. It’s like magic. I seelots of future in this.”

Just don’t lose the notes from the 2008 Collector’s Series.“I changed the barrel program in 2008 and got more

extraction, more color and more attitude from theSyrah,” he said. “It became more intense, but to get allthe flavors we’re going to have more alcohol. It’s nothot, though, and I’m not one of the big boys who canpay to get the alcohol out of the wine.”

His case production is 4,500. He could ramp up to6,000 — that is if he can muster the energy to do so afterbuilding a cave for storage and summer events.

“I have to run the business, the vineyard, the labels,the girls in the tasting room, handle the PR and do theschmoozing with my customers,” he said. “I’ve neverworked this much in my life, but when I’m in the vine-yard at 5 in the morning, I feel like a million bucks. It’sbecause I have a good teamin the tasting room and theOkanagan is heaven. Wineis good, and I enjoy drink-ing wine.” — ERIC DEGERMAN

PHOTO BY J. KEVIN DUNN

Adrian Cassini

Cassini Cellars32056 Highway 97, Oliver,BC, V0H 1T0, 250-485-4370,cassini.ca

britishcolumbiawinery to

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AWARDS


FRASER VINEYARD / Boise, Idaho

By the sounds of it, Bill Fraser mighttry to convince you that the best partabout being a winemaker in Idaho isthat it doesn’t get in the way of hiswinter fun.

“I only work April to October,”Fraser chuckled. “We just got back from Mexico, andthen we’re heading to Sun Valley because I like to ski.This really is a great job.”

It’s obvious there’s much more work being done atFraser Vineyard in the Snake River Valley than he lets on.Sure, he works with small lots and his total productiondoesn’t top 1,000 cases, but Fraser dotes on his vines inCaldwell and the barrels at his winery near Boise StateUniversity’s famous football stadium.

The results make it easy to name Fraser Vineyard asWine Press Northwest’s 2011 Idaho Winery of the Year.

“Idaho needs five more winemakers like Bill who wantto increase production to 10,000 cases a year,” said GaryCunningham of 3 Horse Ranch Vineyards in Eagle, Idaho.“Nothing would make me happier than to get Bill to

change his mind and get big-ger.”

The consumer stands to ben-efit from there being moreFraser Vineyard wines. After all,his 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon

was voted Best Red and Best in Show at the 2010 IdahoWine Competition. Two others that still haven’t beenreleased — 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon and 2009 Malbec —also earned gold medals at the October judging.

Last spring, his 2008 Randonée, a 50/50 split of Malbecand Syrah, received an “Outstanding!” from Wine PressNorthwest’s tasting panel. The 2007 Couloir Cuvée, ablend of Merlot (76 percent) with Cabernet Sauvignon,rated an “Excellent” and appeared in our Best Buy cate-gory because it retailed for a mere $14.

“I prefer the Bordeaux varieties more for my personaldrinking, and Syrah is not one of my favorites, but you’vegot to plant and grow what does well here,” Fraser said.

So he makes Syrah from Skyline and Sawtooth vine-yards. This spring, he’ll release his first Petite Sirah,which came off Williamson and Skyline.

Only three varieties are planted at his estate —Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot, and Fraser,62, seems content. That’s because it took such work get-ting to this point after spending more than threedecades in the Boise construction business.

And starting a winery outside of Idaho wasn’t a consid-eration, either. After all, he’s a fourth-generationIdahoan, starting with his great-grandfather who ran aferry across the Snake River during the Civil War.

“My wife and I planted the vineyard in 2003, and wedid all the work ourselves — including the trellising, thedrip irrigation and the 4,000 postholes,” he said. “It’spretty frightening when you think about it. You spendthree years just to get your first crop, then it goes intobarrel for two years, then you bottle it and say to your-self, ‘Geez, I hope someone is going to buy it.’ ”

The wines off his 5 acres practically sell themselves,which is a good thing.

“I’m very shy, and this is difficult talking about this,”Fraser said.

On the other hand, his ponytail attracts attention.“It drives my wife nuts,” he said. “It goes back to the

Bush years. I should cut it off, but it’s kind of the wine-maker affectation.”

Over the years, Fraser leaned on several winemakersfor advice, including Steve McCarthy of Frenchman’sGulch Winery in Sun Valley, who also sports a ponytail.There’s also Leslie Preston — “Leslie is really good atchemistry, and I certainly wasn’t a chemistry major in col-lege” — Gina Davis (Davis Creek), Greg Koenig, MelanieKrause (Cinder) and Angie Riff (Periple).

“We’re all pretty close, and we get together quite abit,” Fraser said.

And who wouldn’t want to drink his wines?“We’ve started this up, and it’s taken off,” he said. “I

was in construction for so long, and this is an entire newgroup of people — the restaurants, the retailers, thefarmers and the people who stop by to buy wine. It’s allbeen fun.” — ERIC DEGERMAN

PHOTO BY KATHERINE JONES/IDAHO STATESMAN

Bill and Bev Fraser

Fraser Vineyard10004 La Pointe St., Boise,ID, 208-345-9607,fraservineyard.com

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AWARDS


3 HORSE RANCH VINEYARDS / Eagle, IdahoGreg Cunningham made his nest eggas a marketing whiz, and he also seemsto be a rather quick study when itcomes to growing grapes in the SnakeRiver Valley.

He’ll be the first to admit, however,the smartest move he’s made as owner of 3 Horse RanchVineyards in Eagle, Idaho, was hiring Greg Koenig.

“A good winemaker isn’t defined by one good wine thatmight have come during a great vintage,” Cunningham said.“Greg has made good wines in Idaho for close to 20 years.”

That partnership shows in the bottles from the Idaho’slargest organic vineyard for the state’s third-largest win-ery. Those factors, combined with Cunningham’s drive toelevate the perception of Gem State wines, led to3 Horse Ranch Vineyard being named as Wine PressNorthwest’s 2011 Idaho Winery to Watch.

In less than five years, 3 Horse Ranch became thestate’s largest family-owned winery. Their first vintage,2006, produced fewer than 1,000 cases. That allowed theCunninghams to open in 2008. By 2010, despite a coolseason, production jumped to 7,000 cases.

“Normally, we’d have a dozen days of 100-degree tem-peratures,” Cunningham said. “One year, there were 23days in a row. Last year, we had just one 100-degree day.”

The target for 2011 is to produce 10,000 cases, and he’llcontinue to purchase Riesling and additional varieties fromother Idaho vineyards. It explains why Cunningham plansto build a production facility on the ranch for Koenig, wholives 40 miles to the southwest and makes wine for threewineries — including his own Koenig Vineyards.

Cunningham said he’s increasing production to meetdemand and maintain shelf space year-round. One key istraining his staff to work with distributors, but he’s alsohand-selling bottles throughout Idaho, pouring at placessuch as the Fred Meyer in Coeur d’Alene.

Curious shoppers leave as educated buyers because theyenjoy the wine, embrace the organic concept and want tosupport Idaho industry, Cunningham said. He’s also openedmarkets in Washington, Montana and Wyoming, and he’dlike his colleagues to follow. But perhaps every Idaho win-ery should revisit its marketing approach to its own state.

“Between 70 and 80 percent of the wine sold in Idahois made in California,” Cunningham said. “We need tohave the consumer in Idaho trust our products. And thegrowth of Idaho’s wine industry depends on peopleplanting great vineyards. When you have to go out ofstate to buy grapes, you rarely get the best fruit.”

Idaho long has been known for Riesling and off-dryreds, yet the Snake River Valley’s future may be best linkedto Rhône varieties. It’s no coincidence that Wine PressNorthwest has awarded its top rating of “Outstanding!” toa pair of 3 Horse Ranch Vineyards wines — the 2008Estate Viognier and the 2008 Reserve Syrah.

Just before that harvest, the vineyard that sits at 2,800feet elevation was certified as organic.

There’s room to grow, too. Of the 500 acres deemedsuitable for wine grapes, fewer than 40 have been planted.

“When we moved to the ranch, there were three of us— our daughter, Gary and myself — and three horses,”said wife, Martha. “That was in 1998. And we still havethree horses.”

Cunningham left Sacramento, Calif., after a successfulcareer in the world of corporate business travel. He andMartha lived eight years in McCall before buying 1,600acres in the Eagle Foothills on a dirt road that’s not solonely anymore. They began planting vines in 2003.

“I used to play golf five days a week and got down to 2-handicap, but you can’t play that game and own a vine-yard,” he said. “I miss the game, but I love the vineyardmore. I don’t think I played more than six rounds in 2010.”

This year, one of his top priorities is working withKoenig to extend their long-term relationship.

“My life is no longer aboutage. It’s about vintages,” saidCunningham, 61. “I want tolive long enough to seewhere this goes.” — ERIC DEGERMAN

PHOTO BY KATHERINE JONES/IDAHO STATESMAN

Greg and MarthaCunningham

3 Horse RanchVineyards

3 Horse Ranch Vineyards,5900 Pearl Road, Eagle, ID,83616, 208-863-6561,3horseranchvineyards.com

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TAST ING RESULTS


44-55 Pinot Noir.qxd 3/1/11 1:36 PM Page 44

TAST ING RESULTS


Is 2008 the best vintage forOregon Pinot Noir ever? Wewon’t bother getting into that

debate, but those wines on storeshelves right now are generallysuperb, at least according to ourjudging of Northwest Pinot Noirs.

And not just in Oregon. The topwine in our competition of 170 PinotNoirs actually came from north ofthe 49th parallel. But the vast major-ity of our top wines came fromOregon’s Willamette Valley, wherePinot Noir makes up more than 50percent of the total tonnage eachyear. And the 2008 vintage was oneto remember. It was a cool springand summer, and average yieldswere barely 2 tons per acre for PinotNoir, low even by Oregon standards.Growers finally got a break late inthe season with little rainfall andenough sun to ripen the grapes tonear perfection.

This has left fans and critics alikeraving about the 2008 wines, whichare quickly selling out.

Of the 24 wines that earned ourtop “Outstanding” rating, 18 werefrom 2008.

Amid the top wines, we see manyfamiliar longtime producers, includ-ing Chehalem, Erath, Sokol Blosser,Solena, Owen Roe and Henry Estate.We also found some emerging stars,including J. Daan, Le Cadeau, Dukesand Redman, all wineries in theWillamette Valley.

Erath, which was purchased by

Ste. Michelle Wine Estates in 2006,had three wines earning an“Outstanding” rating, all from small-production vineyard-designated bot-tlings. And Le Cadeau, whose estatevineyard is on Parrett Mountain nearNewberg, had two wines amid ourtop picks.

We tasted wines from all fourregions of the Pacific Northwest, andeach had at least one wine amongthe top 24, showing the adaptabilityof the notoriously fickle grape.

Our judges for this competitionwere: Kate Michaud, winemaker forCovey Run; Winnie Alberg, a winejudge from Ellensburg, Wash.; KerryNorton, winemaker for ColumbiaWinery; Dave Seaver, Wine PressNorthwest tasting panelist; KenRobertson, Wine Press Northwestcolumnist; and Bob Woehler, WinePress Northwest’s tasting editor. Itwas held at the Clover Island Inn inKennewick in mid-February.

Here are the wines:

OUTSTANDINGLa Frenz $32 CDN2008 100 Series Reserve Pinot Noir,Okanagan Valley Jeff Martin has been set-ting the bar higher not only in B.C.’sOkanagan Valley but also the entireNorthwest since arriving in the mid-1990s.He’s now established himself as one of thefinest winemakers anywhere, and this suavePinot Noir reveals his versatility with a broadrange of varieties. This wine opens with aro-mas of black cherries and spicy chocolate. Itfurther shows its greatness on the palate withsubtle flavors of alluring red and black fruitand a rich palate, all backed with subtle acidi-

ty and tannin. The complexity grows andcrescendos on the lengthy finish. (500 cases,13.5% alc.)

Chehalem Wines $442008 Ridgecrest Pinot Noir, Ribbon RidgeHarry Peterson-Nedry set his roots in richWillamette Valley soil when he began plantingPinot Noir on Ribbon Ridge in 1980. In thethree decades since, he has established him-self as one of the northern Willamette Valley’smost important figures, pushing quality anddefinition in his beloved Pinot Noir. Thesegrapes came from his original plantings in theNorthwest’s smallest appellation. Aromas ofwild strawberries, caramel and tobacco leafdraw you into flavors of raspberries, rhubarband hints of new leather. Bright acidity andsilky tannins allow the fruit to sashay to abeautiful finish. (592 cases, 12.7% alc.)

Erath Winery $502008 Leland Pinot Noir, Willamette ValleyWinemaker Gary Horner is taking one ofOregon’s oldest producers to greater levels ofexcellence. Leland Vineyard near Oregon Cityhas been a staple for Erath for more than twodecades, and in Horner’s hands, its grapesrise to the pinnacle of quality. This opens withcomplex aromas of cinnamon, raspberries,cherries and chocolate. On the palate, the fla-vors include classic notes of high-toned redfruit with hints of oak. It’s the velvety, ethere-al texture that raises this wine above others.(420 cases, 13% alc.)

Erath Winery $502008 Prince Hill 777 Pinot Noir, DundeeHills This wine not only is from one of wine-maker Gary Horner’s favorite vineyards, but italso is all crafted from the 777 Dijon clone. Itis not often thought of as a version of PinotNoir that can stand alone, but it is so beauti-ful and alluring in this particular bottling. Itopens with aromas of fresh raspberries, straw-berries, violets, hazelnuts and Graham crack-ers, followed by plush, delicious flavors of

W I N E R A T I N G S

All rated wines are tasted blind then placed in thefollowing categories:

OutstandingThese wines have superior characteristics andshould be highly sought after.

ExcellentTop-notch wines with particularly high qualities.

RecommendedDelicious, well-made wines with true varietal char-acteristics.

Best Buy!A wine that is $15 or under.

Prices are suggested retail and should be used asguidelines. Prices are in U.S. dollars unless other-wise noted.

CDN: Canadian dollars.

Pinot NoirFamiliar producers win honors

along with some rising stars

BY ANDY PERDUEPHOTOGRAPHS BY JACKIE JOHNSTON


TAST ING RESULTS pinot noir


wild strawberries and bright red cherries, allbacked with smooth, elegant and understatedtannins. (214 cases, 13.5% alc.)

J. Daan Wine Cellars $202008 Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley Justinand Megan Van Zanten own this small wineryin the Yamhill County town of Carlton. Theyproduce three different Pinot Noirs, with thisbeing their largest production. It uses grapesfrom Croft-Williamson and Apolloni vineyardsand is a superb example of Oregon PinotNoir. It opens with subtle aromas of raspber-ries, cherries and flowers with a hint ofmocha. On the palate, it leads with a richentry that gives way to a velvety midpalate ofripe red fruit and an elegant, dream-like fin-ish. (450 cases, 13.8% alc.)

Le Cadeau Vineyard $472008 Équinoxe Pinot Noir, ChehalemMountains Tom and Deb Mortimer farm in arocky area atop Parrett Mountain nearNewberg, Ore., a distinctive area in the north-ern Willamette Valley that could one daybecome a separate appellation. This wine cer-

tainly helps make a case for that, thanks to itsaromas of spicy red cherries and hints of oak,followed by flavors of black cherries, racycranberries, black pepper, dark chocolate andsweet, mild tannins on the finish. (196 cases,14.1% alc.)

Aubichon Cellars $382009 Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley Thiswinery in the Yamhill County town of Dundeeis a collaboration between Le Cadeau’s TomMortimer and winemaker Jim Sanders. Thisnew release is a gorgeous wine with aromasof pomegranates, cherries, strawberries andFrench vanilla. It’s beautifully complex on thepalate with flavors of Rainier cherries, ripestrawberries and even a hint of blueberries.Mild tannins provide harmonious balance tothis elegant wine. (251 cases, 14.5% alc.)

Erath Winery $502008 Prince Hill 115 Pinot Noir, DundeeHills This is one of four Pinot Noirs thatErath crafts from Prince Hill, so you get thefeeling winemaker Gary Horner thinks thevineyard is more than a little special. This

wine is made exclusively from the Dijon 115clone, a version of Pinot Noir that tends toreveal darker, more powerful fruit. This wineoffers elegant aromas of cherries, raspberriesand vanilla, followed by beautifully balancedflavors of Rainier cherries and cranberries, allbacked up with bright acidity and refined tan-nins. (224 cases, 13% alc.)

Lake Chelan Winery $252008 Estate Pinot Noir, Columbia ValleyWashington’s lone wine amid our top-ratedPinot Noirs is fairly unusual, as it’s blendedwith 22% Cabernet Sauvignon. The Pinot Noirgrapes come from the Lake Chelan AVA, whilethe Cab is from Rivers Bend Vineyard in theYakima Valley. It would seem the Cab plays asmall role in this wine, as it certainly didn’ttake away the Pinot’s characteristics of cran-berries and cherries. Smooth, silky tanninsback up the bright red fruit and give way to along, elegant finish. (497 cases, 13.7% alc.)

Mission Hill Family Estate $20 CDN2009 Five Vineyards Pinot Noir, OkanaganValley This line of wines from one of British


pinot noir TAST ING RESULTS


Columbia’s most famous producers usesgrapes from five distictive vineyards in theOkanagan Valley, stretching from the U.S. bor-der near Osoyoos to Kelowna in the center ofthe valley. The range of vineyards undoubted-ly ads to the complexity of this wine, whichreveals aromas of wildflowers and cherries,followed by fruit-laden flavors of cherries andraspberries. Elegant tannins and acidity pro-vide all the necessary balance. (2,900 cases,13% alc.)

Sokol Blosser Winery $382008 Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills The secondgeneration has taken over this iconic wineryin Oregon’s Dundee Hills. The vineyard wasplanted beginning in 1971 by Bill Blosser andSusan Sokol Blosser, and today is run by sib-lings Alex and Alison Sokol Blosser. Thissuperb wine is a tribute to this pioneeringwinery’s relentless efforts for the past 40years. It reveals aromas of violets, oreganoand spices, followed by elegant flavors ofcherries and red currants. The tannins are

firm yet silky. (6,308 cases, 14% alc.)

ADEA Wine Co. $452008 Hawks View Vineyard Pinot Noir,Chehalem Mountains The Fisher familybegan planting Pinot Noir in 1990 andlaunched their winery five years later. Fromits winery in Gaston, ADEA now makes nofewer than seven Pinot Noirs. The grapes forthis come from famed Hawks View, a 45-acrevineyard near the town of Sherwood. Thiswine shows restrained elegance from firstwhiff through the memorable finish. It openswith aromas of moist, minerally earth, cher-ries and even a hint of orange zest, followedby flavors of Rainier cherries, cranberries annutmeg, all backed with plump, soft tannins.(164 cases, 14% alc.)

Anne Amie Vineyards $352008 Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley Afterpurchasing Chateau Benoit in the late 1990s,Oregon entrepreneur Robert Pamplin setabout changing just about everything, includ-ing the name. Today, Anne Amie is wellknown for Pinot Noir, and winemaker

Thomas Houseman relied on no fewer than13 vineyards to craft this elegant and com-plete wine. It opens with aromas of freshcherries, pomegranates, cinnamon and just awhiff of smokiness. Bright, ripe red fruit leadon the palate, all backed with ample acidityand rustic texture. (2,600 cases, 13.5% alc.)

Carlton Cellars $202008 Seven Devils Pinot Noir, WillametteValley Owner Dave Grooters pays tribute tothe wild Oregon Coast in his various bot-tlings, and this affordable Pinot Noir wasinspired by an area near Bandon on thesouthern coast. It opens with aromas ofbrown sugar, black cherries and wild straw-berries, followed by a plush entry that givesway to flavors of sweet, smooth fruit andround, supple tannins. It’s rich, dark, com-plex and a bit on the hedonistic side. (600cases, 13.8% alc.)

Dukes Family Vineyards $482008 Alyssa Pinot Noir, Willamette ValleyThis young winery takes advantage of estategrapes from its vineyards on the northern




end of the Eola-Amity Hills near the town ofAmity. This wine honors owners Pat andJackie Dukes’ daughter. It is a beautiful winewith aromas of rose petals, strawberries andraspberries, followed by flavors of strawber-ries, candied cherries and even oatmeal cook-ies. (425 cases, 13.5% alc.)

Best buy!Indian Creek Winery $152008 Pinot Noir, Snake River Valley Theleast-expensive wine in our judging also wasone of the best and is a tribute to the opportu-nities that await in Idaho’s high-elevation vine-yards. This wine offers aromas of violets, straw-berries and Rainier cherries, followed by fla-vors of cranberries and red plums. It openswith bright elegant fruit that gives way to a richmidpalate and finish. (700 cases, 13.4% alc.)

Owen Roe $422009 The Kilmore Pinot Noir, Yamhill-Carlton District Northwest wine lovers expectnothing less than exceptional wines from DavidO’Reilly. This is one of four Pinot Noirs hemakes at Owen Roe, and he relies on fruit fromthree vineyards: Lenne, Merriman and Kalita.

This opens with aromas of strawberries, cinna-mon and black cherry jam on toast, followed byflavors of dark cherries, raspberries and alluringspices, all backed with intense yet refined tan-nins. (206 cases, 15.1% alc.)

Redman Wines $302008 Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley Cathyand the late Bill Redman fell in love withOregon Pinot Noir in 1978 during a tasting inPortland. In 2004, they decided to enter theindustry, buying a hazelnut orchard onRibbon Ridge and replanting it with vinesbetween 2005 and 2007. This is one of twoPinot Noirs they produced, both from estatefruit. Scott Schull of Raptor Ridge made thiswine after Bill was stricken with cancer. Itopens with aromas of bright cherries and ahint of smokiness, followed by flavors loadedwith raspberries, cherries and blackberries.It’s reticent at first but blossoms into a richand ripe wine through the complex andlengthy finish. (420 cases, 13.8% alc.)

Soléna Estate $502008 Hyland Vineyard Pinot Noir,McMinnville Bordeaux-trained winemaker

Laurent Montalieu is one of Oregon’s best andmost respected winemakers, and his finger-prints can be found on the wines of 25 differ-ent wineries. In 2007, he and wife Danielle pur-chased Hyland, a 100-acre vineyard first plantedin 1972. This opens with aromas of exoticspices, cranberries and lavender, followed byflavors of ripe cherries, sweet herbs and cocoapowder on the finish. (300 cases, 13.7% alc.)

Henry Estate $302006 Barrel Select Pinot Noir, UmpquaValley It should come as no surprise that thisis the top Pinot Noir from Southern Oregon,as the Henry family has been crafting superbwines since the 1970s. Scott Henry broughthis family from California in 1972 and beganplanting grapes, including Pinot Noir. His son,Scotty, oversees winemaking duties. Thissuperb offering opens with aromas of rosehips, cherries and cedar shavings, followed bybright flavors of Rainier and Bing cherrieswith elegant acidity and moderate tanninsthat yield to the fruit. (700 cases, 13.5% alc.)

Le Cadeau Vineyard $472008 Rocheux Pinot Noir, Chehalem




Mountains The grapes for this wine comefrom the rocky side of Tom and DebMortimer’s vineyard atop Parrett Mountain inthe northern Willamette Valley. Grapes do notgrow easily here, and the vines’ strugglefocuses intensity and complexity in the wine.This reveals aromas of boysenberries, blackcherries, black olives and even a whisper offudge, followed by supple flavors of red andblack fruit, hints of herbs and beautifully bal-anced tannins. (205 cases, 13.9% alc.)

Burrowing Owl Estate Winery $30 CDN2009 Pinot Noir, Okanagan Valley Betweenthe high-quality wines, estate vineyard, restau-rant and resort accommodations, BurrowingOwl has created a wine experience like noother. The 140-acre vineyard and winery arejust over the U.S. border in the scenic south-ern Okanagan Valley. This Pinot Noir is noth-ing short of remarkable, opening with aromasof black raspberries, lavender, spices andvanilla, followed by intense flavors of pome-granates, raspberries, cherries and cloves. Asprinkle of cocoa powder enhances the

lengthy finish. (1,050 cases, 14.5% alc.)

Brandborg Vineyard & Winery $382008 Ferris Wheel Estate Vineyard PinotNoir, Umpqua Valley Terry and SueBrandborg moved from San Francisco to thehamlet of Elkton, Ore., with the intention ofcrafting great Pinot Noir. This sublime exam-ple comes from their estate vineyard high inthe hills above Elkton. It opens with aromasof black olives, cherries and hints of choco-late, followed by plush flavors of boysenber-ries, blueberries and cherries. Hints of sweetherbs and moderate tannins balance theample fruit through the lengthy finish. (280cases, 13.3% alc.)

Summerhill Pyramid Winery $30 CDNNV Cipes Rosé Pinot Noir, OkanaganValley The lone sparkling wine in our com-petition is a superb offering from Steve Cipes’Kelowna, B.C., winery and pyramid. He storeshis wines in his scale model of the CheopsPyramid, which he believes ages the wine dif-ferently because of its energy. His proof is inthis bottle. The bubbly is delicious, with aro-mas of fresh strawberries and pie cherries,

followed by clean, tart flavors of strawberries.(750 cases, 12% alc.)

EXCELLENTTyee Wine Cellars $322008 Estate Barrel Select Pinot Noir,Willamette Valley This longtime Corvalliswinery has long been known for its distinctivePinot Noirs. Second-generation winemakerMerrilee Buchanan Benson has crafted asuperb wine with aromas of Rainier cherriesand raspberries, along with flavors of cranber-ries, pomegranates and bright cherries. (100cases, 13.5% alc.)

Carabella Vineyard $372008 Pinot Noir, Chehalem MountainsUsing grapes from the 58-acre estate vineyardon Parrett Mountain, winemaker Mike Hallockhas crafted a superior Pinot Noir with aromasof ripe strawberries, leather, vanilla and cedarshavings, followed by succulent flavors of ripefruit, a hint of tar and moderate tannins. (650




cases, 14.5% alc.)

Duck Pond Cellars $202008 Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley One ofthe larger production levels of Oregon PinotNoir, this also is an affordable favorite from aDundee producer. This opens with lovely aro-mas of white pepper, lilac, strawberries andcedar, followed by rich, spicy flavors of cher-ries. It’s all backed with bright acidity andmodest tannins. (18,000 cases, 13.5% alc.)

Willamette Valley Vineyards $1002008 O’Brien Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity HillsCEO Jim Bernau honors Elton Vineyard own-ers Dick and Betty O’Brien with this remark-able Pinot Noir. It shows off aromas of violets,cinnamon Graham crackers, raspberries andspices, followed by flavors of rich dark cher-ries, black raspberries and a hint of oak. (92cases, 13.5% alc.)

3 Fools $222008 Fools Gold Pinot Noir, WillametteValley The 3 Fools are now two — DerekWhiteside and Barry Glassman — who crafttheir wines in Monmouth, Ore. They secured

grapes from Temperance Hill, Dunn Forestand Rainbow End vineyards and crafted awine with aromas of cherry blossoms, violets,cinnamon, cherries and vanilla, followed byflavors of pomegrantes, cherries and a hint ofblack tea in the finish. (190 cases, 13.1% alc.)

Erath Winery $472008 Knight’s Gambit Pinot Noir, DundeeHills Knight’s Gambit, a vineyard in theDundee Hills, was planted in 1988, with addi-tional vines added in 2001. This reveals aromasof slate, pie cherries, boysenberries and forestfloor, followed by pleasurable flavors of silkycherries and blueberries. (198 cases, 13.5% alc.)

Hard Row to Hoe $29NV Pinot Noir, Lake Chelan WinemakerJudy Phelps blended the 2008 and 2009 vin-tages to create a rare Washington Pinot Noir,all from grapes grown on the south shore ofLake Chelan. This opens with aromas ofplums, raspberries, leather and earth, fol-lowed by flavors of strawberries, black cher-

ries and blood oranges. (300 cases, 13.8% alc.)

Redman Wines $402009 Redman Vineyard Reserve PinotNoir, Ribbon Ridge Located in the smallestappellation in the Pacific Northwest —Ribbon Ridge is just 3,350 acres in size —Redman is producing superb wines fromestate grapes. This opens with aromas ofsweet spices, lavender and blueberries, fol-lowed by zesty flavors of cranberries backedwith velvety tannins. (288 cases, 13.8% alc.)

Brooks Wines $352008 Janus Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley In2004, Jimi Brooks died at the too-young age of38, leaving the winery that bears his name tohis son Pascal, now 15. The wines are made byChris Williams, who carries on Jimi’s legacy ofsuperb Pinot Noir. This is the flagship wine forBrooks, and it is delicious, opening with aro-mas of red plums, dark cherries and hints ofsmoke. On the palate are clean, bright,approachable flavors of red fruit backed with




elegant tannins. (1,200 cases, 13.4% alc.)

De Ponte Cellars $382008 Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills The Baldwinfamily purchased this vineyard in 1999 in theDundee Hills near the town of Dayton andlaunched its winery two years later.Winemaker Isabelle Dutartre has been craft-ing superb wines since that inaugural vintage.This reveals aromas of salmonberries, cran-berries and cedar, followed by flavors of cher-ries, blueberries, cranberries and black tea.(1,188 cases, 14.1% alc.)

Soléna Estates $402008 Zena Crown Vineyard Pinot Noir,Eola-Amity Hills Winemaker LaurentMontalieu reaches into the southern Eola-Amity Hills for this elegant vineyard-designat-ed wine. It opens with aromas of lavender,cherries and vanilla, followed by warm, deli-cious flavors of raspberries, cherries andshaved chocolate. (100 cases, 13.7% alc.)

Torii Mor Winery $402008 Chehalem Mountains Select PinotNoir, Chehalem Mountains Burgundian

Jacques Tardy has been making Oregon winefor more than two decades and makes nofewer than 10 Pinot Noirs for this DundeeHills winery. This wine from the nearbyChehalem Mountains opens with aromas ofchocolate-covered cherries and flavors ofraspberries, cherries and cream. It’s a com-plex yet easy-drinking wine with smooth tan-nins and just the right amount of acidity. (237cases, 13.4% alc.)

Willamette Valley Vineyards $452008 Hannah Pinot Noir, Willamette ValleyWinemaker Forrest Klaffke crafts this wine fromvineyards adjacent to Tualatin near ForestGrove, and it is one of his finest wines. It openswith aromas of cranberries, cherry blossomsand spices, followed by ripe flavors of cherriesand red currants. Its silky texture makes it aneasy wine to love. (96 cases, 13.5% alc.)

Benton-Lane Winery $262009 Estate Grown Pinot Noir, WillametteValley Winemaker Chris Mazepink usesgrapes from the 140-acre estate vineyard nearMonroe, Ore. This is one of the larger bot-tlings of Pinot Noir and opens with aromas ofmoist earth, leather and spices, followed byflavors of strawberries and raspberries, backedwith firm tannins. (16,760 cases, 13.55% alc.)

Carlton Hill Wine Co. $502008 Estate Reserve Pinot Noir, Yamhill-Carlton District David Polite owns this 10-acre vineyard in the vaunted Yamhill-CarltonDistrict and produces superb wines. Thiswine, which sells out quickly, opens withspicy aromas of cherries and pomegranates,followed by flavors of plump, ripe cherries,cranberries and raspberries. Moderate tanninsand bright acidity back the harmonious fruit.(94 cases, 13.5% alc.)

Clay Hill $262009 Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills This secondlabel for De Ponte Cellars near the town ofDayton is a delicious and relatively affordablePinot Noir. This opens with subtle aromas ofcherries and sweet spices, followed by flavorsof black cherries, plums and vanilla bean. It’sa beautiful wine with big flavors and easy tan-nins. (288 cases, 14.1% alc.)

Erath Winery $452008 Prince Hill Pinot Noir, Dundee HillsFounder Dick Erath planted this vineyard in1983, and 27 of its 34 acres are Pinot Noir. It’sa favorite site for Gary Horner, who madefour different vineyard-designated wines fromthe 2008 vintage. This is a youthful and spicywine with aromas of violets and cranberries,followed by flavors of cherries and vanilla, allbacked with just-right tannins. (563 cases,13.5% alc.)

Le Cadeau Vineyard $472008 Côte Est Pinot Noir, ChehalemMountains The grapes for this wine come fromthe cooler eastern side of Le Cadeau on ParrettMountain. It shows off aromas of caramel andcherries, followed by flavors of ripe red fruit andcinnamon. It’s all backed with ample acidity andgentle tannins. (351 cases, 13.9% alc.)

Mt. Hood Winery $252007 Pinot Noir, Columbia GorgeThe cooler Columbia Gorge holds the poten-

tial for growing great Pinot Noir, and theBickford family’s operation south of HoodRiver, Ore., is ample evidence. This wine openswith suave aromas of violets, raspberries, colanut and vanilla. It’s bursting with flavors ofraspberries, cherries and even Asian pears.Bright acidity and mild tannins bring out thebest in this wine. (500 cases, 13.2% alc.)

The Four Graces $422008 Reserve Pinot Noir, Dundee HillsWinemaker Laurent Montalieu crafted thiswine using grapes from the estate BlackFamily Vineyard, a 110-acre site in theDundee Hills. This wine opens with elegantaromas of violets, cherries and cedar shav-ings, followed by flavors of strawberries andspices. It’s a smooth, elegant and, dare wesay, graceful wine. (1,200 cases, 13.8% alc.)

Wapato Point Cellars $322008 Clos CheValle Vineyard ReservePinot Noir, Lake Chelan High above thesouth shore of Lake Chelan on Bear Mountainis the 100-acre Clos CheValle Vineyard, wherewinemaker Jonathan Kludt got the grapes forthis wine. It opens with aromas of cherries,vanilla and minerals, followed by flavors ofstrawberries, pie cherries and cinnamon. It’s asmooth wine with bright acidity and well-inte-grated tannins. (220 cases, 12.7% alc.)

Winter’s Hill Vineyard $392008 Cuvée du Vigneron Pinot Noir,Dundee Hills The Gladhart family hasfarmed its land near Lafayette, Ore., for a half-century and has been crafting wine from its35 acres of vines since 1998. This Pinot Noiroffers hints of spices on the nose, as well asnotes of raspberries and cherries. On thepalate, this smooth, plush wine provides fla-vors of violets, cherries, black olives and vanil-la. (112 cases, 14.5% alc.)

Airlie Winery $202008 Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley MaryOlson purchased this winery in 1997 andfocuses on wines that are high in quality andeasy on the wallet. This nicely priced PinotNoir opens with huge aromas of strawberriesand cherries, followed by flavors of raspber-ries, molasses, Graham crackers and spices.(1,414 cases, 12.8% alc.)

Amity Vineyards $352008 Amity Estate Pinot Noir, WillametteValley For nearly four decades, MyronRedford has been passionate about OregonPinot Noir, and this wine from estate grapesreveals a powerful elegance that is the hall-mark of Amity wines. It opens with aromas ofripe raspberries, cranberries and vanilla bean,followed by long, complex, approachable fla-vors of ripe cherries and red currants. (200cases, 13.5% alc.)

Brandborg Vineyard & Winery $222008 Bench Lands Pinot Noir, OregonTerry Brandborg’s least-expensive Pinot Noiruses grapes from in and around tiny Elkton,Ore., in the northern Umpqua Valley. The aro-mas of raspberries and strawberries and fla-vors of bright cherries and high-toned redberries caused us to wonder (before we knewthe source) whether this wine was from theDundee Hills, something we consider a high




compliment. (3,348 cases, 13.3% alc.)

De Ponte Cellars $552008 Estate Pinot Noir, Dundee HillsWinemaker Isabelle Dutartre crafted this winefrom estate grapes, and is just now emergingfrom its shell and has yet to fully reveal itself.It opens with youthful notes of black cherriesand violets and offers flavors of deliciouscherries and hints of oak with a touch ofmocha on the finish. We’ll be interested inseeing where this is in another year. (450 cases, 14.1% alc.)

Erath Winery $502008 Prince Hill Pommard Pinot Noir,Dundee Hills The Pommard clone of PinotNoir has been a workhorse in Oregon for thebetter part of four decades. The grapes forthis wine come from a vineyard near founderDick Erath’s home in the Dundee Hills, and itreveals classic aromas of lavender, vanilla andstrawberries, followed by long, rich flavors ofripe raspberries, cherries and minerally earth.(230 cases, 13% alc.)

King Estate $552008 Backbone Pinot Noir, Oregon Usinggrapes from five vineyards, one of Oregon’slargest wineries has crafted a delicious small-lot wine. It opens with aromas of raspberries,cherries and vanilla, followed by bright flavorsof cranberries and cherries, along with hintsof smoke. (205 cases, 13% alc.)

Luminous Hills $352009 Estate Astra Pinot Noir, Yamhill-Carlton District This vineyard is high in thehills of the Yamhill-Carlton AVA of the north-ern Willamette Valley, and this wine is a blendof the 667 and 115 clones of Pinot Noir. Theresulting wine shows off aromas of pie cher-ries, red berries and rose petals, followed bygorgeous flavors of red currants and crushedwalnuts backed with sturdy tannins. (98 cases,15% alc.)

Maysara Winery $252008 Jamsheed Pinot Noir, McMinnvilleMoe Momtazi operates a large vineyard andnursery operation in the McMinnville AVA, andthis is his winemaking daughter’s flagshipPinot Noir. It opens with aromas of black cher-ries, black walnuts and hints of oak, followedby flavors of cherries and blackberries. Modestyet lingering tannins provide this wine withrestrained elegance. (4,000 cases, 13.7% alc.)

Stoller Vineyards $252008 JV Estate Pinot Noir, Dundee HillsWith 176 acres of vines in the Dundee Hills,Stoller Vineyards has developed into one of theappellation’s most important plantings. Thisbottling comes from “junior vines,” thus the“JV” moniker. It’s a youthful wine with invitingaromas of violets, strawberries and new leather,followed by easy-drinking flavors of cherriesand cranberries. (4,706 cases, 13.1% alc.)

Willamette Valley Vineyards $452008 South Block Pinot Noir, WillametteValley This wine from our 2011 OregonWinery of the Year uses grapes from a cornerof the estate vineyard that was certifiedorganic in 2007. The wine opens with a subtlenose of raspberries and cranberries, followedby rich, smooth flavors of red fruits backed

with hints of oak. (800 cases, 13.5% alc.)

ADEA Wine Co. $452008 Cherry Grove Vineyard Pinot Noir,Willamette Valley Cherry Grove Vineyardnear the Yamhill County town of Gaston pro-vides the grapes for this delicious Pinot Noirfrom the Fisher family. It opens with light aro-mas of cherries and shaved chocolate, fol-lowed by flavors of black cherries and vanilla.This is a big, rich style of wine with moderatetannins. (168 cases, 14% alc.)

Atticus Wine Cellars $422008 Atticus Vineyard Pinot Noir, Yamhill-Carlton District Winemaker Scott Shull ofRaptor Ridge crafted this wine from estategrapes near the town of Yamhill. This unveilsaromas of alder smoke, raspberries, red cur-rants and orange zest, followed by flavors ofsweet black cherries and vanilla. Velvety tan-nins and zippy acidity provide backgroundmusic for a symphony of flavors. (125 cases,13.3% alc.)

Benton-Lane Winery $262008 Estate Grown Pinot Noir, WillametteValley One of the larger bottlings of OregonPinot Noir, this wine from a top southernWillamette Valley winery is widely distributedacross the United States. This wine openswith aromas of ripe raspberries and mush-rooms, followed by flavors of white strawber-ries and a hint of oranges. It is a youthful andunrestrained wine that is refreshing to drink.(20,308 cases, 13.45% alc.)

Bridgeview Vineyards $202008 Blue Moon Pinot Noir, Oregon Deepin Southern Oregon, Bridgeview has longbeen one of Oregon’s largest producers. Thisaffordable Pinot Noir delivers bright, fruityaromas and flavors of ripe red cherries andvanilla. It’s a fairly big wine packed with fruitand backed with moderate tannins. (8,000cases, 13% alc.)

Brooks Wines $252009 Pinot Noir, Willamette ValleyWinemaker Chris Williams pulls in grapesfrom all areas of the vast Willamette Valley tocraft this bright, delicious Pinot Noir. It openswith aromas of cranberries and cherries thatgive way to flavors of Rainier cherries andjust-ripe raspberries. Crisp acidity brightensthe already high-toned fruit. (2,600 cases,14.3% alc.)

Carlton Hill Wine Co. $362008 Pinot Noir, Yamhill-Carlton DistrictThis winery near the town of Carlton, Ore., isfamous for its crazy croquet tournaments,and this wine also is plenty of fun. It openswith aromas of sweet herbs, violets and cher-ries, which give way to flavors of bright redcherries, mint and cinnamon. Everything isbacked by bright acidity and lean tannins.(420 cases, 13.5% alc.)

Challenger Ridge $182008 Pinot Noir, Washington Based in theSkagit Valley town of Concrete, Wash., thiswinery is home to a 13-acre Pinot Noir vine-yard. This is a classic Pinot Noir with aromasof cherries and red plums and plush flavors ofcherries and chocolate. A rich midpalate isbacked with well-integrated tannins. Be sure

to check out the winery’s Woodinville tastingroom. (103 cases, 13% alc.)

Firesteed Cellars $162008 Pinot Noir, Oregon This is the largest-production wine in our judging — and thebest value in Oregon. This opens with classicaromas of violets and gentle red fruit, fol-lowed by flavors of cherries, cranberries andeven a touch of black licorice. It’s a brightwine with gentle tannins. (45,000 cases, 12.3% alc.)

Best buy!Indian Creek Winery $152009 Pinot Noir, Snake River Valley Billand Mui Stowe launched this winery nearKuna, Idaho, in 1982, and Bill has beenresponsible for nurturing the nascent Idahowine industry. He is one of the few to haveembraced Pinot Noir in the Snake River Valleyfor much of the past 30 years. This is a deli-cious and affordable wine with aromas ofcherries and allspice and lingering flavors ofraspberries and cranberries. (300 cases, 13.9% alc.)

Johan Vineyards $282008 Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley Thissmall operation near Rickreall, Ore., usesestate and purchased fruit to craft this wine.It opens with aromas of black raspberries andcherries, followed by supple and elegant fla-vors of red and dark fruit. (396 cases, 13.3% alc.)

Kathken Vineyards $25NV Jolie’s Juice Pinot Noir American StylePort, Willamette Valley Kathken Vineyardsis in the Eola-Amity Hills near Salem and isproducing a number of delicious wines. Thisis a somewhat rare fortified Pinot Noir, and itis a delicious treat. It opens with aromas ofhazelnuts, plums and cherries and on thepalate is delicious without being overly sweet.The alcohol is well integrated, and this shouldage quite well. (225 cases, 19% alc.)

Acrobat $182009 Pinot Noir, Oregon The goal of thislabel for King Estate is to create a deliciousPinot Noir for under $20. Mission accom-plished. It opens with aromas of raspberriesand pomegranates, which lead to flavors ofdense cherries and ripe raspberries. Hints ofchocolate meld with the moderate tannins.(18,500 cases, 13% alc.)

1789 Wines $482008 Pinot Noir, Chehalem MountainsIsabelle Dutartre, winemaker for De PonteCellars, has created this label and named itafter the year of the French Revolution in hernative country. It is a nubile wine with aromasof plums and boysenberries and flavors ofrich berries backed with pretty tannins. (165 cases, 13.8% alc.)

Soléna Estates $602008 Domaine Danielle Laurent Pinot Noir,Yamhill-Carlton District Using grapes fromhis estate vineyard, owner/winemaker LaurentMontalieu has crafted an attractive andmouth-filling wine that opens with opulentaromas of ripe strawberries and sandalwood,followed by flavors of white strawberries and




black cherries. (300 cases, 14.5% alc.)

Westport Winery $312008 Pinot Noirvana, Washington Thiswine honors Aberdeen native Kurt Cobain ofNirvana fame and helps to fund a teen centerin his home town. The grapes come from theYakima Valley, and winemaker Dana Robertshas done a great job crafting a Pinot Noir withyoung aromas of cherries and raspberries anda palate loaded with rich, ripe fruit. (201cases, 12% alc.)

Winter’s Hill Vineyard $292008 Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills This winerynear Lafayette, Ore., has always crafted PinotNoirs at affordable prices. WinemakerDelphine Gladhart has put together a winethat opens with aromas of Van cherries andviolets, followed by flavors of black cherriesand sweet spices. It’s a plush wine with a bitof chocolate in the finish. (600 cases, 13% alc.)

Alexana Winery $752008 Signature Pinot Noir, Dundee HillsLongtime Yamhill County winemaker LynnPenner-Ash produces the wines for this youngwinery whose estate grapes come from theDundee Hills and sold at their tasting room inCarlton. This is Burgundian in style, with aro-mas of earth, leather, coffee and olives, fol-lowed by flavors of minerals, blueberries andwhite strawberries. (140 cases, 13.8% alc.)

Atticus Wine Cellars $242007 Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley This ele-gant Pinot Noir uses grapes from YamhillSprings and Hawks View vineyards. Theresulting wine shows off aromas of strawber-ries and Rainier cherries, followed by linger-ing flavors of dense cherries, red plums andbittersweet chocolate. (275 cases, 12.8% alc.)

Baillie-Grohman Estate Winery $25 CDN2009 Estate Pinot Noir, British ColumbiaThis winery in Creston, B.C., celebrates thelife of a pioneer who arrived in the Kootenaysin the 1880s to hunt mountain goats andattract settlers. This wine shows off elegantaromas of ripe raspberries and bright flavorsof Rainier cherries, all backed with mild tan-nins. (105 cases, 13.3% alc.)

Benson Vineyards Estate Winery $232008 Pinot Noir, Lake Chelan The Bensonfamily has created quite a destination wineryon the north shore of Lake Chelan — and isproducing some superb wines. This rareWashington Pinot Noir opens with aromas ofcoffee and bright red fruit, followed by flavorsof plums, espresso and cherries. (270 cases,13.6% alc.)

Bridgeview Vineyards $252008 Reserve Pinot Noir, Southern OregonRené Eichmann crafts the wines for this fami-ly operation near the California border. Thisreserve-level wine reveals aromas of cherries,chocolate and a bit of orange zest, followedby rich flavors of cherries and spices. This isstill pretty tightly wound and should furtherreveal itself in the next 12 to 24 months. (167 cases, 13% alc.)

Cana’s Feast Winery $202008 Pinot Noir, Yamhill-Carlton District

This winery in Carlton has become quite adestination, thanks to its Tuscan-inspired tast-ing room, bocce ball courts and restaurant.This Pinot Noir opens with aromas of plums,boysenberry and a nice bit of earthiness, fol-lowed by juicy flavors of cherries, berries andcinnamon. (265 cases, 13.8% alc.)

Chehalem Wines $272008 3 Vineyard Pinot Noir, WillametteValley Using grapes from the estateRidgecrest, Stoller and Corral Creek vine-yards, Harry Peterson-Nedry and Mike Eyreshave crafted a complex and complete wine.On the nose, it reveals aromas of strawber-ries, cracked pepper and cedar shavings, fol-lowed by flavors of currants, black tea andcranberries. (4,529 cases, 13.1% alc.)

David Hill Vineyards & Winery $282008 Barrel Select Pinot Noir, WillametteValley Winemaker Jason Bull continues tobuild superb Pinot Noirs for this Forest Grove,Ore., producer. This wine opens with aromasof ripe cherries and pomegranates, followedby flavors of lingonberries, sweet cherries andhints of cinnamon. (600 cases, 13.5% alc.)

Erath Winery $342008 Estate Selection Pinot Noir,Willamette Valley Winemaker Gary Horneruses grapes from four vineyards, with thebulk coming from Knight’s Gambit and PrinceHill. The resulting wine reveals aromas ofboysenberries, blueberries and delicate oak,followed by flavors of cherries, vanilla and ahint of citrus. (4,920 cases, 13% alc.)

Gresser Vineyard $282008 Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley Thisyoung producer in the Chehalem Mountainsuses estate fruit to craft one wine: Pinot Noir.This focused effort has resulted in a wine thatis rich in aromas of strawberries and raspber-ries and flavors of black cherries, red plumsand moist earth. It is wonderfully balancedwith bright acidity and modest tannins. (350cases, 13.1% alc.)

Kyra Wines $222008 Pinot Noir, Washington Owner KyraBaerlocher brought in grapes from threeareas of the state, including the Ancient Lakesregion of the Columbia Valley, the Okanoganarea to the north and the Columbia Gorge tothe south. It’s a delicious wine with aromasand flavors of ripe strawberries and hnts ofspice. (402 cases, 14.1% alc.)

LeVieux Pin $35 CDN2008 Adieu Pinot Noir, Okanagan ValleyThis winery just across the border nearOsoyoos, B.C., calls this “Adieu” because it isits last Pinot Noir. It’s an elegant wine witharomas of cherries, strawberries and vanillaand rich flavors of ripe red fruit backed withmild tannins. (100 cases, 13.5% alc.)

Oak Bay Vineyard $19 CDN2007 Pinot Noir, Okanagan Valley St.Hubertus near Kelowna, B.C., produces thiswine, which reveals aromas of red plums, cran-berries and cedar, followed by flavors of rasp-berries and leather. (1,000 cases, 12.8% alc.)

Oak Bay Vineyard $19 CDN2008 Pinot Noir, Okanagan Valley In 2003,

a wildfire that destroyed more than 200homes in the Okanagan Valley also consumedthis winery near Kelowna. The Gebert familyhas since rebuilt and produces this wine fromits 26-acre Oak Bay Vineyard. It reveals aro-mas of lavender, cherry and violets and fla-vors of raspberries, cherries and hints ofmushrooms. (1,000 cases, 12.9% alc.)

Ponzi Vineyards $252009 Tavola Pinot Noir, Willamette ValleySecond-generation winemaker Luisa Ponzicrafted this wine from myriad vineyards in thenorthern Willamette Valley. It is a nice combi-nation of fruit and hints of smokiness, with fla-vors of cherries, cranberries and raspberries.It’s backed with modest tannins that give wayto a fruit-laden finish. (6,423 cases, 13.7% alc.)

Sokol Blosser Winery $502008 Estate Cuvée Pinot Noir, DundeeHills Using grapes from vineyards plantedbetween 1998 and 2000, winemaker RussRosner has crafted a wine that shows off fruitand oak, with aromas of cherries and choco-late and flavors of ripe berries and espresso.

PINOT NOIR BY THE NUMBERS

For this article, we blind-tasted 170Pacific Northwest Pinot Noirs, all submit-

ted by wineries.Here are a few facts:• Out of 170 wines, 24 wines (14%)

earned our top “Outstanding” rating, while80 (47%) garnered an “Excellent” rating and51 (30%) received a “Recommended” rating.Just 14 (8%) were rated “No medal” and notreviewed.

• We tasted wines from all four majorNorthwest regions.

• The average bottle price was $34.32.• The wines here represent 291,530

cases.• The average alcohol was 13.59%.• The wines came from 18 appellations,

including: Ribbon Ridge, ChehalemMountains, Columbia Gorge, Dundee Hills,Eola-Amity Hills, McMinnville, Yamhill-CarltonDistrict, Willamette Valley, Umpqua Valley,Oregon, Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley,British Columbia, Columbia Valley, LakeChelan, Puget Sound, Washington andSnake River Valley.

• Of these, 61 came from the WillametteValley.

• The wines came from five vintages:2009 (26), 2008 (119), 2007 (19), 2006 (2)and 2004 (1). Three were nonvintage.




(650 cases, 14% alc.)

Torii Mor Winery $502008 Hawks View Vineyard Pinot Noir,Chehalem Mountains Longtime Oregonwinemaker Jacques Tardy uses grapes fromone of the state’s most coveted Pinot Noirvineyards. This wine opens with aromas ofviolets and cherries, followed by flavors of redplums and cranberries. (155 cases, 13.1% alc.)

Cathedral Ridge Winery $322008 Dampier Vineyard Reserve PinotNoir, Columbia Gorge This Hood River,Ore., winery crosses the Columbia River toUnderwood Mountain, where these vines liveat 1,100 feet in elevation. This wine revealsaromas of plums, blueberries and pomegran-ates, as well as flavors of red currants, Rainiercherries and lively strawberries. (246 cases,13.3% alc.)

David Hill Vineyards & Winery $382008 Estate Reserve Pinot Noir,Willamette Valley Contrary to popularbelief, this winery is not named for Oregonpolitician David Hill (for whom nearbyHillsboro was named) but rather WilliamDavid, who owned the hill the winery andvineyard are on. This reserve-level wineshows elegance in the nose with aromas ofcherries and vanilla, followed by delicate andsubtle flavors of bright red fruit. (300 cases,13.8% alc.)

Henry Estate $182008 Oregon Pinot Noir, Umpqua ValleyScotty Henry, son of winery founder ScottHenry, has put together a delicious and afford-able wine that is best described as “consumerfriendly.” It is a straightforward Pinot Noir witharomas of cranberries and Dr Pepper, followedby easy-drinking flavors of cherries and rasp-berries. (3,000 cases, 13.5% alc.)

Honeywood Winery $282008 Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley Startedin 1933, Honeywood in Salem is theNorthwest’s oldest winery, and though it isbest known for its fruit wines, it also makesdelicious varietal wines. This Pinot Noirshows off alluring aromas of marionberries,raspberries and cherries, all backed with ele-gant oak. (385 cases, 13.3% alc.)

Le Cadeau Vineyard $382009 Oregon “Red Label” Pinot Noir,Chehalem Mountains This winery with anestate vineyard on Parrett Mountain is one ofthe Oregon wine scene’s up-and-comingstars. This luscious example of Pinot Noirunfolds on the nose with aromas of cherries,oak and spice, followed by flavors of riperaspberries and smooth cherries that give wayto a lengthy finish. (244 cases, 14.5% alc.)

Luminous Hills $352009 Estate Lux Pinot Noir, Yamhill-Carlton District Relying on the Pommardand 777 clones of Pinot Noir, this young wineoffers aromas of strawberries, sage, rosepetals and restrained oak, followed by flavorsof ripe strawberries backed with elegant tan-nins and bright acidity. (147 cases, 15% alc.)

O’Reilly’s $172009 Pinot Noir, Oregon This Pinot Noir

from Owen Roe is cherished by wine loverslooking for that right combination of qualityand value. This offers aromas of pie cherries,red plums and a whisper of smoke, as well asflavors of Bing cherries, sweet tobacco, mintand milk chocolate. (7,000 cases, 14.1% alc.)

Redman Wines $302009 Redman Vineyard Pinot Noir, RibbonRidge Ribbon Ridge is a fascinating littleappellation in the northern Willamette Valley,whose grapes can result in a broad range ofwines. This is on the delicate side, with aromasof rose petals, strawberries and blood orangeson the aromas and elegant red fruit flavorsbacked by mild tannins. (166 cases, 13.9% alc.)

Willamette Valley Vineyards $352008 Founders’ Reserve Pinot Noir,Willamette Valley Winemaker Forrest Klaffkebrought in grapes from a number of varietiesthroughout the Willamette Valley to craft thisreserve-level Pinot Noir. It opens with aromasof cherries and light menthol, followed bystylish flavors of bright red fruit and evensomething that reminded us of a cherry dan-ish. (4,600 cases, 13% alc.)

Amity Vineyards $302008 Bass Hill Pinot Noir, Willamette ValleyMyron Redford and winemaker DarcyPendergrass used grapes from this McMinnvilleAVA vineyard to craft a stylish and lively PinotNoir. It is a gorgeous wine with aromas of rosepetals, lingonberries and pomegranates, fol-lowed by juicy flavors of red berries and cher-ries, all backed with supple structure and deli-cate tannins. (116 cases, 13% alc.)

Cana’s Feast Winery $482008 Meredith Mitchell Vineyard PinotNoir, McMinnville Winemaker Patrick Tayloruses grapes from one of Oregon’s top vine-yards for this bottling. Meredith Mitchell is a25-acre vineyard in the underratedMcMinnville AVA, and this wine opens witharomas of moist earth, leather and bloodorange, followed by intense flavors of cherriesand tobacco leaf. It’s an absolutely fascinatingwine. (328 cases, 13.6% alc.)

Nk’Mip Cellars $30 CDN2008 Qwam Qwmt Pinot Noir, OkanaganValley This winery just across the Canadianborder is owned by the Osoyoos Band, andwinemaker Randy Picton has turned it intoone of the province’s top producers. ThisPinot opens with complex aromas of rosepetals, pomegranates, sage and olives, fol-lowed by restrained flavors of pomegranatesand cherries. (1,880 cases, 13.5% alc.)

Torii Mor Winery $502008 La Colina Vineyard Pinot Noir,Dundee Hills This vineyard was planted in1999 and supplies grapes to many topWillamette Valley producers. WinemakerJacques Tardy has crafted a Pinot Noir witharomas of cranberries and cedar, followed byflavors of boysenberries, red currants anddried cherries. (165 cases, 13.5% alc.)

Wild Goose Vineyards $20 CDN2008 Pinot Noir, Okanagan Valley Second-generation winemaker Hagen Kruger is bestknown for his world-class white wines, andhis red wines are quite delicious in their own

OREGON VINTNERS HOPE‘VERTICAL’ IS ANOTHER ‘SIDEWAYS’

When the the Oscar-nominated film“Sideways” came out in 2004, it

broughtbroad inter-est in PinotNoir — andone line inthe film didgreat dam-age to theCaliforniaMerlot indus-try.

While themovie osten-sibly wasabout twofriends on a road trip and their failings ashuman beings, it was the first film to drawwidespread interest in wine.

Soon after the movie became a huge hit,rumors began about a sequel that would takeplace in Oregon wine country. That becamereality in December, when author RexPickett’s sequel novel “Vertical” came out.

“Vertical” is set seven years later and is anelaborate parody on “Sideways” (book andmovie). After the events that took place inthe first book, Miles writes a novel called“Shameless” that becomes a hit movie.Meanwhile, Jack is divorced and out ofwork, and Miles’ mom is an invalid. So Milescooks up a plan to kidnap his mom from anursing facility and take her and Jack toOregon’s International Pinot Noir Celebration.

As they drive up the coast, Miles and Jackcommit increasing levels of debauchery, andtheir outrageous behavior causes laugh-out-loud problems.

In the end, it’s story of redemption andclosure.

And it probably will make a good movie.Can it provide the same kind of magic wesaw seven years ago? Unlikely. Few sequelsapproach originals. And frankly, I don’t knowthat “Vertical” is what the Oregon wine indus-try was hoping for. In the book, the IPNCcomes off looking like a drunkfest rather thanan exaltation of the Willamette Valley’s glori-ous grapes. Pickett drops a lot of names in“Vertical,” which I suppose is good for thosewineries, but I will be shocked if any upcom-ing film will provide another “Sideways” effect.

— Andy Perdue




right. This Pinot Noir opens with aromas ofstrawberries and blueberries, followed by fla-vors of cherries, plums and boysenberries. It’sa lively and juicy wine. (200 cases, 12.8% alc.)

Atticus Wine Cellars $342008 Select Pinot Noir, Willamette ValleyTwo families came together to launch thisYamhill, Ore., winery, and they are craftingseveral delicious Pinot Noirs. This providesaromas of cranberries, pomegranates andvanilla coffee, followed by flavors of cherriesand chocolate, all backed with sweet tanninsand lingering acidity. (150 cases, 13.2% alc.)

Troon Vineyard $152009 Trifecta Pinot Noir, Willamette ValleyThis Southern Oregon producer brought ingrapes from the Eola-Amity Hills andWillamette Valley and blended in just a touchof Zinfandel (3%). The resulting wine showsoff aromas of cherries, olives and sweetherbs, followed by flavors of marionberries.Mild tannins provide all the structure needed.(600 cases, 13% alc.)

RECOMMENDEDLuminous Hills $282009 Estate Pinot Noir, Yamhill-Carlton District, 357 cases, 15% alc.

King Estate $272009 Signature Collection Pinot Noir,Oregon, 24,500 cases, 13% alc.

Willamette Valley Vineyards $452008 Tualatin Estate Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, 322 cases, 13.5% alc.

David Hill Vineyards & Winery $452008 BlackJack Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, 150 cases, 14.3% alc.

Redman Wines $402008 Pinot Noir, Ribbon Ridge,175 cases, 14.2% alc.

Stoller Vineyards $402007 SV Estate Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills,1,950 cases, 13.6% alc.

Torii Mor Winery $352008 Deux Verres Reserve Pinot Noir,Willamette Valley, 467 cases, 13.4% alc.

Torii Mor Winery $222008 Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, 7015cases, 13.5% alc.

Alexana Winery $382007 Revana Vineyard Pinot Noir, DundeeHills, 1665 cases, 13.5% alc.

David Hill Vineyards & Winery $162008 Estate Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley,800 cases, 13.6% alc.

Kettle Valley Winery $26 CDN2008 Pinot Noir, Okanagan Valley, 1,210 cases, 14.1% alc.

Amity Vineyards $502007 Winemaker’s Reserve Pinot Noir,Willamette Valley, 240 cases, 14% alc.

Anam Cara Cellars $302008 Nicholas Estate Pinot Noir,

Chehalem Mountains, 1,000 cases, 14% alc.

Carlton Cellars $302008 Cape Lookout Pinot Noir, Oregon,576 cases, 13.4% alc.

ADEA Wine Co. $252008 Ann Sigrid Pinot Noir, WillametteValley, 560 cases, 14% alc.

Atticus Wine Cellars $342007 Select Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley,230 cases, 12.75% alc.

Cathedral Ridge Winery $262008 Pinot Noir, Columbia Valley, 368cases, 13.8% alc.

Chehalem Wines $442008 Stoller Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills, 595 cases, 13.2% alc.

Freja Cellars $402006 Winemaker’s Reserve Pinot Noir,Willamette Valley, 100 cases, 14% alc.

Henry Estate $502004 Winemaker’s Reserve Pinot Noir,Umpqua Valley, 100 cases, 13.5% alc.

Kettle Valley Winery $35 CDN2008 Hayman Pinot Noir, NaramataBench, 80 cases, 15% alc.

Maysara Winery $322008 Estate Cuvée Pinot Noir,McMinnville, 1,000 cases, 13.5% alc.

Merriman Wines $502007 Estate Pinot Noir, Yamhill-CarltonDistrict, 100 cases, 13.4% alc.

Whistling Dog Cellars $242007 NSV Estate Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills, 415 cases, 13.5% alc.

Apolloni Vineyards $282008 Estate Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley,420 cases, 13.6% alc.

Benson Vineyards Estate Winery $232007 Pinot Noir, Lake Chelan, 271 cases, 13.6% alc.

Benton-Lane Winery $602008 Estate Grown First Class Pinot Noir,Willamette Valley, 740 cases, 13.75% alc.

Chateau Lorane $252007 Organically Grown Pinot Noir,Oregon, 53 cases, 13.3% alc.

Emerson Vineyards $302009 Avelina Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, 170 cases, 13.3% alc.

Indian Creek Winery $252008 Reserve Pinot Noir, Snake River Valley, 50 cases, 13.4% alc.

Johan Vineyards $452008 Nils Reserve Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, 330 cases, 12.8% alc.

Kettle Valley Winery $35 CDN2008 Reserve Pinot Noir, Okanagan Valley,174 cases, 14.5% alc.

Montinore Estate $352008 Graham’s Block 7 Pinot Noir,

Willamette Valley, 250 cases, 13.6% alc.

Montinore Estate $192009 Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, 9,000 cases, 13.9% alc.

Road 13 Vineyards $23 CDN2008 Pinot Noir, British Columbia, 1,533 cases, 12.8% alc.

Sweet Cheeks Winery $232009 Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, 2,050 cases, 13% alc.

Agate Ridge Vineyard $242007 Clonal Selection Pinot Noir, Rogue Valley, 201 cases, 12.2% alc.

Christopher Bridge Cellars $232008 Satori Springs Estate Vineyard PinotNoir, Willamette Valley, 295 cases, 13.3% alc.

Gresser Vineyard $242007 Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, 160 cases, 13.9% alc.

Kramer Vineyards $202008 Estate Pinot Noir, Yamhill-CarltonDistrict, 149 cases, 13.5% alc.

Soléna Estates $252008 Grande Cuvée Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, 2,500 cases, 14.1% alc.

The Four Graces $292008 Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, 9,500 cases, 13.7% alc.

Torii Mor Winery $402008 Eola-Amity Hills Select Pinot Noir,Eola-Amity Hills, 237 cases, 13.6% alc.

Willamette Valley Vineyards $1002008 Fuller Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley,66 cases, 13.5% alc.

ADEA Wine Co. $352008 Deano’s Pinot, Willamette Valley, 258 cases, 14% alc.

Bodhichitta Winery $382008 Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, 58cases, 13.2% alc.

Kramer Vineyards $352007 Rebecca’s Reserve Pinot Noir,Yamhill-Carlton District, 101 cases, 13% alc.

Martin-Scott Winery $232007 Pinot Noir, Columbia Valley, 46 cases,15.6% alc.

Mount Baker Vineyards & Winery $242009 Estate Pinot Noir, Puget Sound, 83cases, 12.6% alc.

King Estate $60 2008 Domaine Pinot Noir, Oregon, 1171cases, 13% alc.

Le Cadeau Vineyard $472008 Diversité Pinot Noir, ChehalemMountains, 270 cases, 14.1% alc. �

ANDY PERDUE is editor- in-chief of Wine PressNorthwest.JACKIE JOHNSTON , a freelance photojournalist, is aregular contributor and the page designer for Wine PressNorthwest. Her website’s at: WineCountryCreations.com


WINE COUNTRY: DESTINATIONS


38- ... Label ads 3/1/11 12:17 PM Page 56

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WINE COUNTRY: PUGET SOUND & WESTERN WASHINGTON


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MATCH MAKERS

WINE PRESS NORTHWEST • SPRING 2011 ➤ FOR MORE PAIRINGS ➤ WINEPRESSNW.COM/PAIRING62

Grilled salmon andBouillabaisse ispaired with TagarisWinery 2007 AliceVineyard Counoise.

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MATCH MAKERS

WINE PRESS NORTHWEST • SPRING 2011➤ FOR MORE PAIRINGS ➤ WINEPRESSNW.COM/PAIRING 63

The Frank & Frank Show per-forms almost every afternoonand evening at the end of

Tulip Lane.Devotees of Northwest wine and

cuisine get treated to an experiencefrom Tagaris Winery that goesbeyond the boundaries of what any-one expects from the Tri-Cities — oranywhere else.

That’s especially true on the9,000-square foot patio of TavernaTagaris. The stage is set with FrankRoth on the wine. And there’sFrank Chullino in the kitchen.

“I’m a native Tri-Citian, so I’mnot one of those people who liketo bash the Tri-Cities,” Roth said.“We do lack some things, butwhen you come to see us, youfeel like you are in a differentplace — a place that’s out oftown — but you are in ourbackyard.”

As Roth and Chullino standon the second-floor balcony,they laugh confidently, virtu-ally pinching their tattoosover their good fortune toplay for Mike Taggares’team. He made his own for-tune as a Columbia Basingrower by taking a pathslightly different than hisregionally famous Greek-born grandfather.

“Mike Taggares is the typeof guy who considers him-self a dark horse, and he

likes to put money on the darkhorse,” said Roth, perhaps the mostheavily tatted winemaker in thePacific Northwest. “None of us has acollege education; we’re all prettyyoung and we were the second- orthird-person down in the chain ofcommand before we got here.

“But that’s whom he wanted toentrust with making decisions,”Roth added. “And I like to think thatit has worked out pretty well forme.”

Roth, 30, has been the Tagariswinemaker almost from thetime it relaunched at Tulip Lanein 2006. Chullino, 36, assumedthe role of executive chef in2007. That was Roth’s secondvintage, and only Tagaris winesare offered on the premise.

“This is the dream job for achef,” Chullino said. “To beable to work with wine andthis guy every day, with thefood we do here and theatmosphere? I wouldn’tleave this place.”

In fact, Chullino, 36,recently bought a housefor himself and his twobasset hounds. Puttingdown roots doesn’t comeeasily for him, though. Hegrew up in his mother’skitchen in Nebraska andspent a lot of time cook-ing in Austin, Texas, beforemoving to restaurants in

Frankly Speaking......Tagaris Winery and Taverna in Richland, Wash.,

brings it all together tastefully

BY ERIC DEGERMAN PHOTOGRAPHS BY JACKIE JOHNSTON

W I N E

Tagaris Winery $342007 Alice Vineyard Counoise, WahlukeSlope —300 cases produced, 13.5% alcohol

A s the chef, Frank Chullino loves thenatural acidity inside this lesser-

known Rhône variety native to southernFrance and Spain.

As the winemaker, though, Frank Rothgets a bit stressed because of all thatacidity.

“It’s a very, very late ripener — we’retalking the first week of November — withreally big acidity and low sugars,” Rothsaid. “In the Rhône Valley, it’s not one theyuse to bring ripeness to a blend. It’s usedto bring more of an elegance to theChâteauneuf-du-Pape style blends.”

Technically, total acidity of Counoise(pronounced Coon-wahz) at Alice Vineyardhovers around 8.1, and the pH at 3.0.That’s even with the sugar content of theberries at 23.5 brix. By comparison, thesweeter Grenache grapes nearby typicallycome in with a TA near 7.5 and pH at 3.7.

And the canvas that is the Wahluke Slopeis key to the recipe. It’s a warm site andalmost bullet-proof to severe weather events,which explains Counoise’s success there.

“The beauty of being on the WahlukeSlope is that you can really hang the ton-nage to get it ripe,” Roth said.

This bottling came off 4-year-old vinesfrom a 2-acre block planted in 2004. In thecool year of 2010, the load was near 3 tons per acre and machine-harvested.

In 2007, Roth recalls cropping the vinesto around 4 tons per acre. Harvested byhand, it made for a wine filled with finesseand similar to a fruit-forward Pinot Noirfrom Oregon’s Dundee Hills. But it’s 100percent Counoise.

“It doesn’t really need wood, and itdoesn’t need a blender,” Roth said. “It’sbright with fresh strawberry through it andlively acidity, but there’s also a density to it.

“And it’s lower in alcohol so it keeps thepalate very fresh and clean. It doesn’t havea lot of tannin buildup. That enhances thefood flavors and leaves your mouth salivat-ing and ready for more. I’m not exactlysure why it does so well with food, but itdoes — from fish to salads to red meats.”

Tagaris Winery, 844 Tulip Lane, Richland, WA 99352, 509-628-1619, tagariswines.com



Georgia, the Virgin Islands andPuget Sound.

Connections he made in Seattleled him to Tagaris in 2006. Chullinotook over in 2007 when executivechef Chris Ainsworth left for WallaWalla to launch the acclaimedSaffron Mediterranean Kitchen.

“I like being in big cities, and I’vebeen nothing but a traveler and avagabond, but the opportunity was

here, so I took advantage of it,”Chullino said. “I’ve always been theNo. 2 guy, and he has the weight onhis shoulders. Now it’s my sous chefAnthony Maltos who does all thework, and he makes me look good.”

Roth’s career path was consider-ably shorter, more focused and defi-nitely destined.

His father, Coke Roth, was a third-generation beer and wine distributor

before passing the bar and becom-ing an international wine judge,wine consultant and grape grower.

“In all my elementary school pic-tures, I’m wearing ‘Rainier’ or‘Coors’ shirts or something likethat,” Frank said with a chuckle.“I’ve been around it my whole life,and this was what came after highschool for me. It was an obviouschoice.”

These days, Tagaris apparel coversmost of his tattoos, an array thatranges from the Star of David, foot-prints of his children and suport forhis favorite sports teams. Before allthat, he spent a year working inBritish Columbia at Sumac RidgeEstate Winery and HawthorneMountain Vineyards, both foundedby family friend Harry McWatters.Roth honed his craft, though, work-ing nearly 10 vintages for BarnardGriffin Winery — Wine PressNorthwest’s 2006 Northwest Wineryof the Year.

“I was actually Barnard Griffin’sfirst employee in 1996,” Roth said.“Rob Griffin is a tremendous wine-maker, but he’s maybe even a betterteacher because he planted things inmy brain that I didn’t even knowwere there until I needed them. Heset me on a great path.”

In 2005, Tagarres bought propertyand began building next door toBarnard Griffin on Tulip Lane.

R E C I P E

Grilled Fish & BouillabaisseServes 8

2 tablespoons blend oil11⁄2 cup leeks, diced small4 tablespoons garlic, chopped11⁄2 cup fennel, diced small11⁄2 cup white wine6 cups canned tomatoes4 cups fish or vegetable stock1 teaspoon orange zest1⁄2 teaspoon saffron

11⁄2 cups potatoes, peeled, cubed and parboiled

1 teaspoon ground berbere spice mix2 cups 26/30 shrimp3 cups clams2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

salt and pepper, to taste8 each 8-10 oz. salmon or other

fish fillets1 cup herb salad (a mix of fresh Italian

parsley, thyme and oreganoextra virgin olive oil (to taste)lime juice (to taste)

In a large soup pot, add oil and sweatleeks, garlic and fennel, deglaze withwhite wine. Once the wine is 75%gone, add tomatoes, stock, zest, saffron,potatoes and berbere. Let simmer forabout 30 minutes. Add shrimp andclams to the base and simmer for about20 more minutes. Make sure to simmerlong enough to cook the seafood.

When done, remove from heat andadd lemon juice, salt and pepper. Setaside.

Grill or sear fish. Using a large soup bowl, place 6 oz.

of Bouillabaise in bowl, then place yourseared or grilled fish on top. Put freshparsley, thyme and oregano into a smallbowl with a splash of olive oil, limejuice, salt and pepper. Mix together andplace on top of fish.

Note: The Bouillabaisse can be pre-pared a day ahead by leaving out theshrimp and clams, then adding them tothe base right away when reheating.

MATCH MAKERS


MATCH MAKERS


“I’ve been driving on this road for14 years — before it was even aroad,” Roth said with a chuckle.“When they were building this, theywould ask for advice on the cellar.Rob would direct them to mebecause I ran his cellar and arrangedit. I really helped set up my ownwork space without knowing it.”

Critical success came quickly forRoth, a husband and father of two.His 2006 estate Malbec and 2006estate Mourvèdre both won doublegold medals at the 2008 Tri-CitiesWine Festival, and Roth credits tech-nical tastings with his dad and mem-bers of the industry for helping himdefine styles.

“That was the perfect experiencecoming to place like this and havingto make 30 different wines,” he said.

When it comes to grapes, Rothplays only with estate fruit. Thatgives him control and some pre-dictability.

The original planting is AretéVineyard, a 200-acre block on bothsides of Radar Hill near theColumbia Basin town of Othello,Wash. On the cooler northern slope,there’s Chenin Blanc,Gewürztraminer, Müller-Thurgauand Riesling. Warmer varieties aregrown in the Wahluke Slope, theCabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay,Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillonand Syrah.

For the Match Maker project,Chullino and Roth chose to featurethe Counoise and Grenache fromthe estate Alice Vineyard. Or was itRoth and Chullino? After all, Roth’sfather once hosted his own cookingTV show in the Tri-Cities.

“We kind of like to switch it up,”Roth said. “I have more to say onthe food end than a winemakermight normally have, and Chef hasmore say on the wine side.”

They routinely discuss the dailymenu, which reflects seasonal ingre-dients and appropriate wines.

“Frankie has been graciousenough that I’ve got a dish on theregular menu, and the last couple ofwinemaker dinners we’ve done, I’vegot one my own dishes for them,”Roth said. “That’s really fun for me.”

In fact, the pork chop recipe forthe Match Maker is Roth’s creation.It spotlights Pure Country Pork from

R E C I P E

Pork Chops with Apricot Chutney,Gravy and Potato Pancakes

Serves 4

3⁄4 cup dried apricots 3⁄4 cup raisins

1 pinch ground allspice13⁄4 cups water4 tablespoons sugar2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar5 cups shredded potatoes6 eggs, beaten3⁄4 cup green onions, bias cut4 tablespoons all-purpose flour2 tablespoons kosher salt

olive oil4 each 10-12 oz. pork chops, we suggest

Pure Country Pork in Ephrata, Wash.1 cup kale

butter1⁄2 cup white gravy

To make produce 1⁄2 cup of the apricotchutney, combine apricots, raisins and

allspice in a mixing bowl. Bring waterand sugar to a boil in a sauce pan, thenadd vinegar. Reduce heat by half and addapricot mix. Simmer for 10-15 minutes.Chill.

To make potato pancakes, place shred-ded potatoes in cheese cloth to extract allexcess water from potatoes. In a mixingbowl, beat eggs and add green onions,flour and salt, incorporating everythingevenly. Heat up heavy duty, flat bottomskillet, add some olive oil and potatomixture. Cook on both sides until resultresembles hash browns. Set aside.

Grill or sear pork chops.Sauté kale in butter.For each plate, pool the gravy in the

center. From your potato pancake, cutout 3 silver dollar size pancakes and placein center of plate on top of gravy. Placekale on top of the pancakes, then placepork chop on top of kale. Finish with atablespoon of chutney on top of chop.


MATCH MAKERS


Ephrata and is a delicious exampleof Chullino’s patronage of localingredients.

He proudly lists more than ahandful local purveyors on theTagaris website, including MonteilletFromagerie in Dayton, Schreiber &Sons produce in Eltopia, and UpperDry Creek Ranch in Weston, Ore.

“I try to be as close to farm-to-forkas possible in spring, summer andearly fall,” Chullino said. “I go downto the farmers market everySaturday.”

And his culinary approachhighlights proteins and greens.

“The Grenache is a perfectwine to go with the pork,”Chullino said. “There’s avibrance in the wine because ofthe fruit and acidity. The fla-vors are already there, andI’m not masking them withsauces. I let the food speakfor itself. Butter, salt andpepper is about it.”

The two friends thread-ed both sides of the MatchMaker project by featuringanother Rhône variety —a remarkable pairing ofChullino’s fish dish withthe Tagaris 2007Counoise.

Yes, fish with a red winethat’s not Pinot Noir.

“Usually with seafood,you are limited to whitewine selections or a

lighter-bodied red wine pairing,”Roth said. “We have in our bag oftricks Counoise, and that is the bestpairing wine I’ve ever seen in mylife. You can pair it honestly withanything. Fish is a great opportunityto showcase its versatility becausefish can be a tricky thing to pairwith.”

Both dishes are from the seasonalmenu, which is best enjoyed on thePatio Kouzina with live bands that

are changed out every weekend.“On a summer night, we’ll seat

70 to 75 inside, but out on thepatio, where there’s a separatekitchen, we can serve almost 200and at the same time hold aparty upstairs for up to 75,”Chullino said. “That’s exciting.You can party outside; you canparty inside. You can do what-ever you want here.”

Roth added with a chuckle,“Yeah, I come out here prob-ably more than the restau-rant management wouldappreciate.” �

Tagaris Winery, 844 Tulip Lane, Richland, WA 99352, 509-628-0020, tagaris wines.com

ERIC DEGERMAN is Wine PressNorthwest’s managing editor. Have a sug-gestion for a future Match Maker? E-mailhim at [email protected] JOHNSTON , a freelance photo-journalist, is a regular contributor and thepage designer for Wine Press Northwest.Her Web site is WineCountryCreations.com

W I N E

Tagaris Winery $342007 Alice Vineyard GrenacheWahluke Slope — 70 cases produced,13.5% alcohol

Much of Frank Roth’s winemaking

passion is tied to the Tagaris vine-

yard-designated program that’s focused

on the 100 acres Mike Taggares named in

homage to his mother.

Just two percent of the parcel is devot-

ed to Grenache, and it is an even split

between two clones — Grenache Noir and

Tablas Creek. Both seem to excel.

“I honestly don’t see much difference

between the two,” Roth said. “The color

may be a hint darker in the Noir clone, but

that’s about it.”

Considering how well this Rhône variety

does on the Wahluke Slope, it’s surprising

there isn’t more of this farmer-friendly crop

planted. And in some ways, the grapes are

similar to Syrah and Tempranillo.

“It’s an early ripening grape that’s got

big juicy berries with loose clusters, and

we can carry about five tons to the acre,”

Roth said. “In 2007, they came off pretty

early — around mid-September — and

that was our first crop from those vines,

which we planted in 2005.

“In a cooler year like 2010, it was late

September,” he added. “I still haven’t seen

what they can do in a really hot vintage.”

However, Roth must bring in the

Grenache berries before they produce flab-

by wines.

“It’s a very low-acid grape,” he said.

“You get the balance of acidity and flavors

pretty quickly. The grape doesn’t have to

get to 25 or 26 brix. It can be 23 brix

when you harvest it.”

His 2007 Grenache comes with tones of

fresh-picked raspberries and huge acidity.

The dried apricots and raisins in the chut-

ney bring out a sense of sweetness in the

dry red wine, but the acidity sweeps clean

any perception of sugar.

The potato pancake and kale shows a

savory and earthy side of the wine.

Roth offered one suggestion.

“Drink the hell out of it.”

Executive chef FrankChullino and winemakerFrank Roth team up tokeep Tagaris visitors com-ing back for more.


MATCH MAKERS


Pork Chops with ApricotChutney, Gravy andPotato Pancakes is pairedwith Tagaris Winery 2007Alice Vineyard Grenache.


WINE COUNTRY: TRI-CITIES & RED MOUNTAIN


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WINE COUNTRY: TRI-CITIES & RED MOUNTAIN

WINE COUNTRY: SOUTHERN OREGON


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WINE COUNTRY: LAKE CHELAN


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WINE COUNTRY: LAKE CHELAN

WINE COUNTRY: IDAHO & SPOKANE


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WINE REV IEWS recent releases


RedCabernet Sauvignon

Airfield Estates2008 Cabernet SauvignonYakima Valley, 779 cases, 14.4% alc., $22

Recommended. Spicy raspberry and Van cherryhints include coffee and cedar. Then somejammy blackberry flavors on the midpalate giveway to pinch of brambleberry seed tannin.

Cathedral Ridge Winery2007 Reserve Cabernet SauvignonColumbia Valley, 171 cases, 14.6% alc., $44

Outstanding! Hillside Vineyard in The Dalles,Ore., gave winemaker Michael Sebastiani all heneeded to produce what may be his best effortfor this scenic winery in Hood River, Ore. Theinfluence of barrel is significant, with chocolate-chip cookie and cherry tobacco aromas, butthere’s still plenty of room in the nose for fruitthat hints at dusty boysenberry, pomegranateand a whiff of sea air. The drink is light, brightand easy with chocolate-covered cherries, rasp-berry extract and a pinch of tobacco.

Chateau Ste. Michelle2008 Cabernet SauvignonColumbia Valley, 240,000 cases, 13.5% alc., $16

Outstanding! A stunning wine at any price, andthe scale of production is equally amazing. It’sinteresting to note that the components includeSyrah (9%), Mourvèdre and Grenache, whichhelps explain the tremendous breadth acrossthe palate. There’s blueberry, black cherry jam,lavender, lilac and minerality in the nose, fol-lowed by more cherry jam flavors. Oak and tan-nins show up mainly as Belgian chocolate, buta squeeze more of blueberry and some slate inthe finish add to the layers of complexity.

Chateau Ste. Michelle2007 Ethos Reserve Cabernet SauvignonColumbia Valley, 2,500 cases, 14.5% alc., $38

Excellent. Aromas begin with boysenberry, cassisand stewed plums, backed by coffee and choco-late. It turns into an unctuous drink that blossomswith cherries, chocolate and plums, capped byblack chai in the finish. The 2006 version of this

won a Platinum in 2010, so this vintage likelyneeds just a bit more time to come around.

Cliff Creek Cellars2007 Cabernet SauvignonSouthern Oregon, 428 cases, 13.4% alc., $24

Recommended. A straightforward, medium-bodiedCab, it's light in the aromas, but the drink is remi-niscent of Red Velvet Cake with its theme of rasp-berry, red currants, strawberry and mocha coffee.

Columbia Crest2007 Reserve Cabernet SauvignonColumbia Valley, 5,000 cases, 14.4% alc., $40

Excellent. A younger brother to the much-acclaimed 2005 version, it’s rather robust withbarrel notes of tiramisu, root beer and Grahamcracker crust, backed by blackberry. The drinkfeatures black cherry and currant jam with somebrambleberry, earthiness, shaved chocolate andtaut tannin. Suggested pairings include braisedlamb shank, Peking duck or puttanesca.

Coyote Canyon Winery2008 Coyote Canyon VineyardEstate Cabernet SauvignonHorse Heaven Hills, 255 cases, 14.3% alc., $22

Outstanding! Mike Andrews and his family runone of Washington’s largest vineyards, and thisyoung winery in Prosser is growing in stature,too. This remarkable presentation comes withnicely concentrated aromas of poached plums,raspberry, blueberry taffy, leather, Red Vineslicorice, toasted marshmallow and latté sprin-kled with nutmeg. The drink is rich all the waywith ripe Bing cherries, raspberry, dried blue-berry, red currants and green peppercorns.There’s a bit of grip, but acidity of red blackber-ries keeps it in the rear.

Desert Wind Vineyard2008 Desert Wind VineyardCabernet SauvignonWahluke Slope, 3,760 cases, 14.5% alc., $18

Outstanding! Here’s a wine that strikes out withsoul and power from the raising of the curtain tothe final note. Black currants, boysenberry,blackberry, dark chocolate, grilled Portobellomushroom and black olives create the vibe.And the proud, sinewy baseline of the drink isakin to the R&B sound of the Isley Brothers.There’s gusto of bold cherry, French press cof-

fee and black licorice, yet a suppleness ofblackberry jam. It’s a stone-cold lover.

Dunham Cellars2006 Cabernet Sauvignon XIIColumbia Valley, 1,688 cases, 14.3% alc., $45,

Excellent. Two estate vineyards — Lewis in theYakima Valley and Double River in the WallaWalla Valley — are blended for a rich deliveryof red currant, black cherry and blackberries.Tucked into the corners are notes of ginger-bread, mint, coffee and Earl Grey tea.

Dumas Station Wines2007 Estate Cabernet SauvignonWalla Walla Valley, 511 cases, 15.3% alc., $32

Excellent. The folks at Minnick Hills Vineyard cel-ebrated their fifth vintage with this fascinatingoffering, which is warm with vanilla and smokearomas that swirl with black cherry cola, rose-mary, sage and thyme. It’s a sturdy drink thatstretches broadly across the palate with notesof plum, raspberry, salted caramels, saddleleather and a pinch of juniper berry.

Dusted Valley Vintners2007 V.R. Special Cabernet SauvignonColumbia Valley, 225 cases, 15.3% alc., $53

Excellent. The “Sconni boys” used Wisconsin oakand took extra care with their tribute to“Grandpa” Vernon Rhodes. His chocolate-chipcookies would warm anyone up, and this ischock-full of bittersweet chocolate, black cur-rants, dark cherries, plums, hazelnuts and evensome butterscotch chips in the back. A firm tugof tannin and DVV’s remarkable skill with aciditymake the finish sing.

Gård Vintners2007 Lawrence VineyardsTwenty Six Reserve Cabernet SauvignonColumbia Valley, 73 cases, 13.9% alc., $40

Excellent. The Lawrence family adopted aScandinavian term for “farm” as the name of itswinery operation in the Frenchman Hills ofWashington. Wide-ranging winemaker RobertSmasne produced the blend of clones 2 and 6into a huge offering of blackberry, chocolate andcoffee. Its rich structure also carries cassis andblack licorice into the finish of managed tannins.

Heymann Whinery2007 Cabernet SauvignonYakima Valley, 60 cases, 13.6% alc., $24

Recommended. The Heymanns continue theirrelationship with Harold Pleasant’s vineyardnear Prosser, and this bottling is rustic and aneasy drink with cassis, pie cherries, crushedleaf, roasted bell pepper and tobacco.

H/H Estates2008 Coyote Canyon VineyardBig John Reserve Cabernet SauvignonHorse Heaven Hills, 114 cases, 14.3% alc., $32

Excellent. Here’s the more elegant, top-tier labelfor Coyote Canyon Winery in Prosser, Wash.This Cab is a tribute to a bull that fetched a topprice at a stock show. Indeed, open the barndoor to a big drink of dark, unctuous black fruit,coconut and Graham cracker that keeps onmoving and carries some hefty tannin.

ABOUT RECENT RELEASES

Wine evaluation methodsRecent Releases are evaluated under strict conditions to ensure objectivity. Northwest wineries

submit wines to Wine Press Northwest for evaluation by Wine Press Northwest’s tasting panel. Afterwines are received, they are stored for at least two weeks and a third party serves them “blind,”meaning the tasting panelists don’t know the producer. In addition, the panelists are served glassesof wine and are not able to view the bottles or their shapes prior to tasting. Wines are stored in a U-Line Wine Captain, which allows them to be served at perfect cellar temperatures.

Price is not a consideration in these evaluations, nor is a winery’s advertising activity with WinePress Northwest, as the magazine’s editorial/wine evaluation activities and advertising/marketingefforts are kept strictly separate.

The panel has a combination of technical and consumer palates. If at least three of the fourpanelists consider a wine technically sound and commercially acceptable, it is included here as“Recommended.” The panel may also vote the wine as “Excellent” or “Outstanding,” our top rat-ing. Wines considered unacceptable by the panel are rejected and not included. Reviews aregrouped by variety or style and listed alphabetically by winery. Prices listed are in U.S. dollarsunless otherwise indicated.

72-89 Recent Releases 3/1/11 2:20 PM Page 72

recent releases WINE REV IEWS


Jacksonville Vineyards2006 Fiasco Cabernet SauvignonApplegate Valley, 120 cases, 14.5% alc., $30

Recommended. A straightforward 100% offering ofCab, it has a lot of offer, starting with sweet andspicy aromas of cassis, cedar, green olive, rosepetal, leather and crushed leaf. There’s a nice roll-out of cherries and currants again on the entry tothe palate, and late tannins give it plenty of heft.

Nk’Mip Cellars2007 Qwam Qwmt Cabernet SauvignonOkanagan Valley, 640 cases, 14.5% alc., $30 CDN

Recommended. Those who warm up to barrel influ-ences can cozy up to this as 18 months of 80%French oak cast off aromas of chocolate, blacklicorice, backed by cassis, pink peppercorns anda slice of jalapeno cheese bread. The structurefeatures cassis and pie cherries, presented withhigh acidity and medium tannins. Hints of blackolive, more licorice and earthiness give this anOld World feel with lots of food applications.

Pyrenees Vineyard & Cellars2008 Cabernet SauvignonUmpqua Valley, 200 cases, 12.8% alc., $35

Recommended. This easy-going Cab got its starttwo years before this young Southern Oregonwinery opened its tasting room. It shows sweetRainier cherries, currants, endearing chocolatytones, cracked red peppercorns and a shy tan-nin structure.

St. Laurent Winery2007 Estate Cabernet SauvignonWahluke Slope, 210 cases, 14.6% alc., $30

Recommended. This full-on Cab provides notes ofcassis, blackberry and cocoa powders. There’slots of spice from black pepper and cinnamon,some mintiness and firm tannins from the mid-palate on back.

Saviah Cellars2007 Cabernet SauvignonWalla Walla Valley, 640 cases, 14.1% alc., $28

Excellent. Richard Funk makes this in an almost-trademark Walla Walla fashion — warm oaktones and hedonistic extraction of fruit fromvenerable Pepper Bridge, Seven Hills andMcClellan Estate. Those who enjoy that willlove the presentation of vanilla bean, cherrywood, plums, blackberry, eucalyptus, black oliveand coffee aromas. It's silky on the attack withblack cherry and marionberry flavors. In theback, you’ll find lingering blueberry acidity, lotsof bittersweet chocolate and a Coffee Nip.

Syringa Winery2007 Cabernet SauvignonIdaho, 180 cases, 14.5% alc., $21

Recommended. Mike Crowley’s boutique wineryserves in part as a tribute to his late sister, wholeft behind a daughter named after the Idahostate flower. The Cab, made in Garden City,gives a warm impression of black cherry withoak influences of chocolate malt, vanilla extractand a cup of coffee.

Three Rivers Winery2007 Cabernet SauvignonColumbia Valley, 2,200 cases, 14.6% alc., $21

Excellent. Holly Turner gave this broad appeal,

building it for collectors’ cellars and the dinnertable. Its nose is brimming with blueberry,caramel, moist earth, capsicum and porcinimushroom, and the structure is one of finessefeaturing black currants, pie cherry and greenolive. The savory aspect and very late grip oftannin will play out well alongside a tapenade.

Vale Wine Co.2008 Cabernet SauvignonSnake River Valley, 94 cases, 13.9% alc., $20

Recommended. Skyline Vineyard near Caldwell,Idaho, and winemaker John Danielson workedtogether for a dark and lingering drink of cassis,cola, alder-smoked bacon, sarsaparilla andcrushed leaf. Dusty tannins emerge in the tarryfinish.

William Church Winery2007 Molly’s Vintage Cabernet SauvignonColumbia Valley, 250 cases, 14.5% alc., $29

Recommended. They’ve named this bottling insupport of a late friend who launched a founda-tion for diabetes and transplant research. TheBalsleys will donate some of the proceeds fromthis bottling of currants, blueberry, plums, hore-hound, fresh beets and hazelnut.

MerlotAirfield Estates2008 MerlotYakima Valley, 852 cases, 15.8% alc., $22

Outstanding! Boysenberry, dried cherry tomato,rich pizza sauce and chocolate aromas spill outinto flavors of ripe president plums, red currantsand boysenberries. It’s a balanced, smooth andmouth-filling drink, and the berries and choco-late tones drift on forever.

Bergevin Lane Vineyards2008 MerlotColumbia Valley, 292 cases, 14.4% alc., $26

Recommended. Classic notes of black currants,plums, leather and cocoa powder include someRainier cherry juiciness and raspberry acidity.

Bookwalter Winery2008 Foreshadow MerlotColumbia Valley, 1,468 cases, 15.2% alc., $40

Outstanding! Heady aromas explode like achocolate smoke bomb, but there’s also boy-senberry, cherry, leather, coffee, cigar leaf andtar notes among the table of contents. On theattack, one gets the sense of the Syrah (11%)with the sweet blackberry flavors, met by boy-senberry, blueberry and late tannin. The struc-ture is both hedonistic and powerful — thanksto the Ciel du Cheval and Klipsun connection —with lots of chapters to go through.

Chateau Ste. Michelle2007 Canoe Ridge Estate MerlotHorse Heaven Hills, 9,000 cases, 14.5% alc., $22

Outstanding! This prized site bears fruit that canshoulder a bold program of French oak for 18months, and the interaction shows in notes ofblack cherry, blueberry jam, sun-ripened black-berry and a steaming pour of espresso. It’scherries and chocolate on the palate. Tanninsare sinewy rather than brawny, which has cometo be accepted from Merlot made in

Washington. Then again, inserting CabernetSauvignon (10%) probably kept the tannin incheck. Suggested fare includes lamb or fowlinfluenced by sweet herbs.

Chateau Ste. Michelle2007 MerlotColumbia Valley, 160,000 cases, 13.5% alc., $16

Outstanding! One seemingly cannot go wrong witha Cabernet or a Merlot made from this vintage byred winemaker Joshua Maloney and his boss,Bob Bertheau. It’s supercharged with some Syrah(8%) and Malbec (3%), which give it aromatics ofraspberry, pie cherry, Medjool date, saddleleather and chocolate. There’s a subtle opulenceon the approach as currants, cherries, chocolateand spicy tobacco play out in a medium structurewith easy tannins. Bertheau refers to this an“everyday red,” but it’s more special than that.

Columbia Crest2007 Reserve MerlotColumbia Valley, 2,000 cases, 14.4% alc., $25

Recommended. The portfolio for this lot features alively approach with Black Republic cherry,blueberry, lean blackberry, Swisher Sweet cigarand cinnamon with Baker’s chocolate, blackcoffee and slight gritty tannins.

Gray Monk Cellars2008 Odyssey Dry Creek MerlotOkanagan Valley, 2,950 cases, 14.6% alc., $18

Recommended. Inviting density in the aromaticsincludes boysenberry jam, blueberry, nutmeg,Hoisin sauce and pencil lead. Marionberryleads the easy entry to the palate, followed byblueberry acidity, red currants and a bite of aTwix bar. The generous tannins will be nicelyserved with lamb chops and mint jelly.

Foxy Roxy Wines2008 MerlotColumbia Valley, 175 cases, 13.9% alc., $20

Recommended. Idaho winemaker Kevin Rogers isworking with this estate winery for StoneRidgeVineyards in the Frenchman Hills near Othello,Wash. Black cherry, plump blueberry, blacklicorice and smooth chocolate notes make thisstraightforward, tasty and ready to drink now.

Gordon Brothers Family Vineyards2008 MerlotColumbia Valley, 2,128 cases, 13.7% alc., $20

Excellent. The Gordons are into their fourthdecade of growing grapes along the SnakeRiver near Pasco, Wash. Their winemaker, TimHenley, developed a fruity and sturdy Merlot thatcarries tones of boysenberry, black cherry andCraisins with milk chocolate and Earl Grey tea.

Hightower Cellars2007 MerlotColumbia Valley, 336 cases, 14.2% alc., $25

Outstanding! Tim and Kelly Hightower created aMerlot from mostly Red Mountain fruit that showsmore finesse and feminine qualities than many oftheir neighbors. The sense of panache shows inthe nose of raspberry, slate, Belgian chocolate,cinnamon and twist of lime. Envision fresh-picked president plums with black raspberries forflavors, joined by a light touch of oak. The finishincludes black currants and a rub of lavender.




NK’Mip Cellars2007 MerlotOkanagan Valley, 3,879 cases, 14.5% alc., $20 CDN

Excellent. Being as this vineyard is so close tothe border, it makes sense that Randy Picton’srelease drinks similar to a Washington Merlot.Boysenberry, dark cherry, blackberry and tobac-co aromas include hints of leather and beefjuice. It’s more boysenberry and marionberry tothe tongue with a rich mouth feel, backed bychocolate-covered cherries and tannins that arechalky yet integrated.

Page Cellars2007 The Norseman MerlotRed Mountain, 241 cases, 14.4% alc., $20

Outstanding! Woodinville, Wash., winemaker/pilotJim Page names this wine after a 1935 fabric-skinned plane, and he made this a smooth ride.The construction from E&E Shaw Vineyardcatches air with wide-ranging aromas of Bingcherry, raspberry, cedar, lime, celery stalk andchalkboard dust. He sticks the landing in opu-lent fashion with black cherry, boysenberry andloganberry, throttling down with bittersweetchocolate and black licorice.

Pend d’Oreille Winery2006 MerlotWashington, 394 cases, 14.7% alc., $21

Recommended. Grapes from Wells Vineyard inBenton City and Coyote Canyon in the HorseHeaven Hills made their way to the IdahoPanhandle for this drink of cherry fruit leather,dark Muscovado sugar and pomegranate.

Pentâge Winery2006 MerlotOkanagan Valley, 195 cases, 13.5% alc., $20 CDN

Excellent. Bordeaux varieties continue to showwell in British Columbia, and this Penticton win-ery crafted another fine example. Black cherry,blueberry, chocolate and red licorice aromasinclude juniper berry and oregano. There’s nicerichness to the fruity entry of boysenberry andcherry, followed by a lift of raspberry andnoticeable but not overwhelming tannin and afinish of chocolate.

Pyrenees Vineyard & Cellars2009 MerlotUmpqua Valley, 900 cases, 13.2% alc., $24

Recommended. Smooth blueberry, black cherry,smoky chocolate and dark olive accents play outnicely with ample acidity and balanced tannins.

St. Laurent Winery2007 Estate MerlotWahluke Slope, 105 cases, 14.6% alc., $25

Recommended. Compelling aromas of Rainier cher-ry, root beer, milk chocolate, tar and Bazookabubble gum funnel into flavors of pomegranate,pie cherry and orange peel. Both the sturdy tan-nins and milk chocolate linger in the farewell.

SuLei Cellars2008 MerlotColumbia Valley, 66 cases, 14.2% alc., $23

Excellent. Tanya Woodley has learned a lot aboutwinemaking, both as a product of the WallaWalla Community College wine program andworking at Whitman Cellars. Her interpretation

of Merlot opens with whispers of cassis, blackcherry, strawberry, dusty blueberry, pink pep-percorns and hot cocoa. On the palate, itchecks in with more strawberry, cherry andchocolate, before checking out with a cup ofblueberry tea.

The Pines 18522008 The Pines Vineyard MerlotColumbia Gorge, 200 cases, 14.5% alc., $20

Excellent. Peter Rosback became famous inOregon for Pinot Noir, but he’s made exception-al Merlot from Columbia Valley fruit for yearsunder his Sineann label. He seems entrenchedas the hired gun at Lonnie Wright’s winery inHood River, Ore., with this easy offering of darkcherries, cranberry, Medjool dates, Days Worktobacco and allspice.

Thurston Wolfe2008 MerlotWashington, 25 cases, 14.3% alc., $28

Excellent. Crawford Vineyard on the outskirts ofProsser helped Wade Wolfe bring out aromasof red currants, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup andmoist earth. The currants and confection carryonto the nicely packaged drink, backed by darkplums, raspberry and a hint of eucalyptus.

Walla Walla Vintners2008 MerlotWalla Walla Valley, 800 cases, 14.2% alc., $28

Excellent. This gathering of Pepper Bridge,Dwelley, Seven Hills, Killian and Spring Creekhelps make for a lovely nose of Rainier cherry,rose petal, Nilla Wafer and hickory. There’s moreof the same on the palate with Chukar Cherry,nutty caramel, cloves, menthol and tobacco.

Vale Wine Co.2008 MerlotSnake River Valley, 94 cases, 13.5% alc., $18

Excellent. John Danielson continues to develophis program, which has vineyards in Vale, Ore.,along the Idaho border. Here’s one of his bestproductions, and it features blueberry pie, redcurrant, Five-Spice powder and nice char. Hintsof grilled pomegranate and crème soda makefor a lengthy finish.

SyrahAbacela2008 SyrahSouthern Oregon, 292 cases, 13.7% alc., $19

Recommended. This plummy and jammy drink showsoff lots cola and brown sugar accents, but its hall-mark is the delicious mix of marionberry, blueberry,lingonberry and raspberry flavors and acidity.

Agate Ridge Vineyard2007 SyrahRogue Valley, 211 cases, 13.8% alc., $23

Recommended. Made in a lighter structure fromestate blocks, this tribute by a Rogue Valleywinery to France’s Rhône Valley is chock full ofboysenberry, pie cherry, tangerine and pinkpeppercorn tones. The acidity stays just aheadof the tannins, and there are fascinating notesof slate, hickory, salted caramels and even Mike& Ike candy.

Airfield Estates2009 Reserve SyrahYakima Valley, 191 cases, 14.7% alc., $35

Outstanding! No holding back here, it’s 100%Syrah and ready to drink. Black cherry, blueber-ry, blackberry, pomegranate, chocolate, vanillabean and savory sage aromas find redemptionin the mouth. Flavors ramp up with cherry jamand blueberry jelly in a somewhat lighter struc-ture with some smokiness, nice acidity and afresh-brewed mocha.

Bergevin Lane Vineyards2007 Barrel Select SyrahColumbia Valley, 240 cases, 14.5% alc., $59

Excellent. Tedd Wildman’s StoneTree Vineyard onthe Wahluke Slope continues to pop up in someof the best reds made in Washington. Smoky oakaromas don’t stand up to the hints of blueberry,spicy tomato and beef blood spattering on a hotgrill. The drink is filled with blackberry and mari-onberry flavors that make this juicy. Red licoriceand peppermint saunter onto the midpalate, andthe oak tones impart some chocolate in the finish.

Bergevin Lane Vineyards2008 Francisca’s Vineyard Princess SyrahWalla Walla Valley, 150 cases, 14.2% alc., $48

Outstanding! Tim and Cisca Rogan’s parcel hasbecome a major cog for the female-owned win-ery. It’s unmistakably Syrah with in-your-facegaminess and gunmetal aromas, supported bycordial cherries, dark plums, black pepper andvanilla bourbon extract. Slice up a blackberrypie, toss in some blueberries and black currantsand you’ve got a sense for the flavors. It’s asmooth and stylish wine as the tannins merelycarry the fruit along.

Bergevin Lane Vineyards2007 She-Devil SyrahColumbia Valley, 650 cases, 14.6% alc., $20

Outstanding! It’s not clear how co-owners AnnetteBergevin and Amber Lane arrived at the nameof the wine. Danish winemaker SteffanJorgensen may not say, but he’s got a heavenlytouch with this variety. Here, he blendedStoneTree (73%) and Francisca’s vineyardsinto one helluva Syrah — regardless of price.Chocolate-covered cherries, allspice, sage,roasted coffee and black pepper aromas helpprepare the palate. There, the focus is ripeblackberry with black cherry pie, allspice andchocolaty tannins that make it dark and lovely.

Cinder Wines2008 SyrahSnake River Valley, 380 cases, 14.1% alc., $27

Recommended. Melanie Krause’s gathering fromSawtooth, Skyline and Williamson vineyards cre-ates a mood of black cherry, plums, cinnamonand bacon. Its acidity is reminiscent of blueber-ries, and there’s a sweet farewell of Milk Duds.

Claar Cellars2008 White Bluffs SyrahColumbia Valley, 256 cases, 13.5% alc., $17

Outstanding! This second-generationvineyard/winery near Tri-Cities, Wash., contin-ues to amaze, and here’s one of the bestexpressions of Syrah you will find at any price.It’s plummy and smoky from the first whiff with





bacon, scraped vanilla bean, Starbuck’s liqueur,brown sugar and Graham cracker. The drink ishugely hedonistic with blackberry, plum andFrench-press coffee. Its acidity is lively withlate-arriving tannins and French vanilla icecream in the finish.

Cliff Creek Cellars2005 Estate SyrahSouthern Oregon, 1,785 cases, 14.1% alc., $25

Outstanding! The Garvin family’s Sams ValleyVineyard in Gold Hill provides a shining exampleof age-worthy Syrah in the Northwest. Hints ofbacon fat, black pepper, boysenberry syrup andviolets in the aromas lead to smooth and lengthyflavors of blueberry and smoky chocolate.Critical to the structure is the remarkable waythe acidity overwhelms the tannins, which arereminiscent of black tea and a Fuji apple peel.

Columbia Crest2008 Coyote Canyon Vineyard Reserve SyrahHorse Heaven Hills, 400 cases, 14.2% alc., $35

Excellent. Here’s quite a feather in the cap of theAndrews family, who make some outstandingwines under the name of their own vineyard.Blueberry, vanilla, gunmetal and minerality aro-mas also bring to mind savory notes of duckbreast in a reduction sauce. On the palate arejuicy boysenberry, pomegranate and fresh cran-berry, bringing more acidity than one normallywould expect from a Syrah. Beets and sandytannins in the back make this a savory drink.

Dunham Cellars2006 SyrahColumbia Valley, 1,647 cases, 14.6% alc., $35

Recommended. A variety of rich and sweet notescome packaged, primarily blackberries, smokedbacon and gingersnap cookie dough. It’s aplummy drink that’s ready to roll now becauseof its low acidity and mild tannin.

Eaglemount Winery2007 SyrahWahluke Slope, 100 cases, 13.5% alc., $19

Recommended. This small Olympic Peninsula win-ery released a lively drink with blueberry, cran-berry, pie cherry and red pepper flakes, makingit spicy and juicy.

El Corazon Winery2009 With Love SyrahHorse Heaven Hills, 90 cases, 14.9% alc., $23

Excellent. The teeny-weeny operation just a blockfrom the Whitman College campus picks up morefollowers every semester. Wines such as this arethe reason, and their booty from Phinny HillVineyard opens up with a nice extraction of boy-senberry, black cherry, a raspberry Danish, acedar strip and some gaminess. The flavors areof a bubbling boysenberry and Old OrchardPomegranate-Cherry Juice and smooth chocolatewith a core of ample acidity and minimal tannin.

Heymann Whinery2007 SyrahYakima Valley, 75 cases, 13.8% alc., $20

Recommended. No, it’s not a typo. The fun-lovingHeymanns put the “whine” in their Chehalis,Wash., winery. Black cherry, chocolate, rootbeer and boysenberry accents are the hall-

marks of this drink. There’s nice richness offudge-covered, backed by frontal acidity, then ityields to tannins akin to graphite.

Hightower Cellars2008 Murray SyrahRed Mountain, 198 cases, 14.4% alc., $20

Recommended. The winery dog gets his name andhis face on this bottle, which will help you retrievethoughts of blueberry, stewed plums, mincemeatpie, black pepper and currant jam. There’s nicetartness and spice to its medium body, trailed bywhite pepper and a dusting of cocoa powder.

Lake Chelan Winery2008 Rivers Bend Estate Vineyard SyrahColumbia Valley, 400 cases, 13.7% alc., $28

Outstanding! Jonathon Kludt continues to createsome great wines to serve at the family’s funbarbecue stop overlooking the lake. However,this crop is from a site that overlooks theYakima River near Benton City, Wash. It’s anose filled with boysenberry, blackberry, smokeand leather. The drink is stylish, smooth, juicyand fruit-forward, leading with those bramble-berries and finished with some black tea.

LeVieux Pin2008 SyrahOkanagan Valley, 487 cases, 13.9% alc., $45

Excellent. Golden Mile and Black Sage vineyardgrapes were cropped down to 3.1 tons per acre.That begins to explain the condensed nature ofthis juice. A quick nosing draws in bacon fat, rasp-berry, blueberry, saddle leather and cigar. There’sno disappointment on the palate, which drinkslively and evenly with smoky and peppery notes.

Lost River Winery2007 Cote-WallColumbia Valley, 192 cases, 13.9% alc., $26

Outstanding! John Morgan’s Methow Valley win-ery brought in Syrah (92%) from WallulaVineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills and co-fer-mented it with Viognier — and seeminglyCascade huckleberries. The nose is mountain-ous with marionberry, moist earth and minerali-ty, backed by plums, black cherry, black licorice,cigar and gaminess. It’s melt-in-your-mouthhuckleberry on the palate, chased by dark blackcherry, allspice and coffee.

McKinley Springs Winery2007 SyrahHorse Heaven Hills, 365 cases, 15.2% alc., $20

Excellent. Blueberry ice cream, boysenberry andpeaberry accents pick up lots of chocolate, somemeatiness and assertive tannins in the finish.

Mission Hill Family Estate2007 S.L.C. Select Lot Collection SyrahOkanagan Valley, 14% alc., $37 CDN

Recommended. This icon in the Okanagan Valleyoffers up a drink that carries notes of pome-granates, pie cherries, saddle leather, minerali-ty, Milk Duds and a sense of gaminess. Theacidity and smooth finish will pair well with fowl.

O•S Winery2007 Dineen Vineyard SyrahYakima Valley, 45 cases, 14.6% alc., $25

Excellent. Some of the top wineries in Washington

are drawn to these plantings in Zillah. Bill Owenand Rob Sullivan were among the early shop-pers, and here’s their fourth release from thisvineyard. The nose shows cherry chocolatemilk, boysenberry, root beer candy, molassesand a Fig Newton. They built this with a mediumbody and made it juicy with a depth of boysen-berry, blackberry and strawberry.

Pentâge Winery2007 SyrahOkanagan Valley, 100 cases, 13.5% alc., $25

Excellent. There’s such a presence of fresh-pickedblueberries throughout this offering that youmight be tempted to pour it over a stack of flap-jacks. It’s a nose filled with pure blueberry syrupwith some plum, blackberry, raspberry and earth-iness. Blueberry leads the flavors, which aresoon overtaken by a blackberry jam midpalateand a farewell of black pepper and coffee.

Pyrenees Vineyard & Cellars2007 Reserve SyrahUmpqua Valley, 600 cases, 12.9% alc., $35

Excellent. The Apodacas hail from the Basqueregion of Spain, and their young winery alongthe banks of the South Umpqua River offers upa version of Syrah that’s more versatile thanmost. There’s a rustic quality to the nose ofcassis, cedar, anise, beef juice and smokycedar. The drink is lively with lots of raspberry,boysenberry and more currants. It’s bright acidi-ty and bite of raspberry seed tannin will pairwell with tomato-based dishes or venison.

Quady North2007 Syrah 4-2, AUmpqua Valley, 420 cases, 13.7% alc., $25

Excellent. While it may be difficult to decode someof Herb Quady’s labels and names for his wines,drinking them comes easily. A 2010 Platinumwinner for his 2008 Cabernet Franc, he blendsSerenade, Sams Valley, Steelhead Run and FlyHigh vineyards. It runs the table of plums, milkchocolate, bacon, gun metal and graphite. Thepalate is nearly bulletproof because of the con-centrated fruit core and growing brambleberryacidity. A slab of pork ribs will tastefully deal withits bite of blackberry seed tannin. As for 4-2, A?It was coined by his daughter, who described herblend of water and juice as “fortooay” — as inCabernet, Chardonnay …

St. Laurent Winery2007 Estate SyrahWahluke Slope, 105 cases, 14.5% alc., $28

Excellent. The Mracheks were among the savvyfolks to sink vines in the Wahluke Slope, and theripeness of the fruit shows here. It’s Syrah, so ofcourse there’s a tone of blackberry to the nose,then come strawberry, pomegranate, coffee anda malted milk ball. Lush and juicy describes thespilling of plum and strawberry flavors. On themidpalate is boysenberry acidity, followed byhints of soft pencil lead and vanilla bean.

Saviah Cellars2007 SyrahWalla Walla Valley, 217 cases, 14.1% alc., $32

Recommended. Finding an oak-filled Syrah withgobs of food-friendly acidity isn’t easy, so here’sone to take note of. Smoky bacon, blackberry,




cherry, vanilla bean and molasses accents comewith blueberry tartness amid a low tannin profile.

3 Horse Ranch Vineyard2008 Reserve SyrahSnake River Valley, 675 cases, 14.5% alc., $19

Outstanding! Greg Koenig’s winemaking talentsand Gary Cunningham’s organic vineyard areproving to be a delicious partnership. Toastedoak aromas are akin to a fresh-baked brownieand readily joined by blackberry, black cherry,black raspberry and leather. Skill shows on thepalate with a smooth entry of soft fruit, vibrantacidity and a nice hit of sweet chocolate beforethe arrival of tannin. Pair alongside tenderloinwith a berry reduction sauce.

Torii Mor Vineyard & Winery2008 SyrahRogue Valley, 196 cases, 14.6% alc., $28

Recommended. The Willamette Valley’s JacquesTardy headed to Southern Oregon for thesegrapes, and he brought back a wine filled withjuicy boysenberry, blueberry and cherry extract,backed by Intriguing minerality, herbs andchocolate syrup.

Tsillan Cellars2007 Barrel Select SyrahLake Chelan, 490 cases, 14.2% alc., $28

Recommended. Darker accents of dusty plums,cola, cordial cherry, dates and moist earth gath-er up enjoyable acidity and get a late grab oftannin.

Walla Walla Vintners2008 Morrison Lane Vineyard SyrahWalla Walla Valley, 96 cases, 14.5% alc., $32

Recommended. Abundant oak often serves as thethumbprint from Walla Walla’s famous red-roofed barn. Their fans should relish this pro-

duction featuring deep dark cherry, blueberryand boysenberry with smoked bacon, chocolateand Black Silk tobacco.

William Church Winery2008 Jennifer’s Vintage SyrahColumbia Valley, 200 cases, 15.1% alc., $25

Excellent. Three highly regarded vineyards —Dineen, Red Willow and Stillwater Creek —play significant roles in this opulent offering.The nose features hints of blackberry jam,black pepper, Aussie black licorice, smokedham hock and celery leaf. Many featuresbecome capitalized on the palate, starting witha sweet blackberry approach, rolling acidity andthick tannins. A slice of chocolate cake withraspberry jam shows up, along with vanillaextract. Enjoy with a porterhouse steak or porkbellies with cracklings.

Cabernet FrancEl Corazon Winery2009 First Crush Cabernet FrancColumbia Valley, 80 cases, 14.8% alc., $23

Recommended. Cassis, crushed leaf, pie cherry,milk chocolate, tar and leather make up thetheme of this savory, high-acid, low-tannindrink.

Mount Baker Vineyards & Winery2008 Proprietor’s Limited ReleaseCabernet FrancYakima Valley, 225 cases, 14.4% alc., $18

Outstanding! This winery along the gateway toNorth Cascades National Park does consistentwork producing food-friendly wines. The trip toKiona (55%), Dineen (33%) and Pleasant vine-yards sets the table for aromas of raspberry, piecherry, strawberry candy and black pepper,backed by minerality and crushed leaf. The

palate screams “take me to the Loire” becauseof the juicy red cherry and cranberry acidity. Aturn of the peppermill, some anise and reducedtannin open the cupboard to possibilities.

O•S Winery2008 Champoux Vineyard Cabernet FrancHorse Heaven Hills, 245 cases, 14.1% alc., $28

Excellent. The plan to reduce the alcohol in theirwork with this variety is paying dividends at thiswinery near Seattle’s Boeing Field. Its noseflashes lots of cedar, pomegranate and blueber-ry, along with Dr Pepper and slate. Between thelips are lots of pie cherries, juicy raspberry andlean blackberry.

Thurston Wolfe2008 Cabernet FrancWashington, 25 cases, 14.3% alc., $28

Outstanding! Only one barrel’s worth was createdusing grapes from McKinley Springs Vineyard,which makes this even more coveted. Influencefrom American and Hungarian oak makes foran incredibly expressive and smoky nose ofstrawberry, Van cherry, chocolate cake andvanilla, backed by whiffs of cedar frond, pinkpeppercorn and crushed leaf. In the mouth,there is a solid core of maraschino cherry, livelystrawberry and fresh-picked raspberry with astray leaf. Lovely acidity, balanced alcohol anda gradual tannin structure make this enjoyableon its own or delicious with Salisbury steak.

Saviah Cellars2007 Cabernet FrancWalla Walla Valley, 262 cases, 14.1% alc., $28

Excellent. As a drink, it’s dreamy. The only knockis that there’s almost none of the leafy charac-ter some Cab Franc fans adore. The product ofMcClellan, Seven Hills and Watermill vinescomes with aromas of raspberries, cherries

Best Buys: Red winesOutstanding, Excellent or Recommended wines that retail at $15 and under.

Airfield Estates2009 Lone Birch RedYakima Valley, 2,096 cases, 14.8% alc., $10

Outstanding! The talented Marcus Millerlaunches this second label with an amazinglighter-styled red from Merlot (38%),Grenache (26%), Cabernet Sauvignon (10%),Barbera (8%), Sangiovese (7%), CabernetFranc (6%) and Cinsault. There's a delicatenose of strawberry, rhubarb, black cherry andmilk chocolate. On the palate, it's black cherryfrom beginning to end, backed by blueberry,lingering mincemeat spice and late grip. Glugaway.

Airfield Estates2009 Runway VineyardCabernet SauvignonYakima Valley, 1,122 cases, 14.5% alc., $15

Recommended. A clean nose ofstrawberry/rhubarb pie and blueberriesincludes some barrel notes akin to blackberryjam spread on a toasted English muffin. The

pie and blackberry continue onto the tongue,where cherry skins and tannin take command.It’s unlikely you find this in the tasting room,as this has been geared for distribution.

Airfield Estates2008 Runway Vineyard SyrahYakima Valley, 796 cases, 15% alc., $15

Excellent. Marcus Miller puts his wines inscrewcap like the Aussies would a Shiraz,and he’s priced it not much north of one.There’s a smoky nuttiness to the nose, whichincludes blackberry jam, black cherry,molasses and vanilla extract. On the attack,it’s a lighter-styled Syrah, leading with boy-senberry and blueberry. There’s a nice littlegirth to the drink, and it should handle richlyflavored meats such as ribs or a juicy steak.

Brown Box Wine2008 Cabernet SauvignonWashington, 1,500 cases, 12.5% alc., $19

Recommended. It's all Cab, all from the Roza

Hills Vineyard in the Rattlesnake Hills andmade by Silver Lake's Bill Ammons, so it's aquaffer. There's no pretense, with black cher-ry, black currant jam and chocolate-coveredpomegranate berries with some chalkiness.And it comes in a 3-liter cask, which worksout to less than $5 a bottle.

Brown Box Wine2008 MerlotWashington, 1,500 cases, 12.5% alc., $19

Recommended. Indeed, it comes in a brownbox with a 3-liter bag inside, which meansthis delivery of ripe Bing cherries, sweetlicorice and bittersweet chocolate can beenjoyed over the course of several Tuesdaynights, rather than two days on the counter.

Buried Cane2008 Cabernet SauvignonWashington, 5,628 cases, 13.4% alc., $13

Recommended. From the owners of Cadaretta inWalla Walla comes this widely distributed,




Best Buys: Red winesOutstanding, Excellent or Recommended wines that retail at $15 and under.

fruit-forward value that stays true to the vari-ety with an easy drink of big cherry notes,crushed leaf, eucalyptus and some grip at theend.

Claar CellarsNV White Bluffs Busty Blush RoséColumbia Valley, 60 cases, 12% alc., $12

Excellent. A tasty and fruity pink made fromSangiovese, it’s filled with a big cherry pienose, hints of strawberry taffy, honey, apricotand a whiff of smoked charcuterie. There'sbetter balance on the palate than one mightthink, leaning toward pie cherries and cran-berry. It brings the acidity you’d expect fromthe Italian variety and some charming tan-nins.

Columbia Crest2008 Grand Estates Cabernet SauvignonColumbia Valley, 225,000 cases, 13.5% alc., $12

Excellent. Celebrity chef Bobby Flay can defi-nitely get cooking with this bargain thatseems to have been spared little expensewhen it came to fine barrels. It shows in thenose with black cherry and blueberry just infront of roasted coffee beans, leather, choco-late and flannel. On the pour, it’s easy to getinto as blackberry and boysenberry flavorsshow depth in a pleasing balance of acidityand tannin.

Columbia Crest2007 Grand Estates SyrahColumbia Valley, 10,000 cases, 13.5% alc., $15

Recommended. An oaky approach createsnotes of chocolate, cinnamon and clove.Underneath, the addition of Grenache (8%)brings a mood of finesse with plums,Medjool dates, some nice minerality, athread of red blackberry acidity, anise andmilk chocolate.

Columbia Crest2008 H3 Cabernet SauvignonColumbia Valley, 40,000 cases, 14.5% alc., $15

Outstanding! The largest winery in theNorthwest was also the first to set up shop inthe Horse Heaven Hills. Here’s the fourth vin-tage of this label, and it’s a doozy from thestart with aromas of cassis, black cherry,roasted meat, Dutch chocolate and green tea.The drink starts with a dollop of black currantjam, backed by pomegranate and raspberry.Rich, chocolaty tannins merely impart a nicetightness.

Columbia Crest2008 H3 Les ChevauxHorse Heaven Hills, 5,500 cases, 14.5% alc., $15

Outstanding! Juan Muñoz-Oca, who heads upthe red wine team, shows that he’s cominginto his own with this blend of Merlot (34%),Cabernet Sauvignon (30%), Syrah (20%),Cabernet Franc (8%) and Malbec. First,there’s a big puff of smoke in the nose,

bringing vanilla extract, Graham cracker andblack cherries. Everything is balanced onthe palate, showing a smooth entry ofchocolate-covered cherry, huckleberry dust-ed with cocoa powder and just a touch oftannin.

Columbia Crest2008 H3 MerlotHorse Heaven Hills, 40,000 cases, 14.5% alc., $15

Outstanding! Ray Einberger has brought thiswine a long way since it debuted at a mere9,000 cases in 2005. Velvety aromas includejust the right amount of good oakiness topresent black cherry, blueberry, pipe tobacco,a hint of mint and milk chocolate. You’ll behard-pressed to find an easier-drinkingMerlot, as this provides a full mouth feel ofmacerated Bing cherries, blackberry jam andBaker’s chocolate. It finishes with blacklicorice.

Coyote Canyon WineryNV Downtown RedColumbia Valley, 1,194 cases, 14.3% alc., $12

Excellent. Neither the sketch of a ratherandrogynous person on the label nor theprice should be a discouragement to discoverthis drink-now wine, a blend of CabernetSauvignon, Merlot and Syrah. Brambleberriesand barrel notes of toasted almond, vanillaand chocolate become enhanced with savorysage, lavender and noble fir aromas. There’sa pleasing blend of tartness and tannin, mak-ing it worthy of inviting over for a Tuesdaynight dinner — whoever that person is.

Daven Lore WineryNV Recovery RedWashington, 14.9% alc., $20

Excellent. If the bill passes, Gordon Taylor willbe able to pour samples of this wine at theProsser farmers market every Saturday. Heoffers this blend of Merlot (47%), Syrah(24%), Cabernet Sauvignon (24%) and PetitVerdot in a 1-liter, refillable clear Grolsch-stylebottle. He refills it — for just $10 — with atasty drink that’s loaded with penetrating pur-ple fruit, baker’s chocolate and serviceberrychalkiness.

McKinley Springs Winery2008 Bombing Range RedHorse Heaven Hills, 2,385 cases, 14.6% alc., $12

Outstanding! This Andrews family still picks up.50-caliber casings left behind in their vine-yards from the days when their farm servedas a bombing range during World War II.Doug Rowell certainly nailed the coordinateswith this blend of Syrah (52%), CabernetSauvignon (40%), Malbec (4%) and PetitVerdot. Black cherry jam, Graham cracker,menthol, cedar and black licorice aromas leadthe way. There’s fluidity to the satisfying struc-ture on the palate with cherry pie, pomegran-ate, boysenberry, cassis and minerality.

Tannins add support.

Mount Baker Vineyard & Winery2008 Barrel Select SangioveseYakima Valley, 300 cases, 13.9% alc., $15

Excellent. Grapes from Kiona (46%), Crawford(38%) and Lonesome Springs didn’t lose anyzestiness during their trip over the Cascades.Exotic wood notes carry down into the aro-mas of Van cherry and raspberry. There’sblackberry, molasses and beef juice flavors,enjoyable acidity and bittersweet chocolate inits finish of tar and molasses.

Ridge Crest2008 MerlotColumbia Valley, 240 cases, 13.8% alc., $10

Recommended. This second label for ClaarCellars continues to deliver value. Look foraccents of blueberry, cherry, watermelon,chocolate and tobacco in a savory structure.

Ste. Chapelle2009 Chateau Series Soft RedSnake River Valley, 25,000 cases, 10.5% alc., $7

Excellent. Whether or not you appreciate itsstyle, this off-dry offering is the most popularred wine made in Idaho. And it does havecurb appeal because it drinks like a very off-dry rosé (6.5% residual sugar). There’s com-plexity in the attractive aromas of crushedstrawberry, horehound and dried oregano —which shows the influence of Cabernet Francin this blend with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlotand Syrah. The palate could be mistaken foran adult Hawaiian Punch, bringing morestrawberry and some blueberry with lemonbar creaminess and acidity. A bit of grip at theend will pair well with BBQ ribs on a hot day.

St. Laurent Winery2007 Estate Lucky RedWahluke Slope, 1,000 cases, 13.8% alc., $15

Excellent. The Mracheks’ vast holdings in theColumbia Valley come under the umbrella ofLucky Bohemian Farms. Drinkers of wine-maker Craig Mitrakul’s amalgamation of theirSyrah (65%) and Merlot should feel fortunate.Cordial cherry, sweet herbs, moist earth andorange peel aromas transfer onto the palate.The drink is easy with lots of dark cherry andchocolate surrounding a midpalate of rhubarbcompote and cranberry.

Three Rivers Winery2008 River’s RedColumbia Valley, 3,812 cases, 13.8% alc., $14

Recommended. Yes, Virginia, there is a bargainwine or two made in Walla Walla, includingthis blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (36%),Malbec (27%), Merlot (13%), Tempranillo(11%), Cabernet Franc (7%) and Petit Verdot.Cordial cherry, plum, orange peel and euca-lyptus notes join up in a creamy and juicydrink. Tannins gradually build to mere addtexture and length.




dusted with cocoa powder, pleasing mineralityand a dab of resin. Richard Funk tailored thedrink for a silky extraction that shows sweetblack cherry and dark raspberry flavors. Acidityfinishes just ahead of the tannin and leavesroom for a pinch of horehound.

Walla Walla Vintners2008 Cabernet FrancColumbia Valley, 757 cases, 14.2% alc., $28

Outstanding! Myles Anderson and Gordy Vennerilaunched their winery in 1995 and are recog-nized as the first winemakers in Washington toprominently feature this less-appreciatedBordeaux variety. They haven’t lost their touchwith fruit from Weinbau, Sagemoor, CordonGrove and Dwelley vineyards. The nose hintsat black cherry, blueberry and boysenberry, withmilk chocolate, leather and fallen autumnleaves. On the palate, it’s more of a crowd-pleaser than most bottles of Cabernet Francbecause of the focus on fruit rather than leafi-ness. It opens with blue fruit before the arrivalof black cherry, leather and chocolate on themidpalate. Inky tannins yield to a beautiful cas-cade of more cherries in the finish.

SangioveseCoyote Canyon Winery2006 SangioveseHorse Heaven Hills, 216 cases, 14.8% alc., $16

Excellent. Aromas of boysenberry, marionberry,brownie mix, roasted meat, tobacco and slateevolve into a very fruit-forward palate of morebrambleberries. There’s nice cranberry-likeacidity with barely a nibble of tannin.

San Juan Vineyards2008 SangioveseYakima Valley, 175 cases, 14.2% alc., $23

Recommended. New on our radar is Les VignesDeMarcoux Vineyard, sister to famed RedWillow Vineyard near the Mount Adamsfoothills. It supplied to fruit to this island desti-nation winery that has turned out a brisk drinkof juicy cranberry, raspberry and blueberry tea.

Sinclair Estate Vineyard2008 SangioveseColumbia Valley, 222 cases, 14.35 alc., $28

Excellent. This marks just the second vintage for

this winery in Walla Walla, and Amy Alvarez-Wampfler creates volumes of interest withgrapes from Desert Hills Vineyard in the YakimaValley. French oak barrels, Malbec (12%) off LesCollines and Cabernet Sauvignon (12%) fromLewis give it the feel of a Super Tuscan withscents of raspberry, boysenberry, Graham crack-er and roasted coffee. The Italian grape shineson the palate with boysenberry and lots of blue-berry acidity to override what little tannin there is.And in the finish is a fun bit of cherry jellybean.

Walla Walla Vintners2008 SangioveseColumbia Valley, 845 cases, 14.2% alc., $24

Excellent. A former student of Myles Anderson,Bill vonMetzger, has taken over as the wine-maker, and the focus of this Italian programwill shift as their on-premise vines mature. Forthis vintage, though, Dwelley, Desert Viewand Kiona fit the bill. It’s a presentation ofpurple blackberry, Van cherry and cranberrythat stays juicy through the midpalate. Sweetchocolate and a rub of tannin could matchwith tomato-based meat dishes or chickenmolé.




TempranilloAbacela Winery2008 TempranilloSouthern Oregon, 1,835 cases, 14.5% alc., $20

Recommended. Alluring aromas of plums, DrPepper, horehound, chocolate and dusty rosesfunnel into a bold drink of cherries and choco-late. It comes backed by racy blueberry acidityand tannins that will relax over time. Enjoy nowwith osso buco or some Famous Dave’s barbe-cue.

Airfield Estates2009 TempranilloYakima Valley, 562 cases, 14.3% alc., $20

Recommended. A relatively new grape to theYakima Valley, this hits a lighter theme thanmost with accents of raspberry,strawberry/rhubarb compote, cherry extract,chalkboard dust and bit of tar.

Columbia Crest2008 Reserve TempranilloWahluke Slope, 200 cases, 14.1% alc., $35

Excellent. Winemakers enjoy working with smalllots of different varieties, and here is the secondvintage of a limited bottling for this Paterson,Wash., giant. “Temprano” is Spanish for “early,”and this lot was harvested Oct. 14. It makes foraromas of boysenberry jam, dark plums, allspiceand cherry cream candy. Plums come back in thedrink, joined by black currants and blueberry acidi-ty. The good grip of tannin makes a good pairingwith braised ribs, lamb chops or a hearty stew.

Thurston Wolfe2008 TempranilloWashington, 65 cases, 14.4% alc., $25

Excellent. Wade Wolfe’s skills in the vineyard andin the winery with this Spanish variety show he’sa quick study. It opens with warm barrel tonesand aromas that hint at Double Cherry Sundae,backed by blackberry, mint, lilac and sweet

tobacco. It’s blackberry and Bing cherry on thepalate with nice sweetness, black olive, coffeeand late-arriving tannins. Enjoy with paella.

Zerba Cellars2008 TempranilloWalla Walla Valley, 14.4% alc., $38

Outstanding! Doug Nierman won a Platinum fromus with his 2007 Temp, and this may be its match.A blend of Les Collines and the Zerbas’ estateCockburn vineyards, it’s ensconced in enchantingoak that yields aromas of fresh-baked brownieand cinnamon bark, joined by black cherry, rasp-berry, plums, blackberry and mint. Complexityshows on the plumy palate with blackberry, blacklicorice, black olive and chai. Its tannin structure isassertive, yet not over the top.

Zinfandel/Primitivo

Agate Ridge Vineyard2008 PrimitivoRogue Valley, 236 cases, 13.9% alc., $19

Recommended. Eagle Point, Ore., isn’t too farfrom the California border, and this has the feelof a California Zin with its strawberry jam, vanil-la bean and brown sugar aromas. A dive intothe drink brings up flavors of black cherry com-pote, Nutella, sweet prune whip and a fascinat-ing texture of tannin that’s akin to flannel.

Columbia Crest2008 StoneTree Vineyard Reserve PrimitivoWahluke Slope, 200 cases, 14.8% alc., $35

Outstanding! One would expect some zaninessas winemaker Ray Einberger collaborated withvineyard owner Tedd Wildman for this vintagedebut of this project. And the product is serious-ly fun, starting with hints of blueberries andpomegranates covered in chocolate, backed bydark plum and licorice. The structure is one of afist in a velvet glove as the plums and figs takeover on the palate. Pencil lead as well as brownand black NECCO wafers finish it.

Columbia Crest2007 StoneTree Vineyard ZinfandelColumbia Valley, 300 cases, 14.9% alc., $35

Recommended. This bold drink, harvested Sept.21, is filled with notes of cola syrup, vanillaextract, peppermint and a Cinnabon. It’s tiedtogether with big acidity and hefty tannins.Suggested fare includes a zesty chiliburger.

Thurston Wolfe2008 Zephyr Ridge PrimitivoWashington, 72 cases, 15.5% alc., $25

Outstanding! It’s believed that Wade Wolfe blazedthe trail in Washington for this Italian clone ofZinfandel, being the first to plant and bottle it.Inviting aromas of blueberry, mocha, coffee,cocoa and lime oil carry into ripe flavors ofmore blueberry, plums, strawberry and raspber-ry. Remarkable depth to the structure points outchalkiness and spice.

MalbecAirfield Estates2008 MalbecYakima Valley, 219 cases, 14.8% alc., $28

Recommended. Charming barrel notes of whitechocolate are joined by aromas of boysenberry,raspberry, rose petal and cedar shaving. Thepalate carries red blackberry and chalky tanninswith a bit of tartness and vanilla bourbon in thefinish.

Columbia Crest2008 Reserve MalbecHorse Heaven Hills, 200 cases, 14.5% alc., $35

Excellent. The giant in Prosser, Wash., adds thislesser-known Bordeaux variety to its reserve linefor the first time. Char and tarry notes fill thenose before yielding to aromas of poachedplums, toasted sesame, candied cherries and achocolate-covered Graham cracker. There’s lessoak and more fruit on the palate with plums andboysenberries. The approach is rather bold, with




coffee, tar and black licorice in the finish.

Fraser Vineyard2009 MalbecSnake River Valley, 125 cases, 14.4% alc., $25

Outstanding! Our 2011 Idaho Winery of the Yearwon a gold with this at the state competition,and it’s plain to see why. The nose featuresraspberry, cherries, chocolate and lime zest, butthere are footnotes of pink peppercorns, cherrytomato and tobacco leaf. The theme of raspber-ry and cherry continues with the drink, embold-ened with that cherry tomato acidity. Black pep-per, not tannin, is the focus of the finish.

H/H Estates2008 Canyon Vineyard VineyardsG.W. Smith Reserve MalbecHorse Heaven Hills, 53 cases, 14.8% alc., $32

Excellent. While the influence of oak in the aro-mas might be distracting for some, there’smuch to appreciate. Beyond the scents of colasyrup, shaved chocolate, dill and reddish black-berries, the palate is marvelous. Black currants,boysenberry and açaí berries get mashedtogether. There’s a long trail of vanilla extract,chocolate, minerality and lots of spiciness.

Martin-Scott Winery2008 MalbecColumbia Valley, 53 cases, 15.4% alc., $25

Outstanding! One of the lesser-known Bordeauxvarieties is gaining traction in Washington, andthis Wenatchee-area winery has a track recordwith it, earning our top rating for the secondstraight vintage. Dense aromas feature blueber-ry, black cherry, chocolate-covered Grahamcracker, coconut, graphite and gunmetal. It’s anopulent drink of boysenberry and blackberrythat’s backed by cinnamon bark and tanninsakin to Belgian chocolate

Mount Baker Vineyards & Winery2008 Proprietor’s Limited Release MalbecYakima Valley, 358 cases, 13.7% alc., $20

Outstanding! One might need to hire a guideservice to track down a Malbec better than thisfor less money. Blueberry ice cream, boysen-berry, a Triscuit cracker, crushed leaf and asneeze of black pepper send the mind racing.The structure to the palate is well hung withsweet tannins and a remarkable buildup ofacidity, showcasing the rewarding flavors ofhuckleberry jam, black cherry crème soda and

Craisins made possible by Crawford Vineyard.

Pend d’Oreille Winery2007 Freepons Vineyard MalbecWashington, 74 cases, 13.3% alc., $28

Outstanding! Stephen Meyer in Sandpoint, Idaho,has long relied on Yakima Valley fruit for his redprogram. Here’s a telling example why. The nosefeatures an assortment of fruit, spice and herba-ceousness with plum, cracked black pepper,green bell pepper, dill, wintergreen and teriyaki.There’s a match of palate that’s dynamic, lus-cious and youthful with red blackberry, moreplum, dried cranberry, beef blood and oregano.The combination of high acidity and supremetannin management makes this an ideal matchfor grilled meats or smoked shoulder roast.

Pend d’Oreille Winery2007 Wood River Vineyard MalbecSnake River Valley, 73 cases, 13.4% alc., $28

Recommended. This site near Eagle, Idaho, nowaccounts for half of the Malbec made at thisNorth Idaho winery. It helped produce a drink ofcassis, cranberry and plums, backed by mineral-ity, allspice and acidity that override the tannin.

Thurston Wolfe2008 MalbecWashington, 25 cases, 14.3% alc., $28

Excellent. Much of the fruit for this Prosser, Wash.,winery is grown in the Horse Heaven Hills, andMcKinley Springs fruit shows well in this bottling.Black cherry, rose petal and cedar aromas arebacked by cinnamon and leather. Blueberry fla-vors take the lead, followed by pie cherry acidityand underlying minerality with chalky tannin.

Walla Walla Vintners2008 MalbecColumbia Valley, 95 cases, 14.3% alc., $30

Outstanding! Sagemoor Vineyard serves a widerange of Washington wineries, and the bottlingby winemaker Bill vonMetzger of this Bordeauxvariety will bring more requests. It reveals com-plex aromas of dark cherry, orange zest, toast-ed almond, dark chocolate, vanilla, caramel anddried herbs. The drink pleases from stem tostern with blackberry, cassis, dark cranberryand Rainier cherries. There’s inkiness to thestructure, and flecks of minerality add to theelegance as tannins are mollified.

Walla Walla Vintners2008 Pepper Bridge Vineyard MalbecWalla Walla Valley, 188 cases, 14.2% alc., $32

Excellent. This triumvirate of winemakers seemsto take a lighter hand with its barrel program interms of this variety because here’s a real effortto feature the fruit tones of black currant andpomegranate. It starts in the aromas thatinclude plums, pink grapefruit, rose hips andgreen peppercorns. The real payoff is the gor-geous drink of more black currants and pome-granates with seamless tannins, lingering acidi-ty and cocoa powder.

William Church Winery2008 Philip’s VintageGamache Vineyard MalbecColumbia Valley, 180 cases, 14.5% alc., $30

Recommended. This Woodinville, Wash., winery

releases its third vintage of Malbec, this fromthe Columbia Basin, and it’s a bit on the hedo-nistic side. The nose sends out hints of blackcherry, strawberry, root beer, tar and CocoaPuffs. The palate comes soaked with sweetcherries, Raisinets and white pepper.

Other redsAirfield Estates2009 CounoiseYakima Valley, 94 cases, 15.1% alc., $28

Excellent. A privilege of being in a wine club suchas Marcus Miller’s is that you get a chance toexperiment with a Rhône variety that’s relativelynew to the Northwest. The angle of high-tonedred fruit is akin to a Pinot Noir, and there’s alsoa whiff of blueberry milk shake. Cranberries,that milkshake and freshly toasted bread spillout into the mouth, where there’s plenty of acid-ity and a bit of a cherry-skin tannin.

Coyote Canyon Winery2008 Canyon Canyon Vineyard MourvèdreHorse Heaven Hills, 28 cases, 14.3% alc., $22

Excellent. It looks as if the Andrews family, whichsells off most of its 1,110-acre vineyard, keepsjust a barrel or two of this Rhône red for itself. Itsshare offers hints of sweet plums, boysenberry,root beer, chocolate-covered pomegranates andsoy sauce. The texture is a bit syrupy with somelate acidity and an intriguing absence of tannin.

Desert Wind Winery2008 Sacagawea Vineyard BarberaWahluke Slope, 374 cases, 14% alc., $20

Outstanding! Huckleberry jelly, raspberry andblack cherry aromas transcend into more of thesame on the palate with nice acidity to balance.The influence of oak is minimal and there’s areddish tinge to the finish with strawberry andwatermelon candy.

Dusted Valley Vintners2008 Petite SirahColumbia Valley, 75 cases, 15.9% alc., $42

Recommended. Many critics would view this asover the top, but to PS fans, this is right in theirwheelhouse. Buckle up for a wild ride, startingwith a snootful of tutti frutti, a Dum Dum rootbeer sucker, black cherry, tobacco, chocolate,white pepper and lots of tar. Huge extractionmakes this a big drink of black cherry,spearmint, tobacco and bubblegum. Don’t lookat your teeth after a couple gulps of this.

Kyra Wines2009 Purple Sage Vineyard DolcettoWahluke Slope, 118 cases, 14.2% alc., $20

Excellent. We’ve come to expect nothing short ofexcellence from Kyra Baerlocher, who crafts herwines near the airport in Moses Lake, Wash. Sheand her husband own Purple Sage Vineyard, andthis Italian variety obviously does well there. Thepackage opens with black cherry cola aromas,backed by plums, Spanish almonds, flint, rosepetal and eucalyptus. Its sweet entry stays true tothe variety, a light-bodied quaffer of boysenberry,raspberry and blueberry with building acidity anda touch of tannin. If you know of someone new tored wine, here’s an icebreaker.

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Martin-Scott Winery2008 Petite SirahColumbia Valley, 71 cases, 15.2% alc., $23

Outstanding! Small, hedonistic lots are part of theportfolio for this family winery. They made thissweet and sassy, reminiscent of a fresh wafflecone and a Hostess cherry pie. Its tannin structureshows more restraint than most Petite Sirahs, andthe finish brings a piece of Aussie black licorice, apinch of pipe tobacco and dab of vanilla extract.

Melrose Vineyard2009 Estate DolcettoUmpqua Valley, 199 cases, 13.8% alc., $22

Excellent. Most folks wouldn’t consider planting avineyard near a flood plain, which makes thisone of the most fascinating parcels in theNorthwest. There’s proof in the glass. Aromas oflingonberry, white strawberry, pie cherry and rosepetal transcend into a casual drink of blueberry,Rainier cherry and Craisins with sandy tannins.

Mount Baker Vineyards & Winery2008 Proprietor’s Release DolcettoYakima Valley, 188 cases, 13.7% alc., $18

Excellent. Bottling wines as standalone varietiesis a hallmark at the winery not far fromBellingham, Wash. The choice to includeSangiovese (7%) and Cabernet Franc proved tobe prescient, as the wine shows off accents ofRainier cherries, blueberries and dried cranber-ry. It brings sweet fruit and tartness in accord,and the tannins are firmly in place.

Saviah Cellars2007 Petit VerdotWalla Walla Valley, 190 cases, 14.7% alc., $30

Outstanding! Walla Walla winemaker RichardFunk indulges oak lovers once again with anopulent bottle that launches with aromas ofblack cherry, rum raisin ice cream and mince-meat pie. Black currant jam, dark black cherriesand gobs of raspberries make for a silky drinkthat’s finished with leather, tar and Nutella.

Red blendsAirfield Estates2008 AviatorYakima Valley, 467 cases, 15.1% alc., $30

Outstanding! Marcus Miller tried his hand at blend-ing during his days at Tsillan Cellars in Chelan.Now he’s working with family fruit, and the youngwinemaker ranks among the best in theNorthwest at blending. By gathering up the fiveprimary Bordeaux varieties — CabernetSauvignon (50%), Merlot (25%), Cabernet Franc(10%), Petit Verdot (10%) and Malbec — he’smade for a nose of rich black cherry, cassis,fresh-cut herbs, a chocolate milk shake and aslice of pepperoni. The drink carries some slen-der elegance with dark strawberry and a blend-ing cherries, chocolate and tannin. A late burst ofmouthwatering acidity merely revives the palate.

Airfield Estates2009 Bombshell Red Vineyard SaluteYakima Valley, 2,443 cases, 15.1% alc., $16

Excellent. This rolls right out of the hangar with achassis of Merlot (45%), Syrah (41%), Malbec(8%), Sangiovese (4%) and Petit Verdot. It’sloaded with boysenberry and blackberry with

some bittersweet chocolate and pie cherries.It’s a persistent palate but not too demanding,yielding to a finish of loganberry jasmine tea.

Airfield Estates2009 MustangYakima Valley, 548 cases, 15.2% alc., $25

Outstanding! The Millers in Prosser, Wash., formquite a team with father growing the grapes andson making the wine. This blend of five Rhônevarieties, led by Syrah (61%), whistles througharomas of boysenberry, raspberry, milk choco-late, mincemeat and pink peppercorns. It’slighter in style and rather seamless on thepalate as brambleberries and blueberry streamfrom beginning to end. There’s great balance,leading with acidity and barely a pinch of tannin.

Airfield Estates2009 SpitfireYakima Valley, 548 cases, 15.1% alc., $25

Recommended. Sangiovese (61%) leads thisblend, backed primarily by Cabernet Sauvignon(27%), and there’s a presentation of blackberry,boysenberry, huckleberry and baked plums.The package is spun tightly with assertive tan-nins and a presence of oak.

Bergevin Lane Vineyards2007 IntuitionColumbia Valley, 150 cases, 14.4% alc., $59

Recommended. Cassis, cranberry, pie cherry andsaddle leather tones toggle between strong oakand tannin influences inside this CabernetSauvignon-led Meritage style. There’s a nicetrailing finish of raspberry, and the structure isideal for a well-marbled steak.

Black Hills Estate Winery2008 Nota BeneOkanagan Valley, 14.2% alc., $60 CDN

Excellent. Annually, this is one of Canada’s mostcoveted wines. And this vintage from 12-year-old vines appeals particularly to CabFrancophiles as it sets the vibe for theCabernet Sauvignon (48%) and Merlot (41%).Pie cherry, vanilla, blackberry, cedar and earthyaromas don’t overwhelm the leafy notes fromthe Franc. The same fruits turn jammy on thepalate and herbaceousness gathers in aremarkable slatiness. Brilliant acidity and greenolive lend it to many food pairings.

Caprice Vineyards2007 ClaretRogue Valley, 140 cases, 13.5% alc., $28

Recommended. Estate and Jacksonville Vineyardfruit gives this blend of Bordeaux varieties aro-mas of cassis, dusty rose petal, black licoriceand dark chocolate. It’s big and dark on thepalate with more cassis, accompanied by piecherry and cranberry and finished by hints oflime peel and a chocolate wafer.

Cathedral Ridge Winery2008 Rock Star RedColumbia Valley, 192 cases, 14.8% alc., $48

Outstanding! A past Oregon Winery of the Year,this Columbia Gorge producer creates an encoreperformance with this expressive blend ofCabernet Sauvignon (50%) and Syrah (50%)from its reserve program. Nothing is in short sup-

ply. Blackberry, black pepper, black walnut andchalkboard dust fill the nostrils. Bold flavors fol-low with black currant, blackberry and pome-granate. It rides like a Cadillac with glossy acidityand sturdy tannins. There’s a late burst of JellyBelly Very Cherry jellybean, licorice, beef jerky,vanilla bean and graham cracker on the way out.

Chateau Ste. Michelle2007 Artist Series MeritageColumbia Valley, 2,200 cases, 14.5% alc., $50

Excellent. How time flies. This marks the 15thanniversary of this blending of Bordeaux vari-eties, and the artwork came from the late T.L.Lange. A showy barrel program of 88% newoak makes for aromas of strawberry, sassafras,a box of Red Hots and a Brown & HaleyMountain Bar. Ripe strawberry, cola and citrusflavors take hold on the sloped shoulders oftannin. The hint of milk foam with cinnamonmakes for a long and showy finish.

Columbia Crest Winery 2007 Walter Clore Private ReserveColumbia Valley, 4,000 cases, 14.4% alc., $30

Recommended. All the fruit came off on the sameday — Sept. 25 — for this Old World-styleblend of Cabernet Sauvignon (65%), Merlot(32%) and Cabernet Franc. The structureshows more oak and tannin influence thanwe’ve come to expect from this line, which car-ries with it tones of a baked cherry pie, huckle-berry jam, plums and vanilla cola.





Coyote Canyon Winery2008 Canyon Canyon Vineyard Tres CrucesHorse Heaven Hills, 205 cases, 14.3% alc., $18

Outstanding! This isn’t the first time MikeAndrews has earned our top rating with thisblend of Rhône reds. Here, his work with Syrah(61%), Grenache (30%) and Mourvèdre offerssweet smells of dusty blackberry, blueberry,dried strawberry and milk chocolate. Theripeness of the fruit shows on the palate, too,with boysenberry, red blackberry and morestrawberry. It’s a juicy and meaty drink.

Daven Lore Winery2008 Aridsol RedColumbia Valley, 75 cases, 14.5% alc., $25

Outstanding! Gordon Taylor’s wife is soil scientistJoan “Dr. Dirt” Davenport, and this is a tastytribute to the five arid soil types they both workwith. It’s a blend of Bordeaux varieties off AlderRidge, Newhouse and Lonesome SpringRanch, and Taylor’s oak treatment features aro-mas of crushed walnut, chocolate-coveredcherries, marionberry, black olive, vanilla beanand minerality. The entry to the palate is easy,gathering up raspberry and boysenberry fla-vors. Hints of boot leather and firm tannins callfor a thick porterhouse steak.

Domaine Pouillon2009 KatydidHorse Heaven Hills, 277 cases, 14.3% alc., $23

Outstanding! Alexis and Juliet Pouillon moved tothe Columbia Gorge town of Lyle, Wash., tolaunch a winery. The young couple seem to behitting their stride. Their skill with Rhône vari-eties is keen with this blend of Grenache (60%),Syrah (30%) and Mourvèdre, mostly fromMcKinley Springs. Juicy red fruit aromas arebacked by lightly toasted oak, and its lovelyapproach to the palate isn’t unlike a DundeeHills Pinot Noir. There you’ll find pomegranate,pie cherry and cranberry flavors as the acidlevel stays ahead of the subdued tannin. Itremains smooth through the finish of milkchocolate and boysenberry.

Dunham Cellars2008 Three Legged RedColumbia Valley, 5,076 cases, 13.8% alc., $19

Excellent. One of the most touching stories in theNorthwest wine industry is Eric Dunham’s res-cue of a dog from a pit bull attack. He adoptedPort, who lived a long life before passing in2008, but this blend lives on. It’s a fetching drinkmade in a lighter style, providing tones of black-berry, cherry pie and coffee. Chocolate-coveredpomegranate makes for a lengthy farewell.

Dunham Cellars2007 TrutinaColumbia Valley, 5,588 cases, 13.9% alc., $26

Excellent. A trio of estate vineyards — DoubleRiver, Frenchtown and Lewis — came togetherfor a mix of Cabernet Sauvignon (55%) Syrah(23%), Merlot (17%) and Cabernet Franc. Theresult is a food-friendly and stylish drinkloaded with cassis, cola nut, raspberry andCraisins. A pinch of tannin merely adds com-plexity, giving way to a finish of Whopper andmilk froth.

Eaglemount Winery2007 Reserve RaptorWashington, 150 cases, 14.2% alc., $32

Recommended. Here’s a rewarding presentation ofsugared cranberry, raspberry and pie cherry, withcitrusy acidity. Additional support comes fromnotes of slate, saddle leather, mint and toffee.

Emerson VineyardsNV Brother RedWillamette Valley, 410 cases, 14.3% alc., $16

Excellent. Understand the components and you’llbetter appreciate this eclectic effort. Tom Johnstook hybrid grapes Maréchal Foch (41%), LeonMillot (28%), Baco Noir (4%) and Oberlin Noir(3%) and blended in Pinot Noir (24%). Aromasfocus on a Snickers bar, roasted coffee and bellpepper. The drink brings red cherries and redcurrants inside a structure that’s dense, bal-anced and smooth with some cherry skin tannin.

Eaglemount Winery2008 Osprey ReserveWashington, 85 cases, 13.8% alc., $27

Outstanding! Jim Davis crafts cider in PortTownsend, but he also shows off his winemak-ing skills here. Merlot (83%) leads the way foraromas of strawberry, plum, pomegranate, blue-berry, cedar and smoked jerky. The drink isclean and smooth with nice acidity from flavorsof Bing cherry, boysenberry and raspberry.

Foxy Roxy Wines2007 Vixen RedColumbia Valley, 150 cases, 13.5% alc., $18

Excellent. StoneRidge Vineyard in the FrenchmanHills is the source for this estate blend of Cab,Merlot and Cabernet Franc. A 27-month barrelprogram with Hungarian oak leaves an imprint ofcinnamon, dill and black olive, but there’s stillroom for plums and black cherry aromas. Andoak lovers will see the drink as seductive withjuicy black cherry and crushed walnut. A rush ofpomegranate brings acidity and tartness.

Gård Vintners2008 Lawrence Vineyard Don Isidro RedColumbia Valley, 285 cases, 13.9% alc., $20

Recommended. Winemaker Robert Smasne’sblend of Syrah (70%) and Cabernet Sauvignondevelops tones of dark black cherry, purpleblackberry, licorice, tar and gun metal — often asign of Syrah. Robust tannins do allow for a fin-ish that is dark and warm with black currant jam.

Hightower Cellars2008 Out of Line Red WineRed Mountain, 308 cases, 14.3% alc., $25

Excellent. The Hightowers are quick to note theynamed this estate blend of Bordeaux varietiesin reference to the way the vines were planted.Many will appreciate the lofty use of oak, whichhelps create a mood of rich black cherry, deeppomegranate, crushed walnut and charcoal.Look for a bit of chalkiness and pinch of blackpepper at the end of the row.

Hightower Cellars2008 Pepper Bridge Vineyard RedWalla Walla Valley, 199 cases, 14.2% alc., $28

Excellent. Perhaps the movie Sideways discour-

aged them from labeling it as Merlot, but this RedMountain winery has a knack with the grape, evi-dent again here with this 100% production. Ayouthful and lively nose contains hints of lilac andblack pepper with pie cherry, blueberry andcedar. There’s a show of restraint on the palatewith more high-toned red fruit, drip coffee, shinyacidity and fine-grained tannins. It would be well-served with flank steak cooked medium-rare.

Hightower Cellars2007 Red WineRed Mountain, 247 cases, 14.2% alc., $50

Excellent. The Out of Line estate and nearbyShaw vineyards combined for a blend ofCabernet Sauvignon (63%), Cabernet Franc(16%), Merlot (11%), Petit Verdot and Malbec.Time spent in small oak barrel for 20 monthsimparts aromas of toffee, brown toasted andTootsie Pop, backed by blueberry, lime andchalkboard dust. The payoff comes between thelips with juicy plums and black cherries, pack-aged with nice acidity and lively tannin, finishedwith chocolate-covered almonds.

Jacksonville Vineyards2007 Fiasco ClaretApplegate Valley, 150 cases, 14.5% alc., $23

Recommended. A rich blend of CabernetSauvignon (50%) and Merlot (35%) gets a niceboost from Malbec, providing aromas of darkplums, black tar, black olives and huge Bingcherries. Those cherries burst through onto thesweet and rich palate, backed by notes ofmincemeat, blackberries, nice acidity and bitter-sweet chocolate.

Lake Chelan Winery2006 Maximum III 10th Anniversary RedColumbia Valley, 202 cases, 13.8% alc., $45

Excellent. Longtime Washington winemaker RaySandidge deserves credit for this blend ofMerlot (58%) from StoneTree on the WahlukeSlope, Cabernet Sauvignon (20%) and Syrah(11%) from the estate Rivers Bend, andCabernet Franc from nearby Dulia Vineyard.Spicy oak helps creates a mood of cedar, tar,plums and pomegranate. It’s a plummy andjammy drink with marionberry, cherry chocolatecake and licorice. Tannins offer fascinationrather than distraction.

Liberty Lake Wine Cellars2007 Gary’s Legacy RedRed Mountain, 96 cases, 14.2% alc., $19

Recommended. Dedicated to the late Gary Reed,who helped build this Spokane Valley winery, it’spackaged with black cherry, chocolate, mint andwoodruff. Those sweet herbs are a sign of theCabernet Franc (50%), which leads the blend ofMerlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. The sizeabletannin structure and lime peel acidity shouldallow this to be enjoyed for several years.

Martinez & Martinez2007 Cesár Red WineColumbia Valley, 215 cases, 14.5% alc., $22

Excellent. Sergio Martinez has grown grapes inthe Horse Heaven Hills since 1981. Thismarked the third vintage his son, Andrew, madewine for the family winery in Prosser. There’s alot stuffed into this blend of Cabernet




Sauvignon (66%), Malbec (15%), Merlot (10%)and Syrah. Plums, blueberry, black cherry,black olive and black pepper aromas funnel intoa drink that opens with lively cherries and redcurrants. It gets dark toward the finish withmore blueberry, black currant jam, horehoundand well-managed tannins.

Nk’Mip Cellars2007 Qwam Qwmt MeritageOkanagan Valley, 2,694 cases, 13.9% alc., $30 CDN

Recommended. This is mostly Merlot (75%), butthe inclusion of Cabernet Sauvignon (15%) andCabernet Franc (10%) satisfies one require-ment of the Meritage Society. And it’s styled likean Old World Bordeaux with its cassis, piecherry and saddle leather notes. There’s a rubof thyme, bold acidity and bittersweet chocolatetannins.

O•S Winery2006 BSHColumbia Valley, 382 cases, 14.6% alc., $30

Excellent. Many will agree this wine helped putOwen and Sullivan Winery on the map. Thisversion brings black cherry cola, stewed plums,mint chocolate, vanilla, lime and cedar aromas.The entry of black cherry is followed by a firmpunch from thick tannins — the hallmark thatfans have come to know and like in this wine.There are also notes of blackberry, crackedblack pepper, Jamoca Almond Fudge ice creamand a 3 Musketeers bar.

O•S Winery2006 Klipsun Vineyard MRed Mountain, 292 cases, 14.7% alc., $25

Excellent. M stands for Merlot (70%), and therest is Cabernet Sauvignon. They come togeth-er here for aromas of black cherry, strawberrytaffy and devil’s food cake. The pour brings inmore black cherry, a slice of strawberry/rhubarbpie and a drizzle of molasses. Here’s a rareinstance where acidity is more apparent thantannin in a wine grown on Red Mountain, whichallows for pairings with salmon or pork.

O•S Winery2007 RedColumbia Valley, 2,400 cases, 14.7% alc., $18

Excellent. It’s a nicely proportioned blend ofBordeaux varieties, leading with Merlot andshowing lots of savory Cabernet Franc notes.Dried black cherry, lavender, cedar, Ovaltineand cilantro aromas transition into a zingyapproach to the palate. Fresh-picked raspberry,plum and white strawberry flavors include atouch of green pepper. This makes for excellentdinner company.

Pend d’Oreille Winery2006 L’OEuvreWashington, 174 cases, 14.4% alc., $28

Outstanding! Idaho vintner Stephen Meyer takesparticular pride in his high-end blend of CabernetSauvignon (57%), Merlot (29%), Malbec (7%)and Cabernet Franc, and this work of art may behis best. Pleasant use of French barrels makesfor hints of clove, anise and mahogany alongsidearomas of black fruit and banana. It drinks likeBordeaux with cassis, rich blueberry, bittersweetchocolate, firm tannins and late acidity.

Revelry Vintners2008 Reserve BlendColumbia Valley, 220 cases, 13.9% alc., $35

Excellent. Jared Burns launched his uniquelyshaped cask line in Western Washington, buthe’s now landed in Walla Walla and producingsome high-end bottled wine. This blend ofMerlot (44%), Cabernet Sauvignon (22%),Syrah (22%) and Cabernet Franc presents asleek drink of blueberry and black cherry.There’s a wafting of smoke, along with a pinchof dill weed and some malted milk.

Revelry Vintners2008 The RevelerColumbia Valley, 1,800 cases, 13.9% alc., $20

Excellent. Most folks are looking to add some spiceto their lives, and this blend goes in reverse ofmost by leading with Petit Verdot (52%) andbacked by Merlot (38%) and Cabernet Sauvignon.Smoky plums, cherry and dark chocolate aromasinclude pizza sauce herbs. The delivery bringsripe — not sweet — fruit of boysenberry and cher-ry. Blueberry hustles in with racy acidity, thenyields to chocolaty, yet smooth tannins.

San Juan Vineyards2008 Red WineColumbia Valley, 290 cases, 14.1% alc., $18

Excellent. Chris Primus not only runs the vine-yards at this island winery, but he also makesthe wine from fruit all across EasternWashington. The Horse Heaven Hills providedCabernet Franc (44%) from Destiny Ridge andCabernet Franc (31%) off Alder Ridge. Kestrelgrew the Merlot (19%), and Mike Sauer’s newvineyard near Red Willow provided theSangiovese. There’s a synergy to the structurewith boysenberry and marionberry, backed byunderlying cassis and tobacco. Lively aciditycreates a bridge with the chewy tannins, whichare finished by barrel notes of crème brulée.

Saviah Cellars2007 Big Sky CuvéeColumbia Valley, 632 cases, 14.2% alc., $35

Excellent. The Walla Walla winery makes itsannual homage to its Montana roots via thismélange of Merlot (69%), Cabernet Sauvignon(23%), Cabernet Franc (3%), Malbec (3%) andPetit Verdot. It gathers up reddish tones of dustycherry, pomegranate, plum, raspberry compote,dried rose, leather and a Douglas fir frond with ajammy approach backed by medium tannins.

SuLei Cellars2008 Beet RedWalla Walla Valley, 100 cases, 13.2% alc., $19

Recommended. Beet Road in Walla Walla is hometo this young winery — pronounced soo-LAY.The blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (50%),Malbec (30%) and Cabernet Franc avoids con-frontation and comes layered with tones ofblack cherry pie, blueberry, root beer, Aussieblack licorice and a doppio.

Thurston Wolfe2007 The GeologistColumbia Valley, 120 cases, 14.5% alc., $50

Excellent. Wade Wolfe crafts and names hiswines carefully, and this blend of CabernetSauvignon (56%), Cabernet Franc (17%),

Merlot (15%) and Syrah honors another familyscientist, his brother-in-law. There’s boldnessthroughout with aromas of blackberry, mince-meat, Nutella and scrapes of slate. Blackberryjam and sweet marionberry swirl in the mouth,joined by a bite of the seed that supplies goodsturdiness of tannin.

Thurston Wolfe2008 The SpaniardWashington, 25 cases, 14.5% alc., $20

Excellent. Here comes another blend, this a trib-ute to Spain because it uses Grenache,Tempranillo and Syrah. Some may think it’s aWillamette Valley Pinot incognito because theGrenache comes across with high-toned redfruit of cassis, pie cherry and cranberry. Accentsalso include plums, boysenberry, sweet herbsand warm barrel tones. Tempranillo’s grip oftannin slips just a bit beyond the acidity.

Trium2006 Grower’s CuvéeRogue Valley, 600 cases, 13.7% alc., $22

Excellent. The kitchen staff will gravitate to thisblend of Bordeaux varieties as it stays true toCabernet Franc, allowing its savory tones oforegano and celery leaf to mingle with the plumand molasses. Dried strawberry, cassis and wetleather also come into play on the veryapproachable palate.

Tsillan Cellars2007 Bellissima RossaColumbia Valley, 947 cases, 14.71% alc., $28

Recommended. Nearly qualifying to be labeled asCabernet Sauvignon (74%), the blending ofMerlot (21%) and Cabernet Franc presents alively package of red blackberry, boysenberryand pie cherries with chocolate. The broadcastof acidity and assertive tannins will play wellwith Tuscan short ribs in Sorrento’s.

Tsillan Cellars2007 Piccolo RossoColumbia Valley, 641 cases, 15% alc., $28

Outstanding! Shane Collins grew up in LakeChelan, and judging by his continued success, itdoesn’t look like he’s going anywhere. This blendof Merlot (63%), Cabernet Franc (23%), Nebbiolo(7%), Barbera (5%) and Sangiovese shows anose of Chukar Cherry, blueberry and peanut but-ter. It’s a handsome drink with cordial cherry,vanilla and juicy blueberry as acidity and support-ive tannins parallel each other across the palate.The finish mirrors that of warm fruit compote.

Vale Wine Co.2008 Rendezvous RedSnake River Valley, 168 cases, 14.1% alc., $19

Recommended. Skyline Vineyard, which hasplayed a major role in Idaho’s Sawtooth Winery,made for this mix of Cabernet Sauvignon,Merlot and Syrah. Plums, cherry cough syrup,chocolate and vanilla notes pick up somecracked white pepper and minerality. Together,they make for a fairly luscious and savory drink.

Velocity Wine Cellars2007 Velocity RedRogue Valley, 13.5% alc., $24

Excellent. Gus Janeway took RoxyAnn Winery in




Medford, Ore., to new heights. Now, he’sfocused on his own label, named with regardsto his love of cycling, and makes his wines atPallet Wine Co. In years past, he’s blendedMalbec from Gold Vineyard in nearby Talent,Ore. This vintage, he’s all in the Malbec, whichmakes for a nose of blackberry, black cherrytaffy, boysenberry, vanilla bean and tobaccoleaf. He made it an easy drinker that tickles thetongue with pie cherry, cranberry, coarse black-berry and mint. Serve with a blackened steak.

William Church Winery2007 Amy’s Vintage Sur La MerColumbia Valley, 250 cases, 14.2% alc., $28

Recommended. This blend of Cabernet Sauvignon(40%), Merlot (20%), Cabernet Franc (20%),Malbec (10%) and Petit Verdot is named afterthe French birthplace of winery co-owner LeslieBalsley. A warm Milk Dud joins blackberry, cher-ry and oregano aromas. The drink is a quafferof the same fruit, all spice and chalkboard dust.Enjoy with braised buffalo chuck roast.

William Church Winery2008 Max’s Vintage Bishop’s BlendColumbia Valley, 750 cases, 14.5% alc., $20

Excellent. Unofficially, this is viewed as the “cellarblend” at the Woodinville, Wash., winery. Thecomponents are Cabernet Sauvignon (39%),Malbec (38%), Syrah (11%), Merlot (9%) andCabernet Franc, and together they make up awine that’s light and easy to get into. Aromasinclude hints of raspberry juice, Hershey’sSyrup, cinnamon and slate. It’s a full-flavoreddrink of blackberry jam, gobs of chocolate,pomegranate acidity and some lime in the fin-ish. The tannin level is almost imperceptible.

ChardonnayAirfield Estates2009 ChardonnayYakima Valley, 97 cases, 14.1% alc., $20

Excellent. Cantaloupe, lemon custard yogurt andwatermelon accents gain prominence withlemony acidity, and there’s a farewell of fresh-cut potatoes.

Black Hills Estate Winery2008 ChardonnayOkanagan Valley, 600 cases, 14.1% alc., $30 CDN

Recommended. More than half of this lot underwentbarrel fermentation, but you wouldn’t guess it. It’sfruit-forward smooth and drinkable, showing Galaapple and Bosc pear tones, canned pineapple inthe midpalate and lingering lemon/lime acidity. Apinch of saltiness in the finish calls for a pairingwith Manchego cheese and quince paste.

Cathedral Ridge Winery2009 ChardonnayColumbia Valley, 350 cases, 13.6% alc., $22

Recommended. Banana, pineapple, butterscotchand orange tones are wrapped in a somewhatviscous drink that rallies with pleasing acidity.

Chehalem Wines2009 INOX ChardonnayWillamette Valley, 4,967 cases, 13.8% alc., $17

Excellent. Harry Peterson-Nedry helped make thisstyle of Chardonnay famous in Oregon and

beyond, and its proprietary name comes fromthe French term for stainless steel — inoxyd-able. The nose features Fuji apple, Key lime pie,starfruit and a Lady of the Night flower blossom.Its crisp palate gathers in pear, lemon peel andthe return of lime with a hint of caramel in thefinish. Enjoy this with flaky halibut.

Claar Cellars2009 White BluffsBarrel Fermented ChardonnayColumbia Valley, 117 cases, 13.6% alc., $16

Excellent. Here’s an oak-lovers bargain as itbrings lots of wood and lots of flavors. The nosegathers up vanilla bean, sandalwood, burntsugar and lemon pepper. The fluid produces fla-vors of French vanilla ice cream, butterscotch,Scottish shortbread cookie and BananasFoster. A trickle of lemon juice emerges in thefinish of this fun and fascinating wine.

Columbia Crest2008 Reserve ChardonnayColumbia Valley, 250 cases, 14.4% alc., $20

Recommended. Sites in the Horse Heaven Hillsmade for a drink that leads with aromas ofsmoke, vanilla, butterscotch, Pear Crumble andflecks of minerality. There’s a nice balance ofdried apricot, whitish pineapple and toasty bar-rel notes, finished with lemon pith.

Johan Vineyards2008 Reserve ChardonnayWillamette Valley, 77 cases, 13% alc., $33

Recommended. Estate fruit from Dijon clones 76and 95 goes on the lees for 18 months, whichmakes for an unctuous offering of pineapple,apricot jam, butterscotch and lemon peel.

LeVieux Pin2009 Equinoxe ChardonnayOkanagan Valley, 72 cases, 13.9% alc., $60 CDN

Excellent. While not THE most expensiveChardonnay made in British Columbia — thecrop load was 2.4 tons per acre — it ranks asone of the tastiest. Volumes of interest startwith the evidence of new French oak barrelsthat exude hints of pineapple upside down cakeand tutti frutti. The palate shows emolliencealong with pineapple, pear and bubble gum fla-vors. A good shot of acidity revives the tongue.

Mission Hill Family Estate2009 Reserve ChardonnayOkanagan Valley, 13% alc., $19 CDN

Outstanding! Atypical of “reserve” styleChardonnay, winemaker John Simes’ restraineduse of French and American oak makes thisremarkably fruit-forward and food-friendly.Unwrap a stick of Juicy Fruit gum and youbegin to get a feel for the aromatics, whichinclude Granny Smith apple, lime and slate.Tropical fruit continues into the mouth withmango and passion fruit. Mandarin orange pro-vides acidity. Hints of citrus pith and jicama addcomplexity. Enjoy with white fish or a fish taco.

Nk’Mip Cellars2008 Qwam Qwmt ChardonnayOkanagan Valley, 1,854 cases, 13.5% alc., $25

Excellent. A wacky summer that included a wind-storm that snapped more than 300 posts in the

Inkameep vineyard didn’t prevent Randy Pictonand his team of tribal members from crafting aremarkably complex drink focused on sweetpear and Golden Delicious apple. Toasty oak,buttery and creamy banana accents on the mid-palate get brushed aside by pleasing citrus.Enjoy with some Dungeness crab.

Phelps Creek Vineyards2009 Estate Reserve ChardonnayColumbia Gorge, 290 cases, 14.2% alc., $28

Excellent. Hood River, Ore., native RichCushman is back home, and his excitementshows up in this delicious Chardonnay.There’s a greeting of segmented tangerine,Kiwi fruit, fresh cucumber, dried lemon peeland toasted pine nuts. Inside is a wide rangeof accessible fruit flavors, starting with moretangerine but followed by apricot and yellowgrapefruit. The structure is a complex creationof barrel toast, fruit and acidity, capped bysome citrus pith.

Pyrenees Vineyard & Cellars2009 ChardonnayUmpqua Valley, 410 cases, 13.2% alc., $18

Excellent. The use of neutral French oak allowswhiffs of pear, lemon, pineapple and starfruit tofilter out above the banana and dustiness.Yellow grapefruit and slate make this amazinglyrefreshing for a Chardonnay made in barrel.

Redman2009 ChardonnayEola-Amity Hills, 150 cases, 13.8% alc., $25

Recommended. Dijon clone 96 nearly evenly splitbetween French oak and stainless steel pro-vides the feel of a Chablis or a Muscadet. It’scleansing and refreshingly dry with tones ofGolden Delicious apple, pineapple, lemon zestand underlying minerality. Enjoy with oysters.

St. Laurent Winery2008 ChardonnayColumbia Valley, 250 cases, 13% alc., $20

Recommended. Quincy Estate Vineyards in theproposed Ancient Lakes appellation makes fora brisk and slate-filled drink. There is no evi-dence of oak, and its fruit core is based onnotes of Granny Smith apple, lemon, lime, qui-nine and minerality. Enjoy this with quiche.

Saviah Cellars2008 Stillwater Creek Vineyard ChardonnayColumbia Valley, 224 cases, 14.1% alc., $25

Recommended. This site overlooking Royal City,Wash., brought in Dijon clone 75 grapes that actmore like orchard fruit. There’s nice roundness tothe presentation of peach and a caramel apple,backed by starfruit and lemon pith for complexity.Try pairing this with a cheddar frittata.

Sinclair Estate Vineyards2009 ChardonnayColumbia Valley, 260 cases, 14.1% alc., $28

Excellent. As a recent graduate of the “Universityof Columbia Crest,” Amy Alvarez-Wampflerknows what to do with a few barrels ofChardonnay. In this case, she worked with 11from Lewis Vineyard in the Yakima Valley. Thenose comes alive immediately with whiffs of yel-low Starburst candy, pineapple and apricot,




backed by barrel notes of coconut, brownedmeringue and banana. Inside are soft androunded flavors of pineapple, banana and vanil-la, finished with more barrel toast.

Willamette Valley Vineyards2008 Estate ChardonnayWillamette valley, 204 cases, 13.5% alc., $30

Recommended. Jim Bernau planted these vines in1983 and began grafting them to Dijon adecade later. There’s a pleasing balance of oakand tropical fruit flavors, delicate acidity andsavory notes in the finish. Enjoy with tigershrimp, lobster, crab or even Baked Alaska.

RieslingAnam Cara Cellars2009 Nicholas Estate RieslingChehalem Mountains, 390 cases, 13.8% alc., $20

Outstanding! Fermenting 71% of their 1-acreblock in neutral oak barrels makes this morecomplex than most Rieslings made in theNorthwest. There are the usual aromatics ofapple, pineapple and pear with orange oil, butthere’s also honey and intriguing mineral. All thefruit returns on the first draw of the drink, yet itturns dry (just 1.2% residual sugar), andrefreshing as lemony acidity and late flintinessassume subtle control. Among its delicious foodpairing possibilities is basa fish.

Brooks Wines2008 RieslingWillamette Valley, 780 cases, 12.8% alc., $18

Recommended. Orange blossom, starfruit, bakedapple, petrol Asian pear and lemon accentsmake this a refreshing and linear drink.

Cathedral Ridge Winery2009 RieslingColumbia Valley, 275 cases, 12.2% alc., $18

Recommended. Here’s a definitely off-dry but stillfascinating offering with accents that includetropical fruit, apricot, baked apple, honeysuckle,green tea, nutmeg and banana nut bread.

Chateau Ste. Michelle2009 Eroica RieslingColumbia Valley, 24,000 cases, 12% alc., $20

Outstanding! The project named afterBeethoven’s “Third Symphony” strikes a brilliantchord in commemoration of its 11th vintage.Ernst Loosen and Bob Bertheau continue tofocus on the Milbrandts’ Evergreen Vineyardnear the Gorge at George, and its easy-drinkingcharacter carries along lots of apples and pearswith sweet citrus. There’s not as much minerali-ty as in some vintages, but the residual sugarcontinues to hover around 1.6%. Its finish islengthy with peaches and apricots.

Dunham Cellars2008 Lewis Estate Vineyard RieslingColumbia Valley, 672 cases, 12.9% alc., $22

Recommended. The Dunhams long have relied onthis Yakima Valley site for many of its wines,including their off-dry Riesling, which settled at2.5% sugar. It’s a tasty serving of Granny Smithapple, apricot, jasmine and Frosted Mini-Wheats with a lemon/lime finish.

Grey Monk Estate Winery2009 RieslingOkanagan Valley, 2,000 cases, 12.9% alc., $17 CDN

Excellent. The Heiss family began planting vinesalong Okanagan Lake in the 1970s, and theyremain among the leaders in the province. Andhere’s a serious example of Riesling, leadingwith aromas of minerality, Golden Deliciousapple, peach and clean flannel. Lemony acidity,more minerality and even some tannin tightenup the juicy peach and pineapple tones, as wellas the residual sugar (1.6%).

Long Shadows Vintners2009 Poet’s Leap RieslingColumbia Valley, 3,200 cases, 12.9% alc., $20

Recommended. Armin Diel’s approach with thisvintage takes on a rather delicate style, begin-ning with aromas of dried orange rind, pear andapple with light diesel, lavender, lilac and base-ball card bubblegum powder. There’s appealingflintiness, honeysuckle and Jonagold apple fla-vors, and the acidity matches the low residualsugar (1.3%).

Mellisoni Vineyards2009 RieslingLake Chelan, 86 cases, 13.5% alc., $25

Recommended. Young vines overlooking the southshore of Lake Chelan created an off-dryRiesling with notes of baked pear, diesel,lemon/lime, candy corn and a finish akin to anArnold Palmer ice tea.

Nk’Mip Cellars2009 RieslingOkanagan Valley, 1,833 cases, 12% alc., $18 CDN

Excellent. Randy Picton probably wanted thesegrapes to hang a bit longer, but an Oct. 9 frostquashed any plans. Still, we’re left with an exot-ic wine that includes tropical aromas, along withpeach, spiced orange, nectarine and vanillabean. The palate zeroes in on peach, apple,orange, lime and citrus pith. It’s a high-aciddrink with flecks of minerality. Enjoy with cala-mari or white fish influenced by peach salsa.

Pyrenees Vineyard & Cellars2009 RieslingUmpqua Valley, 150 cases, 12.1% alc., $18

Recommended. This young project south ofRoseburg, Ore., won’t have any trouble sellingthis to the wedding receptions it hosts. Peachesand apples gush out of the aromas, backed byjasmine and lemon. The drink is of an ambrosiasalad, joined by lychee and rosewater. Its resid-ual sugar (1.5%) comes across as sugar canebefore the finish of apple skin.

Road 132009 Jackpot RieslingOkanagan Valley, 181 cases, 13.3% alc., $30 CDN

Recommended. This fits in with the Alsatian style ofRiesling with its theme of mineral, petrol, lemonjuice, lime peel and chalkboard dust. One gets abit of a sense of the Golden Mile thoughbecause there’s some peach in the mix, too.

Tsillan Cellars2008 Dry RieslingColumbia Valley, 312 cases, 13.1% alc., $18

Recommended. Tree-ripened nectarine, baked

apple, diesel, lychee, honeysuckle and sweetlemon give this good acidity and pleasinglength. It drinks more along the lines of off-dry,despite its relatively low residual sugar of 1.3%.

Pinot GrisGray Monk Estate Winery2009 Pinot GrisOkanagan Valley, 8,200 cases, 13.6 alc., $17 CDN

Excellent. Unless you are an insider, one mightnot imaging that a B.C. winery could bottle thismuch Pinot Gris. And the Heiss family does itexceptionally well. It glitters with aromas of star-fruit, Bartlett pear, honeydew melon, lemon anddaffodil stocks. Pear leads the flavors, backedby lemon, grassiness and some slate.

Sokol Blosser2009 Pinot GrisWillamette Valley, 1,350 cases, 14.5% alc., $25

Excellent. The fun drink opens with aromas oftangerine, honeydew melon, dried pineapple,white rose petal and a spent drier sheet.Brightness on the palate shows up immediatelywith assertive acidity, followed by a flow of moremelon, Asian pear, allspice and apple slices.

Soléna Estate2009 Pinot GrisOregon, 1,500 cases, 13.9% alc., $20

Excellent. Laurent Montalieu and his wife contin-ue to raise the profile of their elegant label withwines such as this. Its graceful nose carriesaromas of yellow grapefruit, pineapple, orangezest, nectarine, cling peach, cotton candy, slateand white pepper. Peach and lemon chiffonstrike an accord on the palate with a bit of jas-mine. A squeeze of tangerine makes this a lip-smacker on the finish.

Trium2009 Pheasant Hill Vineyard Pinot GrisRogue Valley, 200 cases, 13.6% alc., $19

Recommended. Dusty apple, peach fuzz, cloverhoney, slate and savory herb aromas turn intoan easy drink of oranges, sweetened lemon,yellow grapefruit and butterscotch.

Semillon/Sauvignon BlancKandarian Wine Cellars2009 Oster VineyardBlue Eye Sauvignon BlancWillamette Valley, 75 cases, 13.9% alc., $20

Outstanding! Jeff Kandarian oversees one ofOregon’s largest wineries as the winemaker forKing Estate, but he’s allowed this side project innearby Veneta, Ore. His source is a 1-acre blocknear Mount Angel, but you’d think he made thisin New Zealand. It casts out huge gooseberryaromas, backed by lime peel, passion fruit, afrond of noble fir and ryegrass. There’s more of arestrained approach on the palate, balancingtropical fruit flavors, fresh herbs and a finish ofminerality. There’s none of the bitterness foundwith many Sauv Blancs.

Mission Hill Family Estate2009 Reserve Sauvignon BlancOkanagan Valley, 13.5% alc., $19 CDN

Recommended. A small part of this spent time in




French oak and on the lees, which explains aro-mas of butterscotch behind the peaches and apri-cots. Citrusy acidity arrives quickly on the palate,followed by Pink Lady and honeydew flavors.

ViognierBergevin Lane Vineyards2009 ViognierColumbia Valley, 396 cases, 14.2% alc., $25

Outstanding! Steffen Jorgensen continues to shinewith Rhône varieties, regardless of color. Here,he blended Roussanne (6%) and the nose isclean and pure with tangerine, starfruit, slicedbanana and lemon pepper. A spoonful of orangevanilla sherbet says a lot about the palate, wherethere’s lively acidity and citrus pith for balance.

Quady North2008 Steelhead Run Vineyard ViognierApplegate Valley, 120 cases, 13.5% alc., $19

Recommended. Fun aromas of ginger creamcookie, melon, lemon, grassiness and corianderdescend into a rounded palate of Gala apple,Knudsen Hibiscus Cooler and orange peel.

William Church Winery2008 Sarah’s Vintage ViognierColumbia Valley, 240 cases, 14.3% alc., $21

Excellent. Stainless steel treatment of Conner-Lee Vineyard fruit allows for aromas featuringlemon yogurt, banana and orange Creamsicle.The palate is rich and creamy with more of thesame fruit, joined by white peach, delicate acid-ity and orange peel pith.

Other whitesAgate Ridge Vineyard2009 MarsanneRogue Valley, 118 cases, 12.5% alc., $22

Excellent. The Kinderman family shows itself to bea quick study with this lesser-known Rhône white.Their second vintage is showing lovely aromas ofdried pineapple, lemon-frosted banana nut bread,candy corn and corn silk. There’s no sign of oakon the palate, though, as pleasing tartness leadswith flavors of lemon, peach, starfruit and driedapple slices. There’s a lingering of honeydewmelon and lime in the finish.

Agate Ridge Vineyard2009 RoussanneRogue Valley, 84 cases, 12.6% alc., $21

Excellent. Kiley Evans, formerly the winemaker atAbacela, went with a slightly off-dry approachfor this Rhone white and there’s plenty of acidi-ty to carry its residual sugar (1.6%). A very flo-ral nose features dusty apple, tangerine,orchard blossoms and fresh linen. Flavorsrange from Honeycrisp apple, kumquat, quinceand candy corn to sweet lemons at the end.

Chehalem Wines2009 Stoller Vineyards Pinot BlancDundee Hills, 327 cases, 15.5% alc., $17

Outstanding! Turkeys once roamed this plot, and itproves Pinot Blanc deserves a home in Oregon.Harry Peterson-Nedry’s adroit use of oak (1/3barrel fermented) provides complexity. The noseshows minerality, pineapple and lemon alongwith hints of banana. They meet again on the

palate, joined by fresh-picked Bartlett pear,sliced ginger, Mandarin orange and anise in thefinish. Despite the lofty alcohol and dryapproach, skillful winemaking provides balance.

Erath Winery2009 Pinot BlancWillamette Valley, 2,700 cases, 12.5% alc., $14

Excellent. Gary Horner brought in this fruit fromFuqua, Niederberger and Scharf vineyards onOct. 11-12, and it was the right call. The nosefeatures lemon curd, lime peel and Asian pear,and there’s no disappointment on the attack.Honeydew melon flesh gives it body, whilepleasing citrus and a thread of minerality wakeup the palate. Suggested fare includes grilledseafood, smoked salmon and antipasto.

Gray Monk Cellars2009 GewürztraminerOkanagan Valley, 6,500 cases, 12.8% alc., $16 CDN

Excellent. George Heiss Jr. and Roger Wongteam up for one of the Northwest’s largest pro-ductions of this variety. The nose conjures upthoughts of sugared yellow grapefruit, toppedwith a maraschino cherry, joined by lychee andhints of minerality. At 2.4% residual sugar, it’s atasty and cocktailish drink brimming with pas-sion fruit, mango and Honeycrisp apple, chasedwith a squirt of lime.

Martinez & Martinez2009 Alder Ridge Vineyard RoussanneHorse Heaven Hills, 130 cases, 13.5% alc., $16

Recommended. Few in the Northwest bottle thislesser-known Rhône variety on its own, and theMartinez family near Prosser, Wash., turned thisinto a tasty hot-tubber. A squirt of fresh-slicedlemon, white pepper and minerality join tropicalaromas. Prepare for a drink that blasts sweet-ness of candy corn, ripe cantaloupe and alemon custard pie dusted with baking powder.

Mellisoni Vineyard2009 GewürztraminerLake Chelan, 49 cases, 13.6% alc., $35

Recommended. Rob and Donna Mellisoni are intotheir second vintage of estate whites, and thisoffering is one of the most expensive bottlings ofGewürz in the Pacific Northwest. There’s a lot ofexpression with tones of lychee, cantaloupe, pear,cinnamon and white pepper. The spicy clove andsweet guava finish — residual sugar is 3.4% —will make this a pleasing pairing with Asian food.

Nk’Mip Cellars2008 Pinot BlancOkanagan Valley, 2,786 cases, 13.5% alc, $16 CDN

Excellent. There are some in British Columbiawho believe this variety should be viewed as theprovince’s signature grape. Randy Picton devel-oped scents reminiscent of gooseberry, lemon,banana, Golden Mile peaches and fresh-cutgrass that are reinforced on the palate. It drinksakin to a juicy Fuji apple, followed by a subtlemidpalate sheen of lanolin that’s whisked cleanusing more lemon and gooseberry tartness.

Pyrenees Vineyard & Cellars2009 GewürztraminerUmpqua Valley, 600 cases, 13.1% alc., $18

Outstanding! In May, this former dairy farm will

celebrate its one-year anniversary, and thissnappy drink may be the best wine they willpour. After all, Gewürz guru Terry Brandborgmakes the wine. This is brimming with pinkgrapefruit, apricot, lychee, lemon zest, clove,honey and gardenia aromas. On the palate,there’s a pleasing fruit-to-minerality balance asorange, grapefruit and sweetened lemon flavorsare supported by wet rock. And wisely, they lim-ited the residual sugar to 1%.

White blendsAirfield Estates2009 LightningYakima Valley, 454 cases, 14.8% alc., $18

Excellent. Marcus Miller does a red Rhône blend,so here’s the white version, a mélange ofViognier (65%), Roussanne (25%) andMarsanne. It’s a nose filled with orange essence,grapefruit, butterscotch, chalkboard dust andfreshly sliced Yukon Gold potato aromas. There’sjust a whisper of oak in the drink, but it’s mostlya good balance of lemon and grapefruit.

Atalanta Cellars2008 Tuesday Night WhiteWashington/Idaho, 125 cases, 14% alc., $16

Excellent. Boise winemaker Angie Riff created thisblend of Viognier, Riesling and Chardonnay,which will be a welcome friend after you comehome knowing the work week is not yet halfover. Inviting aromas of orange marmalade,apricot and honeysuckle play out on the weightypalate. There’s a charming persistence of bloodorange and fresh-cut pineapple with vanilla.

Black Hills Estate Winery2009 AlibiOkanagan Valley, 13.9% alc., $30 CDN

Excellent. Vineyard manager Steve Carberry andwinemaker Graham Pierce collaborated well onthis blend of Sauvignon Blanc (75%) andSemillon that leads aromas of gooseberry, limepeel, apple and minerality. It’s not a disappoint-ing drink either, featuring tartness of quince,gooseberry and yellow grapefruit that sandwicha creamy midpalate of caramel and mangoskin.

Cliff Creek Cellars2009 Marsanne-RoussanneSouthern Oregon, 144 cases, 13.5% alc., $22

Outstanding! The Garvin family has farmed inthe Rogue Valley for more than a century, butit only started planting vines in 2000. Thewines are creating a following at their tastingroom in Carlton, Ore. This blend leads withRoussanne (69%) and opens the door witharomas of apricot preserves, tangerine,peach, mango and canned pineapple. It’s abrisk and refreshing drink circling back to thetangerine and apricot, balanced by second-cut pineapple, then finished with mango invanilla ice cream.

Domaine Pouillon2008 Blanc du MoulinHorse Heaven Hills, 200 cases, 14.5% alc., $17

Recommended. Coyote Canyon Vineyard sup-plied the Roussanne (80%) and Viognier,which went into 5-year-old French oak. That




explains the aromas of vanilla, banana andbutterscotch. Gooseberry leads the charge onthe tongue, followed by more butterscotch,banana and lemon with nice slate in thefarewell.

Domaine Pouillon2009 Deux White WineColumbia Valley, 232 cases, 14% alc., $19

Excellent. Chardonnay (55%) from BrehmVineyards near White Salmon, Wash., andViognier off Coyote Canyon make for a veryeasy drink of fruit cocktail flavors with livelyacidity. Enjoy with a greens served withRoquefort dressing or a shrimp salad.

Lake Chelan Winery2009 Stormy Mountain WhiteLake Chelan, 400 cases, 13.7% alc., $18

Recommended. Huge aromatics of pink grapefruit,passion fruit, guava and vanilla emerge fromthis blend of Viognier (41%), Pinot Gris (20%),Gewürztraminer (15%), Riesling (15%) andChardonnay. Sweetness stays ahead of acidityon the palate, where it’s orange, lemon creamand Brach’s vanilla Crème Filled Caramel. Thetasting room manager must love this, and italso will be enjoyed well-chilled on the patiobehind the estate BBQ house.

LeVieux Pin2009 Viognier/RoussanneOkanagan Valley, 360 cases, 14.3% alc., $35 CDN

Outstanding! Our 2009 B.C. Winery to Watchcontinues to impress with its high-quality,small-lot program. Some may even call itextreme. These blocks off the Black SageBench were cropped to 3.5 tons per acre anddropped in French and acacia barrels for fourmonths. That regimen only seems to have ele-vated and complemented the exotic nose oforange Creamsicle, white peach and pineapplewith a splash of lemon bitters. The palatebrings volumes of interest with orange, tanger-ine, toasted marshmallow and peach. Whileround and a bit sweet, it’s not out of balancebecause of some pleasing citrus pith in the fin-ish.

Road 132009 Viognier Riesling Sauvignon BlancOkanagan Valley, 350 cases, 13.9% alc., $23

Excellent. Perhaps the Luckhursts will come upwith a suitable proprietary name, but it is easyto pick out the components, which arrived fromnearby Castle, Rockpile and Gully vineyards.The nose comes loaded with lemons, limes,creamy caramel, bay rum, minerality andNECCO water. It’s a zesty drink of Mandarinorange, tangerine and lemon peel, backed bypineapple, slate and taro root.

Tsillan Cellars2009 Sempré AmoréLake Chelan, 412 cases, 13.5% alc., $19

Recommended. Translated, it means “lovealways,” and its new blend of Pinot Gris,Chardonnay and Gewürz from this Lake Chelanicon. It comes across as an easy and balancedoffering of Bosc pear, Golden Delicious apple,rose petal and lemon.

William Augustus2009 Viognier-MarsanneRogue Valley, 375 cases, 13.5% alc., $16

Outstanding! Gus Janeway was one of Oregon’searly advocates for screwcaps, and here is oneof the first blends of Viognier and Marsanne inthe Northwest. It’s a style others should followas Viognier (72%) from Gold and Marsanne atCrater View vineyards produce spellbindingaromas of Lemon Head candy, banana creampie, Circus Peanuts, baking soda biscuit andfreshly laundered flannel pajamas. The drinkprovides an alternative to Chardonnay as it’srich with butterscotch pudding, banana taffyand orange oil. There’s a wonderful closure ofminerality, giving it a dry edge to pair withfoods such as clams steamed with lemon but-ter and vermouth, pasta tossed with olive oil ora good steak.

Wild Goose Vineyards2009 Autumn GoldOkanagan Valley, 2,000 cases, 12.5% alc., $19 CDN

Outstanding! This perennial off-dry blend ofRiesling, Gewürztraminer and Pinot Blanc —aka “Mom’s wine” — remains the best-sellingwine for our 2009 Pacific Northwest Winery ofthe Year. It’s easy to see why. The perfumynose fans out notes of lychee, passion fruit,peach, petrol and toast. And the drink followsthe same path. It’s delicious, complex and wellbalanced as gooseberry-like acidity matchesthe 3.0% residual sugar.

Sparkling wineWestport WineryNV Rapture of the Deep Cranberry CarbonateWashington, 173 cases, 11% alc., $25

Excellent. It is billed as “cranberry made for sun-rise brunch to midnight toast,” and DanaRoberts builds it with pleasing tartness tosweep clean the residual sugar (10%) andintriguing bit of viscosity on the midpalate. Aportion of the proceeds is donated to theDriftwood Theater in nearby Aberdeen.

RosésMartinez & Martinez2009 Cabernet BlancaRosé of Cabernet SauvignonHorse Heaven Hills, 180 cases, 12.8% alc., $16

Excellent. The Martinez family must enjoy acold glass of this while watching the warmsunset in the Horse Heaven Hills. Its garnetcolor is attractive to the eye, and the aromasstart by slicing a strawberry/rhubarb pie,joined by raspberry and orange marmalade.The pour produces sweet cherry and apricotflavors amid a slightly viscous structure.Lingering notes of orange and pineapple arereminiscent of a mai tai. In Tahitian, thatmeans “good.”

Westport WineryNV Little Wild Blackberry RieslingWashington, 396 cases, 10% alc., $25

Excellent. A number of wineries near theIdaho/Washington border can’t make enoughhuckleberry-affected Riesling to satisfy cus-

tomers. Our 2011 Washington Winery to Watchis going down the blackberry path. The aromasare akin to grabbing a blackberry off the vine,with some lime, red strawberry, violets andblack currant. It is very much Riesling on thepalate with some late acidity to balance theresidual sugar (14%) and a bit of berry seedtannin in the finish. This will appeal to theSunday brunch crowd and would go well withFrench toast. Serve chilled.

Fruit winesWestport WineryNV Message in a BottleWashington, 103 cases, 11% alc., $19

Excellent. There’s truth in advertising withblackberry wine that incorporates vanilla,which takes over the nose with hints of maplenut ice cream and a root beer float. The fruitleads the palate, which is quite sweet (10%residual sugar) and drinks like an adults-onlyblackberry shake or an Italian soda that’sboozy. Technically, it’s well-made.

Westport WineryNV Red Sky at NightWashington, 253 cases, 11% alc., $29

Recommended. This creation of raspberry wineblended with chocolate must be a favorite at theWestport Timberland Library, because itreceives a donation for each bottle sold. Ratherthan raspberry, the aromas and flavors are rem-iniscent of a cherry Tootsie pop, backed bycranberry tartness and bit of tannin to balancethe residual sugar (10%).

Dessert winesChateau Ste. Michelle2007 Ethos Late Harvest White RieslingColumbia Valley, 120 cases, 8% alc., $35

Outstanding! Here’s proof that you don’t need togo north of the 49th parallel for a dessert winethat drinks like a top-notch Canadian ice wine.Bob Bertheau had these botrytis-covered clus-tered harvested Nov. 1, which made for succu-lent aromatics of apricot glacéed, fresh-squeezed lemon, honey, jasmine and lime. It’sdog-gone delicious and viscous as flavors ofbaked apple, more apricot and bananas fostertrickle in.

Dunham Cellars2008 Lewis Vineyard Late Harvest RieslingColumbia Valley, 750 cases, 9.5% alc., $19

Excellent. Eric Dunham provided the artworkfor the label, and this marked DanWampfler’s first harvest for this famed WallaWalla winery. You breathe in aromas oforange marmalade, crème brulée, diesel andlemon zest. It’s sweet but not syrupy, burstingwith apricots, passion fruit and more orange.Acidity shows up in the finish along with but-terscotch button candy. The residual sugar is23%.

Mount Baker Vineyards & Winery2007 Late Harvest ViognierYakima Valley, 67 cases, 9% alc., $21

Recommended. Accents of apricot jam, cannedpear, caramel apple and grilled pineapple swirl


in a drink of Karo syrup that could be mistakenfor an ice wine if had more acidity. The residualsugar checks at 18%.

Tsillan Cellars2007 Dolcezza d’Oro Dessert RieslingColumbia Valley, 804 cases, 11.5% alc., $35

Recommended. Lemon, pear, apple, grapefruit,dried apple peel and petrol notes are blendedinto a sweet syrup (12.7% residual sugar) withflecks of minerality.

Ice wineGanton & Larsen Prospect Winery2007 The Lost Bars Vidal IcewineOkanagan Valley, 9.5% alc., $60 CDN

Outstanding! Here’s yet another delicious winefrom the smaller sister label of Mission Hills.The nose is resplendent with figs, apricot,honey and vanilla. Rich flavors bring thoughtsof apricot ice cream, Golden Delicious apple

and honey, backed by cloves. The sugar wasleft at 19%, and the structure is balanced butnot syrupy. As for the story behind the name,Camp McKinney in the Okanagan Valley wasrobbed of three gold bars in 1896. The barswere never found.

Lake Chelan Winery2008 Chardonnay Ice WineColumbia Valley, 105 cases, 11.1% alc., $30

Recommended. Passion fruit, pineapple, lycheeand lavender fill this lightly syrupy dessert winefrom Smasne Vineyard in the Yakima Valley.Citrus pith and a touch of clove balance theresidual sugar (14%).

Mission Hill Family Estate2009 Reserve Riesling IcewineOkanagan Valley, 8.5% alc., $60

Excellent. Harvest at the Kelowna estate vine-yard hit Dec. 7, and the hangtime allowed for aresidual sugar (33%). While the nose of dried

apricots, lemon bitters and orange zest is ratherrestrained for an ice wine, but dessert loverswill find redemption between the gums. It’s filledwith crushed pineapple, poached apricots andhoney, backed by lip-smacking acidity and fin-ishes with a Bit o’ Honey.

Fortified winesGray Monk Estate WineryNV Odyssey III Port-styleOkanagan Valley, 470 cases, 19.8% alc., $20 CDN

Excellent. The Heiss family takes Gamay Noir tonew heights with this, blending it with Merlot anddeveloping it in the solera style. It is structuredlike ruby port and brings a wide range of citrusyaromas including lemon, lime, orange PopRocks candy, but also dill weed and a Christmastree. A pour brings in chocolate-covered orangepeel and huge amount of acidity to balance the8% residual sugar. It’s fruitier than most Port-style wines, and the chemistry keeps it fresh.



Best Buys: White winesOutstanding, Excellent or Recommended wines that retail at $15 and under.

Airfield Estates2009 Lone Birch WhiteYakima Valley, 2,478 cases, 13.5% alc., $8

Outstanding! The Miller family has farmed nearProsser, Wash., since before World War II.Only one birch is left, and it reigns over thevines that produced this blend of SauvignonBlanc (46%), Pinot Gris (38%), Chardonnay(10%), Semillon (4%), Roussanne (2%) andMarsanne. It brings loads of grapefruit peel,lemons, fresh-cut jicama and yellow rose inthe nose. The drink seems focused on pinkgrapefruit and rose water with robust acidityand nice slate in the finish.

Amity Vineyards2008 Pinot BlancWillamette Valley, 1,054 cases, 13% alc., $15

Outstanding! Winery founder Myron Redfordpromoted Darcy Pendergrass to head wine-maker in time for this vintage, and judging bythis wine, it was a stroke of genius. Modeledafter an unwooded Chardonnay, it’s showywith peach, apricot, quince, starfruit, appleblossom and dried pineapple aromas. Thedrink is dry, bright, refreshing and quenchingwith more apricot, quince and dried pineap-ple, capped with a suck of apricot pit for com-plexity. It understandably captured gold at theOregon Wine Awards.

Amity Vineyards2008 RieslingWillamette Valley, 674 cases, 12.5% alc., $15

Excellent. We dare you to walk into this Amity,Ore., tasting room and tell the owner thatOregon doesn’t make good Riesling. Betteryet, wait until you experience this complex,big-acid drink that stars with aromas of apri-cot, gooseberry, honeydew melon and honey-suckle. Next come flavors of Granny Smithapple and lime juice, which more than bal-

ances the sugar and will go nicely with aWaldorf salad.

Brown Box Wine2009 ChardonnayWashington, 1,500 cases, 12.5% alc., $19

Recommended. Steve Hovanes takes the leadon the Brown Box white program for theWoodinville, Wash.-based Washington Wine& Beverage Co. The fruit, though, is from theRattlesnake Hills, and there’s a rich, citrusapproach with Gala apple and butterscotchpudding notes. Draw off a bit from this 3-literbox and serve with Shrimp Louie andThousand Island dressing.

Brown Box Wine2009 RieslingWashington, 2,000 cases, 12.5% alc., $19

Excellent. Of the four cask wines from the mak-ers of Silver Lake wines, we enjoyed this themost. The blending of Chenin Blanc (9%) andGewürztraminer (7%) boosts the aromas ofpineapple, Uncola and Kiwi fruit. It’s a tastydrink of tangerine, cling peaches and sugarcane. A puff of talcum powder and appleslowly build up of acidity and balance theresidual sugar (5%).

Chateau Ste. Michelle2009 Sauvignon BlancColumbia Valley, 99,000 cases, 13.5% alc., $10

Outstanding! Production of this fell by about5%, but Aussie native Wendy Stuckey keptthe price and the quality the same as the2008 vintage. It starts with aromas of tree-ripened Anjou pear, Golden Delicious apple,lemon chiffon pie and fresh herbs. The tastydrink brings lemon yogurt, more pear, honey-dew melon and peach. Acidity, while bal-anced, is not as lip-smacking as some.

Columbia Crest2009 H3 Pinot GrisHorse Heaven Hills, 5,000 cases, 13% alc., $15

Recommended. It’s virtually oak-free, and thisfruit-forward yet dry drink comes with a profileof yellow grapefruit, Asian pear, white peach,the outside cut of a pineapple and lime in thefinish. Enjoy with oysters.

Columbia Crest2009 H3 Sauvignon BlancHorse Heaven Hills, 400 cases, 13.5% alc., $15

Recommended. Lofty acidity is a byproduct of itsAug. 27 harvest, and the austere approach ofgooseberry, unsweetened yellow grapefruitand jicama might pair well with an Englishcucumber sandwich.

Desert Wind Winery2009 Desert Wind Vineyard ChardonnayWahluke Slope, 569 cases, 14.2% alc., $15

Outstanding! It’s a boatload of tropical fruit,thanks to just 5 percent of the package hav-ing lived in a barrel. Cotton candy, pear,banana, fennel and anise show up in thebackground of the aromas, while the palatecarries starfruit, mango and pear juice. Theoak shows up as toasted sesame seed, andhoneydew melon in the finish keeps it refresh-ing. Enjoy with fresh Dungeness crab.

Desert Wind Winery2009 Desert Wind Vineyard OraWahluke Slope, 316 cases, 13.8% alc., $15

Recommended. In Spanish, it means “gold,” andthe blend of Chardonnay (60%), Riesling(20%), Semillon (15%) and Gewürztraminerprovides a nicely viscous, yet dry expressionof pear, orange zest, jicama and chalkboarddust.




Best Buys: White winesOutstanding, Excellent or Recommended wines that retail at $15 and under.

Desert Wind Winery2008 Desert Wind Vineyard SemillonWahluke Slope, 568 cases, 14.5% alc., $15

Outstanding! Barrel fermentation provides aro-mas of fig, apple butter, dried apricot, hotpeach pie and alyssum blossom. There aremore signs of the wood in the weighty palatewith the continuation of rich fig and nuttiness,and the arrival of citrusy acidity and a sprig ofmint lift the entire package. Enjoy with barbe-cued pork.

Dusted Valley Vintners2009 Boomtown Pinot GrisWashington, 1,800 cases, 13.5% alc., $13

Excellent. Corey Braunel and Chad Johnsoncontinue their successful partnership with theMilbrandt brothers in this gathering of fruitfrom Evergreen and the Ancient Lakes vine-yards. It’s full of fruit and acidity with a themeof lime, gooseberry, lychee, jasmine starfruit,lemongrass and honeysuckle. Serve withturkey breast or a chicken salad sandwich.

Firesteed Cellars2008 Pinot GrisOregon, 12,418 cases, 12.4% alc., $12

Excellent. Fruit from the Rogue and Willamettevalleys goes into the Pinot Gris for this projectthat first crushed in 1992. Lemon yogurt,apple box, coconut milk, facial powder and ahint of minerality tickle the nose. There areplenty of citrus notes in the drink with yellowgrapefruit and orange juice concentrate. It’salso easy to pick out flavors of GoldenDelicious apple and unripe apricot.

Firesteed Cellars2008 RieslingOregon, 6,000 cases, 10.4% alc., $12

Excellent. Here marks just the second vintageof Riesling for Howard Rossbach and hiswinemaker, Bryan Croft. And yet it alreadyranks among the largest productions of thisvariety in Oregon. It’s crafted with a mind onAlsace as the focus is on Granny Smithapple, slate, minerality and lots of petrol. Thesugar is balanced at 1.3%, and shows only inthe finish with a lick of Lemonhead candy.

Gård Vintners2009 Lawrence Vineyards Altruism Pinot GrisColumbia Valley, 479 cases, 13.5% alc., $14

Recommended. Avoiding wood allows this toshow off accents of a long-hanging apple,grapefruit, jicama, banana peel and minerality.

Henry Estate2008 Pinot GrisUmpqua Valley, 1,100 cases, 13.5% alc., $15

Excellent. Scott Henry IV, aka Scotty, continuesthe family tradition of value wines with thisrather fascinating take on a grape that manytake for granted. The nose brings in tanger-ine, lemon and talus aromas, along with pota-

to skins and cantaloupe seed. It’s a clean,refreshing and juicy drink with pineapple, pearand more lemony citrus. A touch of slate andbutterscotch add to the mouthwatering finish.

Henry Estate2009 RieslingUmpqua Valley, 255 cases, 9.5% alc., $12

Recommended. Some of the family plantingsdate back to 1972, and Riesling played a bigrole. This off-dry angle brings accents ofapple blossom, pumpkin flesh, cooked pears,orange zest and starfruit, capped by lemonyacidity and baked apple.

Kathken Vineyard2009 Pinot GrisWillamette Valley, 700 cases, 13.8% alc., $15

Excellent. A product of Ken and Kathy Slusser’svineyard in the Eola-Amity Hills, it’s a livelyshowing of stainless steel fermentation withsix months of sur lie aging. That imparts funaromas of fresh-cut pineapple, orangeessence, grapefruit, lime and pine tree notes.There's balance on the palate with star fruit,jicama and a lick of baby aspirin before thefinish of yellow grapefruit pith and some min-erality.

Kyra Wines2009 Evergreen Vineyard Pinot GrisColumbia Valley, 192 cases, 13.5% alc., $13

Excellent. The Baerlochers’ relationship withthe Milbrandt brothers goes back more than adecade because this marks the 10th vintagefrom this vineyard near the Gorge at George.It’s a dry drink of quince, Texas pink grape-fruit, pears and Jonagold apple. Serve withcracked crab.

Lake Chelan Winery2009 Riesling SweetLake Chelan, 289 cases, 13% alc., $15

Excellent. It’s definitely Riesling and surelysweet with tones of Gala apple, white peach,diesel, slate and honeysuckle. The finish of3.4% residual sugar shows up as 7UP toppedwith lemon bitters, and tasting room visitorswill love it.

Mount Baker Vineyards & Winery2009 Barrel Select ChardonnayYakima Valley, 13.7% alc., $13

Excellent. Randy Finley’s ownership of this win-ery in Everson, Wash., continues to pushvalue, even for a wine that requires some bar-rels. David Traynor sent half of this lot fromCrawford, Copeland and Lonesome Springvineyards, through surlie aging. The perfumypackage is akin to lemon plank taffy, lavenderand cane sugar. A perception of sweet pears,pineapple, banana and sugared yellow grape-fruit sections makes this a quaffer with pleas-ing acidity.

Mount Baker Vineyards2009 Pinot GrisWashington, 345 cases, 13.7% alc., $8

Recommended. A rather austere nose of Asianpear, yellow grapefruit, starfruit and dry pop-corn transcends into a drink of more pears,lemon custard and a fleshy Gala apple. Lateacidity and a lick of slate make this a nicesummertime quaffer.

Ste. Chapelle2009 Winemaker’s Series Dry GewürztraminerSnake River Valley, 2,200 cases, 13.5% alc., $9

Outstanding! Chuck Devlin takes particularpride in this bottle, which stands as quite trueto the variety, yet against the grain. There’s abig spray of orange oil in the nose with grape-fruit, gooseberry and lime peel along with min-erality and petrol. As a drink, it’s bone-dry andvery refreshing with lemon bitters, lychee nutand white grapefruit pith. This no doubt will beenjoyed during the winery’s 35th anniversarythis year.

San Juan Vineyards2009 SiegerrebePuget Sound, 588 cases, 13.3% alc., $15

Outstanding! Yvonne Swanberg’s island winerycontinues its tradition of excellence with thisGerman cross of Gewürztraminer andMadeleine Angevine. Vines now in their sec-ond decade yield notes of Uncola, Jonagoldapples, fresh pineapple, a peach shake and adusty yellow rose. It’s pear, peach and pas-sion fruit in a dry style on the palate.Grapefruit bitters, starfruit and a slaty finishshould make this a good foil for briny oysters.

St. Laurent Winery2009 Estate RieslingColumbia Valley, 400 cases, 11.7% alc., $12

Recommended. The Mracheks rely on theirMalaga Estate, which features one of themore remarkable views in Washington winecountry, for this off-dry drink. It offers full fla-vors of honeydew melon, cantaloupe andjuicy pear, backed by a finish of lemony citrusto balance the residual sugar (2.4%).

Waterbrook Winery2009 Pinot GrisColumbia Valley, 1,958 cases, 13.2% alc., $11

Excellent. There were only three other wineriesin Walla Walla when Eric Rindal created thislabel in 1984. This variety, however, is a rela-tive newcomer to the portfolio that JohnFreeman lords over at the 50,0000-square-foot facility. There is a huge greeting of tropi-cal fruit aromas, followed by apple blossomand talcum powder. The palate brings moreappealing tropical fruit, including passion fruit.A bit of sheen adds complexity, as does thefinish of citrus pith.



The picturesque Willamette Valley is a perfect setting fora vintage winery like Elk Cove Vineyards.

Nestled among rolling green hills with an oak treebackdrop, Elk Cove is a popular stop for folks touringOregon wine country not only for its scenery but also for itsfine lineup of exciting wines.

The folks at Elk Cove have been at it since 1974 and havethe system down right from the bottle to the tasting roomglass.

Elk Cove was Wine Press Northwest’s 2007 PacificNorthwest Winery of the Year, and for good reason — itmakes superb wines.

Leading the way, of course, are a bevy from Oregon’s hall-mark variety, Pinot Noir. Not far behind is a standout PinotGris.

Yet what makes Elk Cove a cut above many of itsWillamette Valley neighbors is its diversity of other deliciouswines, including Riesling, Viognier, Pinot Blanc, Syrah and arosé. Elk Cove also makes a delicious dessert wine ofRiesling., Gewürztraminer and Muscat Ottonel called Ultima.And in the past, it has made a sparkling wine.

While the genesis for Elk Cove’s success was with foundersPat and Joe Campbell, their son Adam has brought Elk Coveits greatest acclaim.

Adam has put together a team of support folks, includingvineyard manager Travis Watson, assistant winemakerHeather Mackey and vice president of sales and marketingShirley Brooks.

Watson supervises the 220 acres of planted grapes, includ-ing five different estate vineyards: Windhill, La Boheme,Roosevelt, Mount Richmond and Five Mountain.

Andy Perdue, editor of Wine Press Northwest, wrote this inhis lead article when Elk Cove was named Pacific NorthwestWinery of the Year. “Adam Campbell is all about passion. Forhis family, for his parents ... and especially for Oregon wine.”

Good press statements like that have made Elk Cove oneof the stars of the Oregon wine world.

“Champion of Value” wrote Wine & Spirits Magazine.“Pinot Noir & Pinot Gris are standouts,” wrote Wine

Spectator.“Elk Cove is one of the best known and most respected

Oregon Pinot producers, thanks to their classically craftedwines,” wrote Forbes Magazine.

“Long-lasting Elk Cove is one of Oregon’s elite wineries,”wrote Paul Gregutt of The Seattle Times.

Elk Cove is not far from Forest Grove and Hillsboro, justoutside the tiny Yamhill County community of Gaston.

“The folks came from Hood River and took a chance onacquiring land in the Willamette Valley for vineyards,” Adam

said. “We got lucky with the site, which not only producessome of the best grapes but is considered by visitors as oneof the prettiest wine scenes in Oregon.”

Elk Cove makes seven Pinot Noirs, including a $100reserve.

2008 Reserve Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, $100: Rated“Outstanding!” by Wine Press Northwest. Managing EditorEric Degerman had to say: “Not often in life do you getwhat you pay for, but Adam Campbell rewards the invest-ment in one of the Northwest’s most expensive PinotNoirs. It’s also extremely expressive with whiffs of boysen-berry, plums, lime, chocolate and cedar. Very little oakshows on the palate, allowing for velvety flavors of blackcherry, strawberry, boysenberry, marionberry and orangepekoe tea.”

2008 Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, $28: As good as the $100 bot-tle is, the $28 is even a bigger star at the winery. Silky smoothwith aromas of cherries followed by those wonderful Oregonberries. Add some cedar spice at the beginning and you havea classic Willamette Valley Pinot Noir.

2008 Roosevelt Vineyard Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, $48: Fullbodied with big cherry overtones offering both vanilla andblackberry characteristics.

2009 Mount Richmond Vineyard Pinot Noir, $48: Fresh, fruity andsexy with pie cherry and boysenberry notes. A big wine yeteasy on the palate.

2009 Pinot Noir Rosé, Willamette Valley, $15: Pretty in pink, aro-mas of ripe watermelons and strawberries. Crisp, light flavorswith more ripe strawberries and watermelon.

2009 Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley, $19: Starts with grapefruitaromas and yields to pear and peach flavors. Crispness makesthis a great match for shellfish taken fresh from the Oregoncoastal waters.

2008 Pinot Blanc, Willamette Valley, $19: Oregon — and ElkCove in particular — have taken this variety that can beunderstated and made it zing with vitality. Steel and mineralsyield to jasmine, apple and citrus. A complex and food-friend-ly wine.

2008 Estate Riesling, Willamette Valley, $19: Oregon Riesling is abit gentler than Washington Riesling, I think. Crisp apples arethe hallmark here and sweet lime replaces the peach andapricot of Oregon’s neighbors to the north.

2008 Ultima, Willamette Valley, $36: A delightfully sweet dessertwine at 19.2 percent residual sugar showing its aromatic andtasty heritage of 66% Riesling, 17% Gewürztraminer and 16%Muscat Ottonel. Delicious apricots, honey and flower compo-nents.

BOB WOEHLER is Wine Press Northwest’s tasting editor. Hehas been writing about Northwest wine since 1976.

Elk Cove more than great Pinot

BY BOB WOEHLER

COLUMN vintage musings

90 Vintage Musings 3/1/11 2:45 PM Page 90

91 Marcus Whitman 2/27/11 5:28 PM Page 91

92 TCVCB 2/27/11 5:26 PM Page 92

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Wine Press Northwest Spring 2011