Columbia Winery Red Blend 2014
50-year old Columbia Winery is sporting new packaging, I’m always glad to be in the know of such things. The more important question, however—does the packaging match the contents? A supple blend of 40% Merlot, 39% Syrah, 8% Cabernet, 7% Cab Franc, and 6% Malbec the NV Red Blend sports a classic Columbia Valley profile […]
King Estate NxNW (North by Northwest) Walla Walla Valley Syrah 2013
From King Estate’s North by Northwest project in Walla Walla is this 2013 Syrah. Ripe and heavy with black cherries, plums, cedar and incense. Juicy black fruit leads the charge on the palate, cradled in moderate toast and lovely earthy-leathery undertones. There’s a nice streak of acidity to add lift to a wine that has […]
Coyote Canyon Vineyard H/H Estates Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Big John 2010
Coyote Canyon’s H/H Estate ‘Big John Cab’ Reserve 2010 is garnet-hued at this stage in its life, sporting notes of black cherry, crème de cassis, subtle spice, and dried mint. Satiny smooth on entry with polished tannins and moderate concentration. Black and red fruit nestled at the center, along with a touch of vanilla. Drink […]
Terra Blanca Red Mountain Washington State Cabernet Sauvignon 2012
So glad to have finally visited Terra Blanca, aside from visit-worthy grounds, the wines themselves live up to the praise they’ve garnered. The 2012 Red Mountain Cabernet explodes with black cherries, cassis, sandalwood, Chinese five spice, incense and lavender. A structural backbone encased in firm tannins is at the forefront of the attack, but after […]
Rôtie Cellars Northern Blend 2013
Always solid, the Rôtie’s Northern Blend is composed of 95% Syrah and 5% Viognier, adding subtle sweetness to a nose is fairly brimming over with ripe Rainier cherries, Italian plums, and baking spices. The fruit is sourced from the winery’s own Rocks Estate Vineyard, a site that tends to contribute earthy undertones and, even a […]
Mercer Estates Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet Sauvignon 2013
The Mercer family has a long history farming the arid rolling hills that form the Horse Heaven AVA in eastern Washington. They planted their first vineyard in 1972—older vineyards are far more rare in Washington as compared with California or even Oregon. The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon is big and voluptuous, with layered black fruit notes […]
Long Shadows Poet’s Leap Ice Wine 2008
Amber-colored in the glass, the 2008 Poet’s Leap Ice Wine is a heady melange of apricot preserves, forest honey, and caramel richly perfumed with spice; cinnamon, allspice, powdered ginger and mace. Incredibly concentrated, with palate drenching viscocity, it’s reminiscent of a full-bodied Sauternes with the merest hint of Bachelet Maury. The finish is lengthy, punctuated […]
NxNW Riesling The Benches Vineyard 2012
89 Points for this half-bottle offering from NxNW because it’s a good value. Made in an ice wine style, this late harvest Riesling was sur lie aged in stainless steel for three months prior to bottling, and it’s a wine of pure varietal expression. Tons of dried apricot throughout, with a dollop of bananas foster […]
Fausse Piste River Rock Vineyard Syrah 2011
I totally respect that Fausse Priste is made by a chef, I find his [Jesse Skiles] wines to be slightly rustic and rough around the edges like that of its maker. This is not a wine that will please everyone, so much the better, it’s a great example of creative small-lot production, with native yeast […]
Betz Family Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Père de Famille 2012
The final wine in a trio of Betz wines tasted with assistant winemaker Louis Skinner, the Pére De Famille Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 is seamless and well-crafted. The nose is a gathering storm of blackcurrant, blueberries, milk chocolate, and violets. Structured and spectacularly dense in the mouth with saturating, tooth-staining layers of black and […]