Washington State Special Report

a TIM ATKIN MW SPECIAL REPORT

by Christy Canterbury MW

Contents

Pg 04 Introduction 05 Winemakers of Washington State 07 The 10 things you need to know 11 Star producers 12 About the tastings 13 Tasting notes 46 Complete scores A-Z 53 Recommended restaurants 53 Further reading

Thank you for buying a copy of this report. Please don’t email it to or print it for others. Instead encourage them to pay for their own copy, so that I can continue to write articles and reports for you to enjoy next year.

“ You can sense it takes nerve – and intuition – to come here and plant grapevines. ”

Page 02

CHRISTY CANTERBURY WASHINGTON STATE Special Report

Introduction

Trekking from Seattle to Walla Walla in Washington’s southeastern wine territory – from lush, evergreen-covered mountains chilled by Pacific breezes to brown, scrub tree-dappled expanses withering in three-digit (Fahrenheit) heat – feels like traveling between Earth and Mars. The contrasts are striking. You can sense it takes nerve – and intuition – to come here and plant grapevines.

Indeed, there is a thriving, tangible pioneer to a vinous spice rack. As Washington continues spirit here with new talent moving in, new to develop, so do its players’ experiments. Rick varieties being planted and new, vinous heights Small at Woodward Canyon has just begun being achieved. Yet, wine production is hardly bottling his Mourvèdre-dominant cuvée, Erratic, new to Washington. Vineyards were established and Betz declares he would bet on Petit Verdot in Walla Walla, the state’s first settlement, by the were he a younger man. While certain varieties 1860s. However, like all other wine producing and vineyards have stood the test of time (things communities across the US, Prohibition being relative in this young region), the potential effectively destroyed this heritage. Washington’s of Washington State is far from tapped out. revival didn’t begin until the 1970s. Furthermore, However, Washington surely is most its success has not come overnight. famously known for its largest winery, Chateau “In the 1970s, the Seattle area was a vinous Ste. Michelle (no circumflex over the first backwater making mostly berry fruit and non- “a”), which is the largest producer of a single vinifera grape wine,” remarked Bob Betz MW. brand of Riesling in the world. Contrary to the Yet, no line drawn in Washington’s near desert conventional idea that chilly and damp Old World sands could remain for long. Local farmers on climates are uniquely suited to cranking out the the eastern side of the Cascade Mountains soon world’s most respectable Riesling, Washington began diversifying into vinifera grapes. Much – with its warm, arid climate – proves time and of this contract fruit was delivered to the big again that it, too, makes excellent bottlings. brands Ste. Michelle and Associated Vintners, Moreover, their Riesling cuvées are also the forerunner to Columbia Winery. At the same impressively reasonably priced. time, hobbyists like Dr. William McAndrew began However, in a somewhat recently developed planting experiments like Celilo in the Columbia winemaking region where production outside Gorge, which has become one of the state’s most large producers’ cellars is often new, small and acclaimed vineyards. family-owned, prices tend to be higher. Value Today, Washington offers the wine lover a is relative though, and it lies in the eye of the lavish diversity of grape varieties and wine styles. beholder. Washington provides value from $10 to Bordeaux and Rhône varieties – both white $25 as well as $50 to $125. It takes some careful and red – are cornerstones. Certain producers sorting to find the wine styles one prefers, but the focus exclusively on either Bordeaux or Rhône rewards are bountiful. varieties, but others produce long line-ups akin

Page 04 CHRISTY CANTERBURY WASHINGTON STATE Special Report

Winemakers of Washington State

Clockwise from top left: Daniel Ferrelli, Chris Upchurch, Christophe Baron, Ben Smith, Ron Coleman, Brandon Moss.

Page 05 CHRISTY CANTERBURY WASHINGTON STATE Special Report

Clockwise from top left: Bob Betz MW, Scott Greer, Charles Smith, Rick Small, Jon Martinez, Chris Figgins (centre).

Page 06 CHRISTY CANTERBURY WASHINGTON STATE Special Report

Ten things you need to know

A separation of church and state. standing alongside Chateau Ste. Michelle, If it’s true the glory of wine is delivered Hogue, Charles Smith’s ventures and a handful from the sacred soils of heralded of others. vineyards, Washington’s grapegrowers represent The locals so love their Washington wines the Church. Meanwhile, the winemakers who that many are compelled to jump ship at the engage in the technical business of producing, right time in their careers elsewhere. Scott packaging and selling wine personify the State. Greer of Sheridan Vineyard, who left finance for The structure of grapegrowing and farming, noted how people tend to do so saying, winemaking in Washington evolved quite “There’s lots of Boeing people in winemaking. differently than in other parts of the US – and Microsoft types tend to be investors in other in most of the New World for that matter. Many people’s places.” grapegrowers, from the off-the-radar types to Changing gears sometimes requires the most-revered, do not make wine. They only changing addresses. Only one percent of the grow fruit, and that fruit is dispersed far and state’s vines are rooted in Seattle’s Puget Sound wide to cellars all over the state. The cultural area. The remainder lies two to three hours by divide between grapegrowing and winemaking car to the southeast. Some build wineries in the uniquely characterizes Washington State wine. Seattle suburbs, a veritable haven for city slickers Change remains (and surely should be) attached to The Emerald City. Others move to inevitable, and more and more winemakers live by the vines. grow grapes. Most of the grower-winemakers still buy fruit, too, but a few handfuls exclusively Vineyards in the near dessert. use estate fruit. Washington’s vines inhabit a near From wherever the fruit is sourced, the desert environment. The vast swathes vineyards are quite young. Rick Small of of green hillsides separated by dry, brown Woodward Canyon states that vineyards expanses with scraggly trees are striking. The attaining the 15- to 20-year marker are “old” by growing season is remarkably dry, and only Washington standards. More new vineyards are a few high-elevation vineyards in the Blue on the way, too, as over 670 acres (271 hectares) Mountains squeak by without irrigation. Sunny on Red Mountain (almost 520 acres/210 hectares days and chilly nights characterize the growing of which are in the AVA) were put up for auction season, as does a magnanimous quantity of in late November 2013. Despite the track record sunshine. Using Napa Valley’s 38th parallel as Washington has established, it is still a state on the point by which to judge where grapes should the move. be grown in the US is deceiving. A number of the world’s most celebrated vineyards sit The new guard. Today, delving into on the 45th parallel in Europe. Washington’s winemaking in Washington is pretty eastern vineyards lie between the 46th and easy with a bit of coin in the pocket. 47th parallels. These higher latitudes mean Plenty of grapes are available for purchase, and more sunshine hours to complement the cooler the number of winery permits granted seems to nighttime temperatures. Eastern Washinton grow exponentially. Small estimates only 40% of receives about one additional sunshine hour Washington’s 780 wineries own vineyards. Most each day during the growing season than does of the state’s wineries look like micro-producers, California’s Napa and Sonoma Valleys.

Page 07 CHRISTY CANTERBURY WASHINGTON STATE Special Report

Washington’s sandy soils and extreme as the vines lie between 700 and 800 feet, he dryness help Washington remain blissfully qualifies them as being in a serious “risk zone”. phylloxera free. Only a few cautious – or Indeed, Pepper Bridge suffered terribly in the possibly just curious – farmers like Leonetti’s 1996, 2004 and 2008 arctic blasts. In fact, the Chris Figgins recently have planted some vines 2004 freeze knocked out most of Walla Walla’s on rootstock. crop that year and is believed to have affected as Granted, latitude and sandy soil aren’t many as three-quarters of the vines. everything. Grapegrowing in these harsh In order to protect them during the winter, conditions is not for the faint of heart. some growers undertake the tedious task of burying their vines. Small, however, prefers Water and water rights. Eastern to hope for the best after seeing vines crack Washington’s near desert conditions from the stress of this process. Those cracks are a result of the Cascade Mountains, a coastal invite disease, whatever little there may be in range that absorbs rain inbound from the Pacific Washington State. Tough calls are nothing new Ocean. Only eight inches (20.32 cm) fall on an in this rugged vine-growing environment. average, annual basis. With the exception of some high elevation All-encompassing Columbia vineyards in the southeastern Blue Mountains, Valley. The enormous Columbia growers simply MUST irrigate. DeLille’s Chris Valley encompasses all of Washington’s eastern Upchurch and his Assistant Winemaker Jason vineyards, 99% of the state’s plantings, and Gorski agree that to understand how critical this covers one-third of Washington State. Though is, “You need to stand in the vineyard and feel large in surface area, its acreage committed what it is like to be baked like the vine.” to vine is not. The entirety of Washington has To irrigate, however, you must have access 43,000 acres (17,400 ha) under vine; Napa Valley to water. It is not unusual to own the rights to a (just Napa, not all of California) has 45,000 vineyard’s surface area without owning rights acres (18,210 ha). to the water below it. Ben Smith, the owner of The valley is named after the Columbia Cadence, bought the land to plant his Cara Mia River, which begins up north in British Columbia Vineyard in 1997. However, he wasn’t able to then winds through Washington until hitting purchase the water rights until 2003. His first the Oregon border, where it banks sharply right vintage was not until 2006, almost a decade after and heads to the Pacific. Yet, the river did not the property purchase. create the magnitude of this gorge. Rather, it As the growing season closes, the lack of was the Missoula floods, a series of overflows of rainfall is a godsend. There are no rain-related a natural, 2,000-foot (610-meter) high dam at rushes to bring in the crops. Bring on the hang Lake Missoula in western Montana at the end of time…unless another form of water – frost – the last Ice Age. threatens to wreak havoc. Believed to be the largest water surge in geological history, these floods make the Frost and arctic blasts. Rather Columbia Valley a fortuitous location for grape than phylloxera and disease, two major growing. They deposited glacial sediment and vine-growing dangers in Washington are frost gravel over basalt. Sand, silt and volcanic dust and extreme cold. Washington braces for both have settled on top since. late spring and early fall frost. Figgins recalls the Wherever in the expanse of the Columbia nerve-racking 10 October 2009 frost, when 30- Valley grapes are grown, little is vinified next 40% of his crop was still in the field. door to the vineyards. Most travel to the greater Where the vines sit is important. Small Seattle area in refrigerated trucks. The situation realized early on his vineyards were planted is similar in the outpost of Walla Walla, which too low. Now, his start at 700 feet (215 meters). borders Oregon. There, Upchurch estimates that Brandon Moss, assistant winemaker at Gramercy 75-80% of its production doesn’t come from its Cellars, prefers vineyards above 1,000 feet (305 local vineyards. (Upchurch also believes Walla meters). Moss loves Pepper Bridge fruit, but Walla should be sub-divided into at least three

Page 08 CHRISTY CANTERBURY WASHINGTON STATE Special Report appellations. See the following “Thing to Know”.) (2004), Horse Heaven Hills (2005), Wahluke Some vineyard tracts are so far south they Slope (2006), Rattlesnake Hills (2006), Snipes share American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) with Mountain (2009), Lake Chelan (2009), Naches Oregon: Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley Heights (2011) and Ancient Lakes of Columbia and Columbia Gorge. In the Columbia Gorge Valley (2012). AVA, 36% of the acreage is in Washington, Today, given the broad diversity of cultivars, but 53% of the AVA’s planted vineyards are the high frequency of blending fruit from there. Conversely, 69% of Walla Walla acreage different AVAs, the profusion of winemaking is located in Washington, but the inverse philosophies (and their continual “refinement”) percentage is true of its plantings. Nonetheless, and the potpourri of marketing agendas, I find grapes grown in Oregon and vinified by it more important to favor the winemaker or Washington winemakers are labeled as brand over the appellation with regard to final Washington wines. I would think Oregon would wine style. Vineyard designations are often feel more proprietary about the wines made from more helpful than appellations. grapes grown in its state, but that’s not the case – at least not yet. Prized vineyards. Many winemakers – veterans and newbies alike – Distinguishing Washington AVAs. dream of gravity feeding the grapes of certain While Washington relies heavily on vineyards into their pneumatic presses. Local the Columbia Valley AVA, new AVAs pop up word is Patricia Gelles’ Klipsun Vineyard on Red more and more frequently these days. Currently, Mountain commands the state’s highest prices. thirteen are on the books, not that they are Lauri Corliss, the largest private landowner on particularly helpful in my view. Red Mountain with her husband Michael, says In the US, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Red Mountain fruit is generally considered the Trade Bureau (TTB) assigns AVAs. Depending most expensive in the state. Betz adds Ciel du on the land mass and varieties permitted in a Cheval – also on Red Mountain – to the top of specific AVA, some have more meaning than the list. others. Consider that, as noted by Paul Gregutt Other vineyard names that raise goose in his Second Edition of Washington Wines bumps are Boushey, Celilo and Champoux. & Wineries (which I highly recommend), the Personally, Cayuse quickens my ticker and TTB states “the regulations pertaining to the makes my mouth water. Other prominent establishment of viticultural areas do not vineyard names include Canoe Ridge, Cold require the existence of a substantial viticultural Creek, DuBrul, Pepper Bridge, Red Willow, history, a production of unique wines, or a Sagemoor and Seven Hills. In Washington, demand for wines originating in the proposed winemakers generally favor vineyard over viticultural area.” appellation when buying fruit. Granted, high Furthermore and rather confusingly, Brix levels at harvest can crush vineyard Washington wines are not necessarily labeled expression, as can too much extraction and too as narrowly as possible. A wine entirely from much new oak. However, one unique thing that Snipes Mountain, located within the Yakima does not affect Washington terroir expression Valley, may be labeled simply Columbia Valley. is rootstock as so many vines remain It is the Wild West out there, and labels are own-rooted. dictated by marketing aims…or perhaps laziness. It is easier to reprint the same label Oak, extraction and alcohol. year after year without having to change or Oak and extraction have their places redesign it. in wine, especially in New World wines where Nonetheless, in chronological order of local palates tend to prefer more of both. their recognition by the TTB, the AVAs are: However, if oak and extraction are not balanced Yakima Valley (1983), Walla Walla Valley (along with alcohol and the rest of the wine’s (1984), Columbia Valley (1984), Puget Sound stucture), the wines cannot be world-class. They (1995), Red Mountain (2001), Columbia Gorge may be appreciated, even heralded by some, but

Page 09 CHRISTY CANTERBURY WASHINGTON STATE Special Report they will never be classics. where frost or drought impairs the quality A smart argument can – and should – be of a particular variety, it is useful to blend to made that less complex wines are nicer earlier compose the best bottling possible that year. on and more complex wines can be harder to Whatever the reason, Washington shies away understand in their youth. However, fancy- from single variety reds. It is not uncommon for priced wines junked up under the guise of even varietally-labeled reds to contain up to 25% greater complexity that are unbalanced are of other varieties (perfectly legal under US law.) typically taxing to drink (if sometimes pleasant White wines, however, tend to be varietal. to professionally taste), not worth their price For all the delicious whites Washington makes, and not as age-worthy as their balanced it is Riesling – incredibly well-priced Riesling counterparts. Consider how stage make-up – that is the state’s marquee white looks in bright, outdoor light. variety. Sensitivity to alcohol has been rising in many markets, especially in Europe and in a The value proposition: Washington vs few major US wining-and-dining cities. Similar Napa. Moss said, “We want to be competitive to my previous mention of not amending labels with Napa, and where we excel is value for to reflect new AVAs, many Washington growers money.” Indeed, Washington Wine Commission prefer to keep things simple when it comes to studies show that almost 90% of Washington abv (alcohol by volume). I was surprised how wine sells for $12 or less in retail outlets, often I was told, when reaching for a bottle in accounting for just over 90% of the state’s search of the alcohol, “Oh, all my labels say volume. An astonishing percentage of this is x.x%.” Chances are very good that the real attributable to Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, reading is another 0.10-0.40% higher or lower which buys about two-thirds of Washington’s on most bottlings. (This happens elsewhere, production of vinifera grapes. too, even in the Old World.) However, for those Only a handful of under-$12 wines were without qualms about higher alcohol wines, I reviewed for this report as it is focused toward don’t think these variations merit much concern. a higher-end consumer. Furthermore, as I It is interesting to examine the wines I mentioned previously, value is relative. reviewed: At $22, I find the Soos Creek 2010 Palisade • Sixty-eight percent were 14.0% abv or higher. an “excellent” value for its drinkability not to • In the under 14.0% abv category, 63% were mention its name recognition. When compared white. to its sibling, the Ciel du Cheval, at $35, which • Of the 37% of them under 14.0% abv that were I don’t believe will age as well nor do I want red, 56% of them were from the 2011 vintage, to drink it today, I’ll raise the Palisade to a the coolest on record. “screaming” buy. Perspective is important. Well-crafted still Saving up for future special occasions, wines can be balanced at 15.0%. Only one of depending on your budget, Woodward Canyon’s my top 20 registers under 14.0%. (Yes, a 2011 if 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Artist Series #19 at you are wondering.) And, since when was 14% $40 and Cadence’s 2010 Bel Canto at $55 are - or even 14.5% - too high in Pomerol, Barolo, easy picks for the cellar, especially compared to Brunello or Châteauneuf-du-Pape? others asking 50% more. Balance is everything. For the icing on the cake, I’ll bring the comparison back to Napa Valley. Quilceda Blends rule, at least for reds. Blending is Creek is Washington’s most expensive Cabernet an essential tool in a Washington winemaker’s Sauvignon. Both its 2006 and 2010 vintages belt. Blending can either enhance natural fruit average $225 on wine-searcher.com. Napa complexity or make cosmetic touch-ups in these Valley’s Harlan priced its 2009 Estate Red (its challenging near desert conditions. For example, flagship) at $750, 333% more. a varietally-labeled Cabernet Sauvignon’s tight structure usually benefits from a dollop of Merlot to flesh out the mid-palate. Or, in a vintage

Page 10 CHRISTY CANTERBURY WASHINGTON STATE Special Report Star producers

This list of 82 of Washington wine producers comprises only producers whose wines I tasted during the summer of 2013. I allotted stars not only based on these tastings but also on previous experience.

Five Star Producers Col Solare Pepper Bridge Winery Corliss Ramseyer Vineyards Cayuse Côte Bonneville Rasa Vineyards DeLille Cellars Doubleback Reininger Winery Grand Ciel Efeste Seven Hills Winery Leonetti Fausse Piste Sparkman Cellars Januik Stevens Winery Four Star Producers K Vintners Tranche Cellars L’Ecole No. 41 Wines of Substance

Andrew Will Maison Bleue Avennia Milbrandt Vineyards One Star Producers Betz Family Vineyards Owen Roe Cadence Quilceda Creek Airfield Estates Doyenne Rôtie Cellars Anew Figgins Family Sheridan Vineyard Arbor Crest Force Majeure Sleight of Hand Cadaretta Gramercy Cellars Syncline Wine Cellars Canoe Ridge Vineyard Horsepower Vineyards Tamarack Cellars Columbia Crest Long Shadows Waters Winery Dusted Valley No Girls Eight Bells Soos Creek Two Star Producers Guardian Cellars Woodward Canyon Helix by Reininger Adams Bench Hogue Cellars Three Star Producers Amavi Cellars Lone Birch Wines Charles Smith Wines Mercer Estates

21 Grams Den Hoed Novelty Hill Abeja Gård Vintners O Wines Alexandria Nicole J. Bookwalter Winery Pacific Rim Andrew Rich JM Cellars Powers Boudreaux Cellars McCrea Cellars Thorny Rose Buty Northstar van Löben Sels Cellars Chateau Ste. Michelle Otis Kenyon

In true, entrepreneurial form, many Washington wineries sell direct-to-consumer, whether in person or via mailing lists. Some sell almost exclusively from the cellar door. Mailing list subscribers usually get first dibs. If you want to try or to follow some of these producers, signing-up (or at least signing-up for the waiting list) is recommended.

Page 11 CHRISTY CANTERBURY WASHINGTON STATE Special Report About the tastings

Most wines were tasted in Washington categories, each compose 4% of the total. The State, usually with the winemaker, vineyard fact that 56% of the wines fall between 90-94 manager or owner, or in the Washington Wine is an enormous endorsement of Washington’s Commission offices in Seattle, over a six-day focus on quality. period in July 2013. Others were reviewed at One enormous benefit stemming from trade tastings in New York City and Dallas in the Master of Wine education programming August and September. All wines reviewed here was learning to leave my opinion aside while are bottled wines. Most are current releases assessing quality. I don’t have to like a wine or wines to be released within the next six to see how well it is constructed. months, but a few older vintages are included to My tasting notes carefully reflect my provide commentary on their development and considerations on alcohol, oak and extract future potential. These notes may be helpful in vis-à-vis wine drinkability and ageability. A determining how long you feel you would prefer significant proportion of Washington wines to age your wines. favor extravagance rather than judiciousness. Most of the wines I reviewed were opened That’s fine – to each his or her own. However, no more than an hour or two before I tasted considering wine’s place at the table as well as them. Many, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon the big-ticket prices of some of these wines, in particular, would benefit from a vigorous I find it critical to note a wine’s balance when decanting two to six hours in advance for it teeters on the edge. My notes distinguish drinking enjoyment. between wines that need time to come around As with all other American AVAs, and those I simply do not enjoy but that Washington follows no uniform release periods demonstrate balance. typical of Old World regions like the Mosel, Great wines are not made exclusively in Burgundy and Barolo. Certain producers are the vineyard. (I sometimes wish winemakers able to release late to let their wines hit the would stop – to some extent – doing themselves shelves after settling down and benefitting a disservice by over-emphasizing this.) Over- from additional time in bottle. Corliss is a fine ripeness, over-extraction and over-oaking too example, releasing only five years after vintage. frequently result in wines that are sometimes – This is another reason this report includes such but not always – nice to taste but unpleasurable an array of vintages. to drink. Balance from Day 1 should not be The results impress. Of the 324 wines I sacrificed, especially as consumers today reviewed for this report, I rated 60% 90 or tend to drink their wines almost immediately above. The extremes, the 95+ and the below-85 upon purchase.

Producer Vintage Name of Wine score Alcohol level, website, AWSP Tasting note and other pertinent information Drink from/to dates

* “AWSP” indicates the average Wine-Searcher.com retail price in the USA.

Red White Rosé

Page 12 CHRISTY CANTERBURY WASHINGTON STATE Special Report Tasting notes Recommended wines

Leonetti Cellar 2010 Reserve Walla Walla Valley 97 14.4%; www.leonetticellar.com, AWSP $199 “To be timeless, you have to be fruit- and vineyard-driven,” states second generation grapegrower and winemaker Chris Figgins. And, this wine proves Figgins is just that. Its turbo-charged nose and muscular body both indicate a long haul wine. Red currant jelly, licorice, pencil lead and charcoal abound, and its structure is seamless. A stunning wine to taste, it is much too early to drink now. Give it time to flesh out. (52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 9% each Cabernet Franc and Malbec) Drink: 2015-30

Cayuse Vineyards 2010 Syrah Cailloux Vineyard 96 14.8%; www.cayusevineyards.com, AWSP $118 Initially slightly funky from reduction, this wine from Christophe Baron’s first Walla Walla vineyard planted in 1997 takes its time to unfold. As it does, munificent dollops of primary black fruits and gamey meat at first hide and then make way for the underlying millefeuille of flavors. Its harmony, persistence and chiseled structure promise it’s a keeper. Sit tight for a few years. Drink: 2015-25

Cayuse Vineyards 2010 Syrah En Chamberlin Vineyard 96 14.7%; www.cayusevineyards.com, AWSP $160 Strapping tannins, framing acidity and sexy sinew form the core of this dense and full- bodied wine. As do many of the wines from The Rocks region of Walla Walla (which is actually in Oregon), this savory Syrah from Baron’s 2000 planting emphasizes layers of spice, incense, slate and tar rather than primary fruit. It is impressive such confident virtuosity of Pacific Northwest terroir comes from the hands of a Frenchman from a Champagne- producing family, especially as Baron approaches his vines and wines from the standpoint of a shepherd rather than a master. Drink: 2015-30

Grand Ciel 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Red Mountain 96 15.0%; www.delillecellars.com, AWSP $170 All Grand Ciel, Red Mountain AVA fruit from DeLille vines, this strikingly compact, exotically spiced wine presents a monumental wall of flavor. Boysenberry, blueberry, musk and graphite whirl into a compelling nose that, while pleasing now, will greatly reward patience. This is one of the greatest West Coast USA, pure Cabernet Sauvignons. Unfortunately, it is sold out at the winery. Watch this space for upcoming releases. Drink: 2014-29

Page 13

K Vintners 2006 Syrah Phil Lane Walla Walla Valley 96 14.5%; www.kvintners.com, AWSP $109 at Walla Walla tasting room Charles Smith admits he initially felt this cooler vintage wasn’t spectacular. However, this wine taught him to stop making judgments too early. Indeed, this beauty produced from his 2-acre estate vineyard planted in 2001 is putting on an engaging show of grilled meat, bacon drippings, crushed blackberries, licorice and incense. There’s a European flair in this bottling that, like foreign accents, creates instant allure. Drink: 2014-21

Leonetti Cellar 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla Valley 96 14.3%; www.leonetticellar.com, AWSP $99 Nearly impenetrable in color, this Cabernet Sauvignon (spiced up with 12% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot and 4% Carmenère) is heart-stoppingly seducing. Dark chocolate, boysenberry, savory spice and cigar humidor are but a few of the layers that peel off with air. To my taste, however, it is not yet ready to drink. Its pent-up energy and marked oak flavors need integration. I would like to revisit this in four or five years. Drink: 2017-25

Long Shadows 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Feather Columbia Valley 96 14.2%; www.longshadows.com, AWSP $55 Randy Dunn’s seventh Washington vintage is stellar. This pure Cabernet Sauvignon is fermented in small lots and aged 22 months in Vicard barrels, which is what Dunn’s uses for his Napa fruit. Textbook Cabernet with black and red currant top notes, peak-of-summer black plums, velvet tannins and precise acidity, this is accessible now but has a long life ahead thanks to its judicious alcohol and good acidic tension. Drink: 2014-29

Cadence 2010 Bel Canto Cara Mia Vineyard Red Mountain 95 14.4%; www.cadencewinery.com, AWSP $55 This 77% Cabernet Franc, 15% Merlot and 8% Petit Verdot blend was my favorite of the tasting. Its fragrance is flattering, its tannins are seamless and its drinkablility is becoming. It’s a rather pale wine, but color means zero when it comes to quality and quaffability. Overall, 2010 is one of Ben Smith’s favorite vintages so far, along with 2005 and 1999. Drink: 2014-25

Cayuse Vineyards 2010 Syrah Bionic Frog 95 14.8%; www.cayusevineyards.com, AWSP $260 Muscular and full-bodied with a laundry list of varietal flavor descriptors, this is a classy, polished bottling whose big price tag, compared to many other expensive, over-oaked, under- achieving wines trying to prove (or score) a point, is actually rather reasonable. Polished and poised, this wine has a brilliant future ahead. Drink: 2016-25

DeLille Cellars 2010 Chaleur Estate Red Mountain 95 14.9%; www.delillecellars.com, AWSP $Sold out Blackberry, loganberry, and blueberry aromatically focus this youthful yet age-worthy bottling. Its long finish cedes boisterous fruit to asphalt and flint. This complex blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot is sourced from the Klipsun and Ciel du Cheval vineyards. Drink: 2014-25

Page 14

DeLille Cellars 2010 Harrison Hill 95 14.4%; www.delillecellars.com, AWSP $68 This wine comes from 50-year-old vines in Washington’s second oldest Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard, owned by the Newhouse family. Boldly fragranced with savory notes complementing sweet oak spice, it is dominated by classic Cabernet Sauvignon flavors despite the fact Merlot (25%), Cabernet Franc (9%) and Petit Verdot (1%) compose over one- third of the wine. Dried Provençal herbs, cigar wrapper, rusty iron and black plums provide the aromatic highlights. Drink: 2014-30

Force Majeure 2010 Ciel du Cheval Vineyard Collaboration 95 Series I Red Mountain 14.8%; www.forcemajeurevineyards.com, AWSP $58 at winery Cadence’s Ben Smith made two hundred cases of this heavyweight blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon and 12% each of Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Merlot. Polished and subtle with strong mineral undertones countering the bounteous blackcurrant fruit, this Left Bank Bordeaux-style wine exudes harmony. Drink: 2014-25

Horsepower Vineyards 2011 Grenache Sur Echalas 95 Walla Walla Valley 13.5%; www.horsepowervineyards.com, AWSP $120 upon May 2014 release This is the first vintage from Christophe Baron’s new Horsepower Vineyards. Sur Echalas is the highest density planting of vines in Walla Walla. It is liquid heaven. Marasca cherries, garrigue and charcoal are the first layers to peel back from the initial sniff. Highly defined by its structure and bewitching in its complexity, this is a wine with purpose and terroir. I can only imagine the next levels of vinous rapture Baron may achieve as these vines age. Drink: 2015-26

Andrew Will 2009 Champoux Vineyard Horse Heaven Hills 94 14.5%; www.andrewwill.com, AWSP $61 Moody and insular, this wine gives up little more right now than charred game and blackcurrant. The dusty tannins provide the primary structural support as the acidity is somewhat light. A hint of lilac peeks through on the medium-plus finish of this 43% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc and 7% Petit Verdot cuvée. Drink: 2014-19

Andrew Will 2009 Sorella Horse Heaven Hills 94 14.5%; www.andrewwill.com, AWSP $70 Sourced from old vines within Champoux, this is Chris Camarda’s masterpiece. This vintage is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. Black and opaque, its appearance alone insinuates its substantial power. Unlike the other 2009s right now, this is more aromatically forthcoming with buckets of black fruit, underbrush and fresh thyme. Brightly acidic and grippily tannic, there’s good structure to allow substantial beneficial development in due time. Drink: 2014-21

Page 15

Avennia 2011 Justine Yakima Valley 94 14.9%; www.avennia.com, AWSP $35 An exploration of eastern Washington’s spice rack of vineyards, this wine is seasoned with 46% Grenache (Alder Ridge), 30% Mourvedre (Kiona Heart of the Hill) and 24% Syrah (Angela’s Vineyard). The nose is aromatically dense (thanks in part to 15% whole cluster use) with barbecue spice, red plum, red currant, blueberry and rose. Tongue-tying glycerol coats the full-bodied palate, which is encassed by middling acidity. The moderate finish shows some warmth, but it’s not unpleasant. Drink: 2014-21

Avennia 2010 Sestina Colulmbia Valley 94 14.5%; www.avennia.com, AWSP $52 This blend of 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot and 9% Cabernet Franc is my favorite Avennia wine thus far. Its high level of concentration and modest extract are backed by freshness, and its black fruit is underlined with minerality. Its layers of youthful juiciness display something new with every sip starting with cassis, evergreen and underbrush. Like the minutely-grained, seamless wall of tannins, the bouyant acidity balances and blends in. Drink: 2014-25

Betz Family Vineyards 2011 Syrah La Côte Patriarche 94 Yakima Valley 14.3%; www.betzfamilywinery.com, AWSP $55 This bottling shows pedigree thanks to its old vine source, a vineyard planted in 1986 by Mike Sauer and the late David Lake MW. Equipped with powerful flavor and structure, its youthfulness is in-your-face. This is a positive as this wine has compelling nuance, is not yet ready to drink and has the finesse to age well. Drink: 2015-23

Betz Family Vineyards 2006 Syrah La Côte Rousse Red Mountain 94 14.5%; www.betzfamilywinery.com, AWSP $63 This mineral, flinty Syrah from Ciel du Cheval and Scott Williams Vineyards on Red Mountain (hence the name) shows sinew and grippy tannins. Though exhibiting development, it is still brooding in its compact structure and slightly elevated alcohol. Rancid meat, bacon drippings, brined black olives and garrigue carry from the nose to the palate to the medium-plus finish. Drink: 2014-18

Cadence 2009 Ciel du Cheval Vineyard 94 14.4%; cadencewinery.com, AWSP $45 Surprisingly cloudy in appearance and big in every way, this wine could use some time, especially as the oak still stands out. As it opens, it reveals layer upon layer of dark fruits: blackberry, black cherry, black plum, sloe, and on and on. Full-bodied and silky on the palate, the mild but structuring tannins and supporting acidity keep the wine in line. This wine’s suave tannic structure comes from Smith’s “Pinot Noir maker’s approach to Bordeaux varieties”; he only punches down. Drink: 2015-24

Page 16

Cayuse Vineyards 2010 Grenache God Only Knows Armada 94 Vineyard Walla Walla Valley 14.4%; www.cayusevineyards.com, AWSP $80 It would seem this name refers to the fact that only God knows how good this can get. In its fifth vintage, this nears holiness when it comes to what Washington can deliver from Grenache. Still, it is not for everyone as little of its perfume and flavor is fruit-driven. Graphite, peat moss, undergrowth and grilled game are its calling cards. The structure is so integrated as to almost go unnoticed. Drink: 2014-25

Cayuse Vineyards 2011 Syrah En Chamberlin Vineyard 94 13.4%; www.cayusevineyards.com, AWSP $80 En Chamberlin was Washington’s first Demeter-certified biodynamic vineyard. Those who claim biodynamic wine “just tastes better” could point to this bottling as an example. Full- bodied with reasonable alcohol, a sweet, black fruit core counterbalances this wine’s taut structure. Though not particularly “easy” this early on, it can still be sipped with delight while pondering where its next decade of development will lead. Drink: 2014-26

Chateau Ste. Michelle 2011 Riesling Ethos Reserve Late Harvest 94 Columbia Valley 8.0%; www.ste-michelle.com, AWSP $27 (375ml) The world’s largest producer of a single brand of Riesling, Ste. Michelle offers eight styles of the variety. This bracingly clean, late harvest example displays an entrancing nose of apricot nectar, Mandarin orange peel, golden pineapple and honey. Labeled simply Columbia Valley, this wine comes entirely from their 30-year-old Horse Heaven Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills. Adjacent to the Columbia River, it develops botrytis every year. This wine’s 238 grams per liter of residual sugar are well-contained by vivacious acidity. Drink: 2014-18

Corliss 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon 94 14.7%; www.corlissestates.com, AWSP $75 at winery Quintessential Cabernet Sauvignon, this smells of evergreen, blackberries, macerated blueberries, cassis and licorice, and its lingering aftertaste shows breed. A bit soupy with glycerol, the wine has the strident tannin and overt new oak influence to give it enough of a rough frame to see it past its youth. Hopefully it will settle down. Drink: 2015-28

Gramercy Cellars 2007 Syrah John Lewis 94 13.9%; www.gramercycellars.com, AWSP $Sold out Only 150 cases of this release from Gramercy’s second harvest were produced, and the winery’s library is down to just one 12-pack. Today it tinkers with tertiary development: leathery aromas lurk beneath the Tempranillo-like mulberry character. In 2007, phenolic ripeness abounded, so despite the fact this is vinified using 100% whole clusters, pepper and spice notes are hard to find in this fragrant bottling. Drink: 2014-20

Grand Ciel 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Four Flags 94 15.1%; www.delillecellars.com, AWSP $Wine Club Only Focused, clean, ripe and mineral, this wine is a showstopper. Pencil lead, blackcurrants, charcoal smoke and dusty earth give this an Old World aromatic profile. The 2010 was released to Wine Club members only, but the 2011 (not tasted as it was just bottled) is available pre-order online. Drink: 2014-21

Page 17

Long Shadows 2010 Syrah Sequel 94 14.8%; www.longshadows.com, AWSP $50 on early 2014 release John Duval, formerly the winemaker of Penfold’s Grange, fashions this Syrah (with a 1% sprinkling of Cabernet Sauvignon) from the Boushey vineyard, known for its jamminess. The fruit tastes of boysenberry and blackberry preserves and feels styled for the American palate. The judicious structure of medium-plus acidity and fine-grained tannins, however, shows Australian sensibility. Drink: 2015-20

No Girls 2010 Grenache La Paciencia Vineyard Walla Walla Valley 94 14.4%; www.nogirlswine.com, AWSP $90 upon March 2014 release Intense, mineral, gripping and structured, this Grenache is a standout. Its multi-dimensional potpourri of varietal fragrance is particularly striking given the vines are only seven years old. Contrary to its name, this effort is crafted by the four women who work with Christophe Baron. “No Girls” is painted on a building Baron purchased in 2002 when founding Cayuse. Its “warning” signified a bordello in Walla Walla’s boomtown days had been closed. Drink: 2014-20

Owen Roe 2012 Chardonnay DuBrul Vineyard Yakima Valley 94 13%; www.owenroe.com, AWSP $48 Despite its New World origins and 50% new French oak, this is restrained Chardonnay. Pear, golden apple, sage, cheese rind, oyster shell and blanched almond aromas stand out. The acidity is perky and the finishing lingers, too. Definitely worth the effort to seek out a few of the 2,184 bottles produced. Drink: 2014-20

Quilceda Creek 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley 94 15.2%; www.quilcedacreek.com, AWSP $225 This wine seems to be undergoing an inner struggle in which its well-defined structure and vineyard pedigree battle its high alcohol and oak-steeped fruit. It seems the former is winning. Watch this space with care in the next 2-3 years if you have invested in this vintage. Drink: 2014-18

Rôtie Cellars 2011 Southern Blend Washington State 94 13.8%; www.rotiecellars.com, AWSP $40 Parading an effusive, dense nose of blueberries and mulberries, this wine is sensual. Medium-plus in body with discreetly supporting acidity, suave tannins provide a faint tug. Sophisticated but approachable with no obvious oak notes (only second and third fill barrels used), its succulence lingers on the finish. The first bottle polished off at the dinner table, everyone craved another. The fruit (65% Grenache, 23% Mourvèdre, 6% Syrah and 6% Cinsault) comes primarily from Horse Heaven Hills. Drink: 2014-21

Sheridan Vineyard 2010 L’Orage 94 14.1%; www.sheridanvineyard.com, AWSP $60 This wine is named for a devastating 2001 microburst of bad weather that resulted in a 97% loss of fruit and a 20% loss of vines. Two-thirds Cabernet Sauvignon and one-third Cabernet Franc, this robust, balanced and succulent wine shows touches of oak barrel char and spice. Though owner-grower-winemaker Scott Greer wishes he’d left it in barrel another three months, there’s nothing lacking in this lovely drink to my palate. Drink: 2014-22

Page 18

Soos Creek 2010 Palisade Columbia Valley 94 14.1%; www.sooscreekwine.com, AWSP $22 Merlot-dominate with Cabernet Sauvignon playing an 11% supporting role, this blend from star-studded vineyards, including Bacchus, Champoux, Ciel du Cheval, DuBrul and Klipsun, overdelivers. There is an intelligent and sensitive reasoning of ripeness laced with earthy minerality that delivers a satisfyingly savory wine. I’d like to stock this in my personal cellar. Drink: 2014-25

Woodward Canyon 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Artist Series #19 94 Washington State 14.1%; www.woodwardcanyon.com, AWSP $40 A veritable Washington state blend, this Cabernet Sauvignon (84%), Merlot (7%), Cabernet Franc (5%) and Petit Verdot (4%) mélange comes from Champoux, Woodward Canyon, Sagemoor and Weinbau. Rick Small is backing off the new oak as the vines age, seeking greater terroir expression. This young bottling is monolithic now. But, the black pepper, blackcurrant and tobacco leaf aromas accompanied by nicely framing tannins and supporting acidity promise beautiful development in the years ahead. Drink: 2015-25

Woodward Canyon 2012 Chardonnay Washington State 94 14.1%; www.woodwardcanyon.com, AWSP $35 This is my favorite Washington Chardonnay. It’s wholesome, lengthy, multi-dimensional and impressively Old World in style. (Rick Small is also backing off the new oak here as growing season temperatures rise.) The grapes come from the estate vineyard planted in 1977 and Celilo (celebrated for Chardonnay) in Oregon. The palate is lightly creamy, and the flavors range from pear nectar to hazelnut to melting brown sugar. Drink: 2014-18

Abeja 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon “Vtg 10” Columbia Valley 93 14.3%; www.abeja.net, AWSP $45 A blend of four vineyards and three varieties (including 4% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot), this is one of Abeja’s larger production wines…at only 1,913 cases. The elegant wine displays caressing tannins and integrated acidity. Oak spice dominates the nose (it sees 100% new French oak), but there’s time for it to settle down. Drink: 2014-20

Alexandria Nicole 2012 Shepherd’s Mark Destiny Ridge Vineyards 93 Horse Heaven Hills 13.5%; www.alexandrianicolecellars.com, AWSP $20 How can an artisanal producer crank out only 541 cases of a wine this lovely and do so at such a terrific price? This 65% Roussanne, 20% Marsanne and 15% Viognier cuvée is seriously yeasty, dramatically apricoty and definitively dry. It’s likely best enjoyed in its youth considering its modest finish. Drink: 2014-15

Avennia 2010 Gravura Columbia Valley 93 14.5%; www.avennia.com, AWSP $36 Referencing both the wine region of Graves and a printing technique, this exuberantly fresh and crunchy wine shows a light touch of cocoa and an abundance of forest berries. It’s a good wine to drink while the Sestina comes around, though it is age-worthy in its own right. (54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc) Drink: 2014-20

Page 19

Betz Family Vineyards 2011 Bésoleil Columbia Valley 93 14.2%; www.betzfamilywinery.com, AWSP $49 This ninth vintage of the Southern Rhône-style Bésoleil includes 12% of the little-known variety Counoise for the first time. The pronounced nose ravishes with minerals, lavender, blueberries and black raspberry. Exotic and distinctive from start to lingering finish, it’s ready now but can certainly hold to benefit. Drink: 2014-21

Betz Family Vineyards 2010 Clos de Betz Columbia Valley 93 14.2%; www.betzfamilywinery.com, AWSP $60 Inky and somewhat sullen in this youthful phase, this wine’s density of black fruit flavors and exotic African spices should sort itself out in the next year or two. This backwardness is likely due to the significant portion of Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot (40% in total) accompanying the headlining Merlot as well as the cooler growing season. The body is quite lean with racy acidity and pleasantly drying tannins. Drink: 2014-20

Boudreaux Cellars 2008 Malbec Columbia Valley 93 13.5%; www.boudreauxcellars.com, AWSP $60 at winery Feral, funky and gamey, this is not for everyone and may confuse drinkers familiar with pristine-clean styles of Argentinian Malbec. Its character references Cahors rather than Mendoza. There’s a serious finish here and, overall, the elements are well-integrated. Drink: 2014-20

Buty 2009 Rediviva Phinny Hill Vineyard Horse Heaven Hills 93 14.5%; www.butywinery.com, AWSP $55 This estate-grown wine is a blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon and 24% Syrah. Massively plummy with gobs of blackberries and blueberry preserves, it shows the kick of cracked black pepper and graphite, too. Suave but a bit syrupy, the texture and heady alcohol could use a bit more backbone for the mid- to long-haul, but it’s a crowd-pleaser now. Drink: 2014-18

Cadence 2008 Bel Canto Cara Mia Vineyard Red Mountain 93 14.4%; www.cadencewinery.com, AWSP $55 Slightly cloudy but still youthful in appearance, the nose of this 67% Cabernet Franc, 25% Merlot and 8% Petit Verdot blend has moved ahead of the color. The developed aromas include leather, game and earth alongside remnants of blackberry and boysenberry fruit. The faintly grainy tannins make this an excellent food wine. This bottling always receives Smith’s best bits of Cabernet Franc. Drink: 2014-21

Cadence 2010 Camerata Cara Mia Vineyard Red Mountain 93 14.4%; www.cadencewinery.com, AWSP $55 Ben Smith picks relatively early in Washington, preferring focus over plumpness. Still, this wine shows off a juicy mid-palate that makes it immediately likeable, despite the absence of viscosity typical in this state. With well-integrated, moderately firm tannins and perky acidity, this blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon with equal parts Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot shows breed and will age well if you can keep your hands off it. Good luck! Drink: 2014-20

Page 20

Col Solare 2008 Col Solare 93 14.5%; www.colsolare.com, AWSP $63 Chateau Ste. Michelle collaborates with the Antinori family to produce this blended wine of Cabernet Sauvignon (67%), Merlot (20%), Cabernet Franc (10%) and Syrah (3%). Its savoriness, minerality, gripping acidity and tugging tannins are reminiscent of leading Super Tuscans. Beautifully structured, this is a food wine for drinking now or a good way down the road. Drink: 2014-23

Corliss 2008 Corliss 93 14.9%; www.corlissestates.com, AWSP $65 at winery Made from Red Mountain and Stillwater Creek fruit, the Corliss flagship is this husband- and-wife team’s original vision of Bordeaux via Washington. Equally split between Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot, this mouth-saturating red boasts big fruit and potent alcohol. The rough-and-tumble tannins keep things in check. At this point, this is a wine I prefer to taste rather than drink. Check back in a few years. Drink: 2015-20

Côte Bonneville 2008 Côte Bonneville DuBrul Vineyard 93 Yakima Valley 14.6%; www.cotebonneville.com, AWSP $120 at winery This classically-styled Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot blend offers an ample mid-palate, firm tannins and masses of black and red plums. I wouldn’t have guessed this is aged entirely in new French oak. At this stage, it is an excellent sipper certain to please a broad range of palates. Drink: 2014-18

DeLille 2012 Chaleur Estate Blanc Columbia Valley 93 14.0%; www.delillecellars.com, AWSP $34 This seamlessly integrated blend of 62% Sauvignon Blanc and 38% Semillon from Boushey, Klipsun and Sagemoor caresses the palate with moderate viscosity. The flavors are a bewitching jumble of yellow apple, cactus, candle wax, blanched almonds and flan. Though it will age to benefit, its youthful character ultimately may be the most appealing as it is already so well integrated and compelling. Drink: 2014-20

Figgins 2009 Estate Red Wine Walla Walla Valley 93 14.4%; www.figginswine.com, AWSP $99 The fig on the label represents not only Figgins’ boyhood nickname and his last name, meaning “son of fig”, but also aromas found in their vineyard’s fruit. Deep and dense color coats the glass, which emits highly ripe notes of fig (power of suggestion?), cassis and black plum. Today, the wine is almost too big – too dense, too compact, too chewy. However, its suave tannins and startlingly high acidity keep it knit together and should give the wine time to unfold. Drink: 2015-24

Force Majeure 2011 Vigonier Collaboration Series Red Mountain 93 14.3%; www.forcemajeurevineyards.com, AWSP $35 at winery Composed primarily of fruit from Force Majeure’s vineyard, there is also 30% of Ciel du Cheval’s oldest Viognier vines in this cuvée. Fermented in concrete (75%) and neutral French oak (25%), it’s lavish in texture. The lightly pungent alcohol contributes to the mouthfeel as well. White peaches, mirabelle plums, rising yeast bread and white pepper create a lively and sophisticated complex of flavors. Drink: 2014-16

Page 21

Gramercy Cellars 2010 The Third Man Columbia Valley 93 14.7%; www.gramercycellars.com, AWSP $50 Bright, mid-depth magenta and crystal clear, this wine glows in the glass. Its 80% Grenache base gives it an expansive nose and a juicy palate feel. Its 15% Mourvèdre contributes mouth-watering acidity. Finally, its 5% Syrah contributes brooding aromatics. Its serious drinkability will have everyone clambering for the last drop. Drink: 2014-20

Horsepower Vineyards 2011 Syrah The Tribe Vineyard 93 13.2%; www.horsepowervineyards.com, AWSP $120 upon May 2014 release This bottling is clearly in its infancy. So are its vines, having produced only their fourth crop in this vintage. Crisply dry and briskly tannic, this isn’t a wine for today, despite its captivating aromatic profusion of rusty metal, spice rack and blackberry preserves. This is the first wine from this 2008 plantation, of which some vines are own-rooted. Drink: 2017-23

K Vintners 2011 Syrah Milbrandt Wahluke Slope 93 14.0%; www.kvintners.com, AWSP $30 Blueberries, cinnamon, grated cardamom, pomegranate and fresh-cracked vanilla bean send the palate reeling. The wine gently coats the mouth without weighting it down. The tannins are non-invasive, and the acidity is just bright enough to keep the drinker going back for another…and another…sip. Drink: 2014-18

K Vintners 2010 Syrah Morrison Lane Walla Walla Valley 93 15.0%; www.kvintners.com, AWSP $47 Pronounced maroon in color, this Syrah’s hedonistic black fruit smells prepare you for a whopping mouthful. Modest acidity and gossamer tannins intertwine gracefully to render this powerfully alcoholic and densely viscous wine drinkable. New oak is artfully infused, surfacing as dark chocolate and spent coffee grinds. A joy to taste professionally, I feel certain I could not finish a 5-ounce glass, but others will find it heavenly. Drink: 2014-18

L’Ecole No. 41 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla Valley 93 14.5%; www.lecole.com, AWSP $35 Deep red with black streaks, this pure Cabernet Sauvignon is not opaque like many others found here though it does stain the glass with deep burgundy color. The nose is loaded with cassis, black cherry, forest floor and cinnamon. The palate shapes up well with the high alcohol and full body centered by the dense, though corraled, tannins and subtle acidity. This is a mouthcoating New World wine with Old World sensuality. Drink: 2014-20

L’Ecole No. 41 2010 Perigee Estate Seven Hills 93 Vineyard Walla Walla 14.5%; www.lecole.com, AWSP $46 Savory, resiny and cedary, this wine composed of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 7% Malbec and 4% Cabernet Franc feels more Old World than New. Packed with grainy tannin, bright acidity and forceful flavor, there is much yet to be unleashed. It improves with several hours of decanting or leaving overnight in a stoppered, half-full bottle, but I haven’t tested whether it is best consumed at perigee, the point of the moon’s orbit that is closest to the earth. Drink: 2014-23

Page 22

Leonetti Cellar 2011 Merlot Walla Walla Valley 93 14.0%; www.leonetticellar.com, AWSP $85 Many call it sacrilege to refer to Old World classics when writing of New World wines; so be it. This lovely, plush, impressively mineral wine reminds me of Pomerol, my favorite Merlot appellation in the world. Its tannins are silky and sexy, and its alcohol is seamlessly integrated. Drink: 2014-20

Long Shadows 2012 Riesling Poet’s Leap Columbia Valley 93 12.9%; www.longshadows.com, AWSP $19 I clearly remember discovering Poet’s Leap while opening J&G Steakhouse at The Phoenician in December 2008. I’ve been impressed with every bottling since. This is Washington’s best Riesling, made by the Nahe’s Armin Diel. This wine is über mineral with a whisper of extract and a faint effervescence. It smells of pear drop, white flowers and verbena and adds flavors of lime zest and tangerine on the palate. The striking acidity and low-ish alcohol refresh and brilliantly balance the Kabinett-like residual sugar of 12.5 grams per liter. Drink: 2014-16

Maison Bleue 2011 Grenache Le Midi Boushey Vineyard 93 Yakima Valley 14.5%; www.mbwinery.com, AWSP $35 at winery upon Spring 2014 release This wine’s forward aromas are partially attributable to its 30% whole cluster ferment. Pure, succulent and layered on the palate with swarms of black cherries, mulberries and white pepper, this wine has just enough tannin and acidic tension to keep it going for a while. Drink: 2014-19

Maison Bleue 2010 GSM Gravière Upland Vineyard 93 Snipes Mountain 14.5%; www.mbwinery.com, AWSP $45 MSG would be a more appropriate name, not for sodium glutamate but for the wine’s 75% Mourvèdre, 20% Syrah and 5% Grenache. And, the Mourvèdre does stand out with its funky, sour meat aromas. The structure is discreet with medium acidity and integrated alcohol, giving this pungently flavored wine serious food pairing capabilities. Drink: 2018-22

Maison Bleue 2011 Marsanne Petite Joie Boushey Vineyard 93 Yakima Valley 13.3%; www.mbwinery.com, AWSP $35 Classic Marsanne in fragrance, this wine shows more focus than the 2010 thanks to the crisp, natural acidity left by this even cooler vintage. It is bone dry, too, but the full malolactic fermentation provides a balancing, creamy mid-palate. Drink: 2014-18

No Girls 2010 Syrah La Paciencia Vineyard 93 14.8%; www.nogirlswine.com, AWSP $70 upon March 2014 release Extravagantly pure, fiercely black-fruited and distractingly zesty with black pepper, this wine packs a big punch yet is brilliantly structured. It does beg for some “paciencia” but if you like a bit of youthful muscle and sinew, there’s no reason to wait. This vineyard is entirely dedicated to the No Girls project. Drink: 2014-25

Page 23

Owen Roe 2011 Cabernet Franc The Pearl Yakima Valley 93 13.2%; www.owenroe.com, AWSP $72 at winery Coming from three high elevation Yakima sites and named for the “Pearl Block” of the estate’s Union Gap Vineyard, this wine manages the perfect balance of exuberant fruit and surveiling structure. There’s lots of pomegranate fruit backed up by black plums and accented by judicious oak (15% new French). Drink: 2014-21

Owen Roe 2010 Red Wine Yakima Valley 93 14.5%; www.owenroe.com, AWSP $38 Jumping with lively freshness, this fleshy palate is cram-packed with blueberries and boysenberries and accented by fireplace smoke and bitter chocolate. Alcoholic warmth creeps in on the finish but only if you are looking for it. This blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the mid-priced offerings from this producer. Drink: 2014-20

Sheridan Vineyard 2010 Cabernet Franc Boss Block 93 14.1%; www.sheridanvineyard.com, AWSP $50 Finessed, poised and expressive, it is easy to see how Greer named this engaging wine for his wife Karen, “the boss”. Layered with blueberry, açai, boysenberry and bacon fat, this wine is immediately appealing but has the substance to evolve to benefit. The finish lingers a good while but not quite long enough for greedier palates…. Drink: 2014-25

Syncline Wine Cellars 2011 Cuvée Elena Columbia Valley 93 14.4%; www.synclinewine.com, AWSP $40 Made from 100% free-run juice that see no new oak, this hodge-podge of Red Mountain, Horse Heaven Hills, Yakima Valley and Columbia Gorge fruit includes Mourvèdre, Syrah, Grenache, Carignan and Cinsault. At first glance, it could be hard to see the point of paying double the price of the Subduction, but this bottling’s sheer refinement and millefeuille of flavors will definitely age longer and better. Drink: 2014-21

Syncline Wine Cellars 2011 Subduction Red Columbia Valley 93 13.5%; www.synclinewine.com, AWSP $20 This is a seriously sexy wine for an impressively attractive price. A Southern Rhône mishmash of varieties (39% Mourvedre, 29% Grenache, 14% Syrah, 9% Carignan, 7% Counoise and 2% Cinsault), the palate tastes of Damson plum, pomegranate and black fig highlighted by anise, white pepper and garrigue. The soft tannins and acidic relief on the finish squarely place this medium-bodied wine in the gulpable category. Drink: 2014-16

Tamarack Cellars 2009 DuBrul Vineyard Reserve 93 Rattlesnake Hills 14.1%; www.tamarackcellars.com, AWSP $50 This is an intense, imposing wine with brilliant balance. Savory, minty and dark-fruited Cabernet Sauvignon, harvested at 3,000 tons per acre (0.4 ha) dominates the aromas. Merlot (31%) expands the mid-palate and Cabernet Franc (9%) quietly works its aromatic magic. For a warm year that produced largely forward wines, this is a nice change of pace with a strong backbone laced through its suppleness. Drink: 2015-24

Page 24

Tranche Cellars 2010 Slice of Pape Blanc Columbia Valley 93 13.2%; www.tranchecellars.com, AWSP $30 at winery This Roussanne, Marsanne and Viognier blend is scintillating. Poached pears buffer the initial impact of delectable savoriness that verges on meatiness. There’s a light, tannic- like tug on the palate that cuts through the wine’s light extract. Balance with measured decadence, this is a value not to be passed up. Drink: 2014-16

Woodward Canyon 2010 Erratic Reserve Walla Walla Valley 93 14.3%; www.woodwardcanyon.com, AWSP $66 at winery Though only the first commercial vintage of this Mourvèdre, Grenache and Syrah bottling, Small has been experimenting with Mediterranean varieties and clones for over a decade. Made exclusively from estate fruit, this effort certainly indicates it’s been worth it. Immensely pure with primary – even downright grapey – aromas, the exotic flavors stretch from blueberry and blackberry to game and cinnamon. It’s chewy and full-bodied but not at all heavy. Drink: 2014-25

Andrew Rich 2011 Roussanne Columbia Valley 92 14.1%; www.andrewrichwines.com, AWSP $22 Andrew Rich makes his Washington state wines in Carlton, Oregon, where he also makes Willamette Valley Pinot Noir. Pale in color, this wine displays a moderately opulent texture and whispers light oak flavors of toast and resin. Raw hazelnuts, marzipan, field honey and lanolin also spread across the palate. Though only medium in acidity, this wine musters up a freshness in part due to notes of fern and celery. The well-balanced high alcohol only becomes noticeable when the wine becomes too warm. Drink: 2014-19

Andrew Will 2009 Cabernet Franc Columbia Valley 92 14%; www.andrewwill.com, AWSP $30 This 600 case production wine is a succulent blend of 91% Cabernet Franc and 9% Cabernet Sauvignon. It is drinking beautifully now between its generous and still-youthful aromatics, grainy tannins and well-integrated acidity. Though full-bodied, this wine is quite spry and offers a fine compromise for a table split between Old and New World wine lovers. Drink: 2014-19

Andrew Will 2009 Ciel du Cheval Red Mountain 92 14.5%; www.andrewwill.com, AWSP $54 Exhibiting the ripeness of its warm vintage, this Merlot (40%), Cabernet Sauvignon (35%) and Cabernet Franc (25%) blend is sultry and vaguely black fruited. Game, ink, char, asphalt and creosote dominate over fruit influences. There’s a brick wall of tannins to sop up some of the extract and make-up for the lenient acidity. A worrisome whisper of paint thinner lingers in the background, otherwise the wine might have scored higher. Drink: 2014-17

Betz Family Vineyard 2010 Bésoleil Columbia Valley 92 14.6%; www.betzfamilywinery.com, AWSP $45 This Southern Rhône-inspired blend of Grenache, Mourvèdre, Cinsault and Syrah is sourced from the Yakima Valley and Snipes and Red Mountains. The bottling aims to emulate the gracious, sun-filled wines of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Highly becoming and diverse in fragrances with a broad and creamy palate, this wine is immediately appealing, but its good persistence suggests it has more to show if given time. Drink: 2014-18

Page 25

Betz Family 2010 Père de Famille Columbia Valley 92 14.0%; www.betzfamilywinery.com, AWSP $70 Lead by Cabernet Sauvignon with 7% each of Merlot and Petit Verdot (to “add flesh to the skeleton” says Betz), this vintge of Père de Famille is surprisingly ripe for such a cool year. Fresh figs, raisins, clove and cigar present an arresting nose. This, coupled with highly stylized tannins and zippy acidity, makes it a people pleaser. Drink: 2014-20

Betz Family Vineyards 2005 Père de Famille Columbia Valley 92 14.5%; www.betzfamilywinery.com, AWSP $64 Fleshy and figgy like the 2010, this remains a showy wine from a fruit perspective. Solid acidity and streamlined tannins keep the wine in focus and lead it to a fairly long finish. Shedding some of its exubertanly youthful black plum fruit, the wine is evolving to reveal fertile earth, cardamom and tobacco. It is drinking well now at eight years out of vintage, but it’s not old bones just yet. Drink: 2014-18

Boudreaux Cellars 2008 Syrah Wallula Vineyard Horse 92 Heaven Hills 13.6%; www.boudreauxcellars.com, AWSP $60 Another super-funky wine from winemaker Rob Newsom, this wine is intensely varietal with pencil lead, black pepper, hung game and black forest berries. Well-balanced between lightly chunky tannins and fresh acid, this wine is an excellent companion to most red meats at the table. Drink: 2014-18

Cadence 2009 Bel Canto Cara Mia Vineyard Red Mountain 92 14.4%; www.cadencewinery.com, AWSP $55 This wine’s warm vintage shows in its indulgent forest berry fruit, light glycerol and touch of brawn. It easily carries its aging in 50% new Taransaud oak for 23 months. No doubt, this deeply colored 80% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot and 10% Petit Verdot bottling is a steak wine and very well-suited to palates prefering richer styles. Drink: 2014-24

Cadence 2006 Bel Canto Cara Mia Vineyard Red Mountain 92 14.4%; cadencewinery.com, AWSP $50 Unlike the 2008, this vintage’s color is more vibrant and vigorous. The plum fruits show a roasted edge which is surely attributable to the vintage’s warmer than typical summer nights. Unlike other vintages, there’s no Petit Verdot here; it’s just 52% Cabernet Franc and 48% Merlot. This vintage marked Smith’s first harvest from his own vineyard. Drink: 2014-20

Cadence 2009 Camerata Cara Mia Vineyard Red Mountain 92 14.4%; cadencewinery.com, AWSP $55 Similar proportionally to the more refined 2010 (73% Cabernet Sauvignon with equal percentages of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot), this vintage boasts a forward, massively fragranced nose. The fruit is a touch jammy and the back palate brings on some heat. The supple tannin and spry acid carry the medium finish. Drink: 2014-19

Page 26

Cadence 2009 Tapteil Vineyard Red Mountain 92 14.4%; cadencewinery.com, AWSP $45 A slightly awkward wine now, possibly attributable to bottle variation, it’s hard to tell how well this will come around. Somewhat clunky tannins and evident high alcohol frame its mouthful of roasted plums and black raisins. Hints of volatile acidity surface, too. Firm and chewy, this 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot and 17% Cabernet Franc blend may just need some time. After all, good material is here – the fruit is from the oldest vines Smith works with, planted in 1985. Drink: 2014-19

Cayuse Vineyards 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Widowmaker En 92 Chamberlin Vineyard 14.7%; www.cayusevineyards.com, AWSP $160 Not easy to approach at this juncture, this jumbo Cabernet’s alcohol is slightly exaggerated, its acidity strikes with rigidity and its tannins feel fractured. Still, the fruit is engaging and multi-layered, and the finish is long. I give it two years to work itself out, hopefully for the better. A bit of a gamble for its price point, I’d favor cellaring the Syrahs and Grenaches from this house. Drink: 2015-20

Cayuse Vineyards 2010 Tempranillo Impulsivo En Chamberlin 92 Vineyard 14.8%; www.cayusevineyards.com, AWSP $150 Though still sorting itself out, this is possibly the most profound Tempranillo produced from non-Spanish vineyards. To continue the comparison, its complexity is reminiscent of Ribera del Duero, but its chunky texture leans toward Toro. Black cherry, kirsch, boysenberry and spice box ignite its flavor spectrum. Drink: 2015-20

Chateau Ste. Michelle & Dr. Loosen 2012 Riesling Eroica 92 Columbia Valley 12.0%; www.ste-michelle.com, AWSP $20 A vibrant nose of lime peel and lemonade speak to this wine’s youthful vibrancy. The attack is a bit sweet, but the crackling acidity makes the finish feel rather dry. Its persistence is surprisingly modest for such a heralded wine, making it a wine to a drink-up for its youthful impact rather than to keep, hoping for pent-up layers to unfold. Drink: 2014-16

Chateau Ste. Michelle & Dr. Loosen 2012 Riesling Eroica Gold 92 Columbia Valley 10.0%; www.ste-michelle.com, AWSP $35 This wine hits the palate with a pleasant spritz to support its supple body derived from considerable residual sugar. Succulent and spätlese-esque (with 75 grams per liter of residual sugar) from its 33% botrytis influence, it’s not all about stone fruit. Blanched almonds and a whiff of petrol add distinction. This is the first release of this “Gold” collaboration. Drink: 2014-18

Chateau Ste. Michelle 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Cold Creek 92 Vineyard 15.0%; www.ste-michelle.com, AWSP $28 Cassis, cinnamon and allspice flavor this creamy, viscous wine. Though it carries its alcohol well now, it may slip as its boisterous fruit fades. Consider this a mid-term wine and enjoy with gusto, especially for the price! Drink: 2014-17

Page 27

Chateau Ste. Michelle 2012 Riesling Waussie Columbia Valley 92 13.0%; www.ste-michelle.com, AWSP $24 at winery Delightful today with its apricot preserve, ginger and marzipan flavors, this off-dry Riesling glides across the palate. Persistent on the aftertaste and bustling with acidity, this well- balanced wine has a long life ahead. Drink: 2014-22

Côte Bonneville 2012 Riesling DuBrul Vineyard Yakima Valley 92 10.0%; www.cotebonneville.com, AWSP $22 Steely and mineral with lime pith flavors on the palate and peaches and cream on the finish, this Riesling’s residual sugar is well-balanced by racy acidity. Its dainty palate feel belies its substantial concentration. Drink: 2014-18

DeLille Cellars 2010 D2 92 14.7%; www.delillecellars.com, AWSP $40 This is a classic West Coast USA, Bordeaux-style blend composed of 60% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. It pushes sensible levels of alcohol but has the lifting acidity and suave tannins to keep it on its toes. Cola, smoke, cinnamon, sloe jam and loganberry open the nose and persist on the finish. Drink: 2014-20

DeLille 2012 Roussanne Red Mountain 92 14.0%; www.delillecellars.com, AWSP $33 From Tablas Creek (the Paso Robles partnership between Robert Haas and Château de Beaucastel) clones grown in Ciel du Cheval, this medium yellow wine is forward and rich in fruit with a pleasantly viscous mid-palate and moderating acidity. Blanched almond, fresh hay, aloe and white peach exude from the glass. My kind of Rhône white! Drink: 2014-18

Doubleback 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla Valley 92 14.4%; www.doubleback.com, AWSP $100 Chris Figgins and former NFL quarterback Drew Bledsoe grew up together in Walla Walla, and 2010 marks the fourth vintage of their collaboration. This plush, bewitching blend of Cabernet Sauvignon with 7% each of Merlot and Petit Verdot smells of violets, blueberries, black plums, blackcurrants, baking spice, graphite…and the list could go on. Moderately firm tannin and modest acidity fight to structure this hulk. You’ll need full pads to tackle this wine of mesmerizing fruit concentration and creamy oak head-on. Drink: 2014-20

Efeste 2011 Sauvignon Blanc Sauvage 92 12.5%; www.efeste.com, AWSP $18 Efeste (pronounced FST, an acronym for the owners’ last names) is fairly new to the Washington scene, and their whites in particular hit all the right notes. Two of the four Sauvignon Blancs I rated 90+ are theirs. This is the richer of the two, sourced from the warmer Boushey Vineyard. Lightly tropical with guava and passion fruit, this dry, medium- bodied white also offers higher-toned notes of gooseberry and asparagus. Drink: 2014-15

Page 28

Figgins 2010 Estate Red Wine 92 14.3%; www.figginswine.com, AWSP $99 Quite a different expression vis-à-vis the 2011, this wine is somewhat awkward now. In this vintage, red fruits dominate rather than black. The tannins are granular and the acidity is searing. The medium finish shows this wine can evolve well, and it does need to do so. Figgins says 2010 and 2005 are the vintages of his career so far, so it should be safe to believe this will develop well beyond this teenage impression. Drink: 2015-23

Force Majeure 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Collaboration Series III 92 Red Mountain 14.7%; www.forcemajeurevineyards.com, AWSP $58 at winery This inky, varietal Syrah is stubbornly glass-staining. Creosote, licorice and prune best describe its dominant flavors. Smartly measured tannins and supporting acidity encase the wine. There’s no doubting this wine’s lineage, enhanced by the diversity of four different clones, and its winemakers’ (Mark McNeilly and Mike Macmorran) experiences. However, to my palate, this formidable wine, even in its lengthy finish, forgoes pleasure. Drink: 2014-18

J. Bookwalter 2012 Couplet Conner-Lee Columbia Valley 92 14.2%; www.bookwalterwines.com, AWSP $16 This Chardonnay-Viognier blend bottled under screwcap is an early-to-market release that is all it should be and a darn good bargain, too. There’s 6 grams per liter of well-integrated residual sugar, helping to make this an easy-to-kick-back, patio-sipping kind of wine. Despite the residual sweetness, the overall impression leans to the savory side. Drink: 2014-14

Januik 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Champoux Vineyard Horse 92 Heaven Hills 14.4%; www.noveltyhilljanuik.com, AWSP $53 A tour-de-force, this wine is über-concentrated (Mike Januik apparently dislikes the word “intense”) with dark chocolate, baked rhubarb, blackcurrant and cassis. Full-bodied, it’s a bit angular now given the wine’s tense acidity and serious tannins. Drink: 2014-20

L’Ecole No. 41 2012 Chenin Blanc Columbia Valley 92 13.5%; www.lecole.com, AWSP $17 A delightful bottling that is one of the few 100% USA Chenin Blancs worth seeking out. It’s not to say that others aren’t good, it’s just that this one is particularly striking. Given Washington’s intense sunshine, its style is a bit ripe to exhibit all of Chenin’s typical characteristics. The primary flavors are pear drop, dried apricot and heather. Full-bodied but full of perk, this finishes medium. Drink: 2014-16

L’Ecole No. 41 2010 Merlot Estate Seven Hills Vineyard 92 14.5%; www.lecole.com, AWSP $35 Rich and plummy on the nose, this Merlot (78%), Cabernet Sauvignon (19%) and Cabernet Franc (9%) blend straddles the chasm between fruit- and earth-driven. That’s a serious part of why it is so enticing. Its cedar notes are remisniscent of Bordeaux while its high-density fruit and elevated alcohol speak of warm, New World climates. This is yet another red from Marty Clubb that shows a European flair. Drink: 2014-22

Page 29

L’Ecole No. 41 2012 Semillon Columbia Valley 92 14.5%; www.lecole.com, AWSP $18 This bottling is a classic Bordeaux-style blend of Semillion (87%) and Sauvignon Blanc (13%). Sauvignon Blanc is known for its pungency, but no obvious green character manifests here. Instead, it adds acidic lift to this full-bodied white, leaving the Semillon to fill in the aromas. Boxwood, hay, lime pith and yellow plum all play a part. The palate is lightly and delightfully creamy, and the crisp acidity keeps it lifted. Little Semillon is produced in the US, and this is one of the already very few that will most reward your search. Drink: 2014-17

L’Ecole No. 41 2010 Syrah Estate Seven Hills Vineyard Walla 92 Walla Valley 15.0%; www.lecole.com, AWSP $33 A blockbuster wine that shows balance! This is a massive, inky, bold and youthful wine. It’s packed with black fruit and vaguely peppery. The 40% new oak is neither shy nor oppressive, and the same goes for the serious extraction. This is the inverse of the winery’s more restrained wines. Drink: 2014-20

Long Shadows 2009 Chester Kidder 92 14.9%; www.longshadows.com, AWSP $50 at winery Made by in-house, French-born winemaker Gilles Nicault, this opaque Cabernet Sauvignon (50%), Syrah (28%), Petit Verdot (17%) and Cabernet Franc (5%) fusion is for oak lovers. Indeed, it is aged 100% in new French barrels for 13 months. Toast, dark chocolate-covered cherries and tar dominate with blackberry fruit hanging in the background. Though rich in texture and generous in alcohol, there’s solid acidity and silky tannins to give this wine a sturdy frame. It’s hard to imagine the oak will integrate, but perhaps it is not supposed to. Drink: 2015-24

Long Shadows 2010 Saggi Columbia Valley 92 14.9%; www.longshadows.com, AWSP $45 Sangiovese (62%) drives this blend, but between the Cabernet Sauvignon (29%) and Syrah (9%) components and the ripeness of all three varieties, little Sangiovese character surfaces. “Saggi” means wisdom, but this wine seems more about charm than contemplation. Leading with vanilla and milk chocolate aromas, the oak is a touch overdone, but there’s enough plump fruit buffered by feisty acidity and round tannins to make it a crowd-pleaser. The father and son, Ambrogio and Giovanni, team from Tuscany’s Folonari craft this wine. Drink: 2014-20

Maison Bleue 2011 GSM Jaja Yakima Valley 92 14.1%; www.mbwinery.com, AWSP $28 This wine is more substantial than in prior years as the Upland Vineyard grapes for Gravières were declassified into this cuvée. Dark, pensive and brooding, it brims with grilled meat, loganberry and scrub. Buy up this value. Drink: 2015-21

Maison Bleue 2011 Syrah Liberté Boushey Vineyard Yakima Valley 92 14.1%; www.mbwinery.com, AWSP $40 at winery Substantial in fragrance (more whole clusters but no new oak), this is textbook Syrah: freshly-cracked black pepper, raw game, blackberries and thyme. The lingering finish, mildly tugging tannins and bouyant acidity show this wine has the stuffing to age well. Drink: 2015-22

Page 30

Milbrandt Vineyards 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon The Estates 92 Wahluke Slope 13.5%; www.milbrandtvineyards.com, AWSP $23 This is a dense and brooding Cabernet Sauvignon that is nonetheless tasty from start to finish. Medium-bodied with lifted, refreshing acidity, this wine has good balance and quaffability. And, its finish is not short. Drink: 2014-18

Owen Roe 2011 Sinister Hand Yakima Valley 92 14.3%; www.owenroe.com, AWSP $25 This is a smart blend of 63% Grenache, 19% Syrah, 16% Mourvèdre and 2% Cinsault. It’s cherry red and clear as glass in appearance. It offers red plum, exotic spice and grilled game from nose to finish. It glides onto the palate then lingers with the help of nice acidic tension carrying its higher alcohol. Year after year, this is a very fine value. Drink: 2014-19

Quilceda Creek 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley 92 15.2%; www.quilcedacreek.com, AWSP $225 This wine is immensely focused on purity, density, structure and oak. At this stage, this wine absolutely must be decanted – at least for one hour but preferably for several. Its steely structure, wall of tannins, boisterous alcohol and impenetrable oak make this a challenge to enjoy, much less appreciate technically, at this stage. Drink: 2015-20

Quilceda Creek 2005 Merlot Columbia Valley 92 14.9%; www.quilcedacreek.com, AWSP $100 At first sniff, there is a distracting – though not obvious – whiff of volatile acidity. Driven by its force of black fruit and heady Merlot aromatics, there’s good supporting acidity and enough curvaceous tannins to keep this wine on the age-ability track. Drinkable now but could use a few extra years. Drink: 2014-20

Rôtie Cellars 2011 Northern Blend Washington State 92 13.8%; www.rotiecellars.com, AWSP $40 This 95% Syrah and 5% Viognier, co-fermented blend is youthful yet composed. Its somewhat pale but beautiful color is a bit surprising, especially as white varieties increase and stabilize color. It’s magenta versus the more typical purple. The nose is lifted with branch, spice and floral notes alongside crunchy blackberries, ripe blueberries and black plum skin. The palate is incredibly smooth but exhibits very little viscosity. Its 13.8% alcohol is well-balanced by moderate acidity and gossamer tannins. Sourced primarily from Walla Walla, it is aged entirely in French oak of second and third fills. Drink: 2014-21

Sleight of Hand Cellars 2011 Syrah The Funkadelic Walla 92 Walla Valley 13.6%; www.sofhcellars.com, AWSP $60 at winery This shows its “The Rocks” provenance! Starting off gamey and furry, violets, blueberries, roasted black plums then pop on the nose with vanilla bean following through on the palate. The mouthfeel is smooth and creamy with moderate tannins that show mostly on the finish, after the gentle palate feel has faded. The acidity is decidedly medium, but it contributes a supporting role. The medium finish shows a nice mix of chocolaty flavors and rich fruit. Just released in Fall 2013, don’t hesitate to decant a few hours. Fantastic and entertaining labels. Drink: 2014-21

Page 31

Soos Creek 2010 Champoux Vineyard Horse Heaven Hills 92 14.1%; www.sooscreekwine.com, AWSP $37 Dense, serious and substantial, this meaty, feral wine tiptoes between the opulent and the balanced. Considerable alcohol and faint sweetness are confronted with tannic sinew. The yin-yang effect is compelling. Primarily Cabernet Sauvignon with 10% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc, this is a table-worthy wine. Drink: 2015-23

Tamarack Cellars 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley 92 14.3%; www.tamarackcellars.com, AWSP $29 Chocolate, blackcurrant, eucalyptus and cedar fragrance this wine. Though notable for its value, it’s not a wine to take casually. It’s brawny on the palate. It drinks now but will only improve with more time in the bottle. This is a classic Washington value that offers drinkability – thanks to its integrated oak and modest extraction – coupled with mid-term aging potential. Drink: 2015-22

Tamarack Cellars 2008 Ciel du Cheval Vineyard Reserve 92 14.4%; www.tamarackcellars.com, AWSP $50 Just over 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot (29%) and Cabernet Franc (14%) fill-in the rest. Coleman doesn’t opt for pre- or post-fermentation soaks, which means a little less extract. This generally pumps up the drinkability of his wines, as does his preference to press early. Conversely, at five years out, this wine remains profoundly oaky. Nonetheless, it is pleasurable, open and otherwise balanced. Drink: 2014-20

Tamarack Cellars 2005 Merlot Columbia Valley 92 14.2%; www.tamarackcellars.com, AWSP $NA Since when did Merlot stink so good? This is a beastly wine – sweaty and furry in a good way. In fact, it smells more like Syrah than Merlot at this juncture. Pronounced - but finely balanced - acidity counters the full body. Talc-like tannins gloss over the palate. It’s a great wine for food, especially for red meats. Drink: 2014-18

Tranche Cellars 2010 Sangiovese Estate 92 14.7%; www.tranchecellars.com, AWSP $30 at winery This wine shows Sangiovese’s characteristic, crunchy red fruit and acidic vibrancy. Layered with nuance, the aftertaste lingers despite the bold wall of tannin that could cut off the flavor of a less intense wine. Drink: 2014-16

Waters Winery 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 92 14.6%; www.waterswinery.com, AWSP $80 at winery Black, earthy and raw, this power-driven wine feels bridled at the moment with sweet black cherries, smoked beef and cigar wrapper chomping at the bits. Its 25% Malbec probably contributes the gangly tannins. The wine blankets the palate with viscosity and flavor, but bright acidity keeps it from feeling overblown. This is a big gulp to squeeze down at the moment; give it a few years. Drink: 2015-24

Page 32

Amavi Cellars 2012 Sémillon Walla Walla Valley 91 13.9%; www.amavicellars.com, AWSP $21 Broad and mouth-coating with obvious sweetness on the attack, this wine’s vague acidic backbone seems to come from its dollop of 11% Sauvignon Blanc. It’s a tropical bottling of mango and papaya infused with lighter, green notes of cucumber. The fairly long finish showcases the fruit’s high quality provenance. Drink: 2014-15

Andrew Will 2009 Two Blondes Vineyard Yakima Valley 91 14.5%; www.andrewwill.com, AWSP $66 Almost an equal split between Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc (with Sauvignon slightly in the lead), this wine pushes the limits of acceptable ripeness. The nose fascinates with bass notes of fig, prune and balsamic vinegar, and the palate comes through with morello cherry and smoked meat. There is just enough fruit juiciness and a cleansing acidity to keep the palate from becoming too ponderous. Drink: 2014-16

Avennia 2012 Sauvignon Blanc Oliane Yakima Valley 91 13.8%; www.avennia.com, AWSP $25 Only 200 cases of this natural yeast, barrel fermented (20% new French oak), sur lies-aged, unfined Sauvignon Blanc were produced from fruit grown in the Boushey and Red Willow Vineyards. It favors smells of lightly toasted coconut, roasted hazelnuts and vanilla bean rather than bold Sauvignon Blanc fruits like gooseberry and grapefruit. However, there’s a fine and delicate layer of chamomile, lemon peel and stone fruit trying to emerge from the background. With its mouthwatering acidity and succulent palate feel leading to a modest finish, this bottling is a safe bet for almost any occasion. Drink: 2014-15

Avennia 2011 Syrah Arnaut Boushey Vineyard Yakima Valley 91 14.8%; www.avennia.com, AWSP $48 This wine smells like meat searing in a cast iron skillet. Only 15% new French oak was used, but it is floating on top of the fruit for now. The concentration is there, and this toast and vanilla spice exuberance should integrate or slough off in time. Though it has that lovely acidic verve typical of 2011, it struggles to support the lightly syrupy palate. Drink: 2014-19

Boudreaux Cellars 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Washington 91 State 13.9%; www.boudreauxcellars.com, AWSP $99 Sourced from the Champoux (75%) and Loess (25%) vineyards, this wine is inky black in color and equally dense in fruit extraction. Laden with spicy oak from its 36 months in predominantly new barrels, thankfully there is plenty of fruit to handle it. And, to corral the wealth of fruit, strapping tannins come to the rescue. Drink: 2014-18

Buty 2010 Rediviva of the Stones Walla Walla Valley 91 13.7%; www.butywinery.com, AWSP $52 Buty claims to be Washington’s first to focus on Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah blends in the premium category. This 10th vintage of Rediviva of the Stones is a blend of 65% Syrah, 31% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Mourvèdre. It delivers a whopping Syrah-dominate nose of blackberries, sloe and iodine. Hardworking acidity delivers focus to the lightly sweet and definitively sumptuous mid-palate. Its ripeness may overwhelm the modest structure before it hits a decade of age, so monitor carefully. Drink: 2014-18

Page 33

Cadence 2010 Coda 91 14.4%; www.cadencewinery.com, AWSP $27 This value-driven blend (44% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Cabernet Franc and 6% Petit Verdot) comprises one-third of Cadence’s production. Its musical name reflects its making as it is assembled from the leftover bits of the high-end wines. This vintage is rather European in style with a lightly drying mouthfeel and a gamey, earthy fragrance. Smith shows a deft hand with barrels here; it’s surprising this was aged 14 months in 45% new wood. Drink: 2014-18

Côte Bonneville 2010 Chardonnay DuBrul Vineyard Yakima Valley 91 14.1%; www.cotebonneville.com, AWSP $47 Layered scents and flavors of honeycomb, yeast rolls, Poire William and baking spices create serious sex appeal. It’s mouthfilling Chardonnay that’s not heavy, thanks to the fresh acidity. The DuBrul Vineyard is the source for many a fine Washington wine, and this is its estate winery. Drink: 2014-17

Doyenne 2012 Rosé 91 14.1%; www.delillecellars.com, AWSP $30 at winery Rosés rarely fit into the 90+ category, so it’s particularly exciting when they do. This deeply salmon-colored one displays an enticing array of field strawberries and heirloom tomatoes along with earth and mineral complexity. Discreetly warm and full-bodied, this rosé of Grenache (55%), Mourvèdre (39%) and Cinsault (6%) demands food. Drink: 2014-14

Doyenne 2010 Syrah Signature 91 14.8%; www.delillecellars.com, AWSP $39 Forward in fruit yet subtle in oak, this Syrah (two-thirds from Red Mountain) benefits from a 2.5% Viognier infusion. Liquid blackberries and cracked black pepper show varietal trueness, but surprisingly there’s no iron, iodine or game here. It carries its light alcoholic warmth well, and its polished tannins make this immediately accessible. Drink: 2014-18

Efeste 2010 Syrah Ceidleigh 91 14.7%; www.efeste.com, AWSP $45 Super sappy and flamboyant, cassis, Tellicherry black peppercorns and blackberry preserves leap from the glass. Monsterous on the palate, it is better suited to tasting rather than drinking at this stage. Only 22% new French oak was used, but it lies on top of the fruit rather than mingling with it right now. The tannins are soft and the acidity is mild, but there should be enough structure to allow the wine some time to come together. Drink: 2016-20

Fausse Piste 2010 Roussanne L’Ortolan Outlook Vineyard 91 Yakima Valley 13.0%; www.faussepiste.com, AWSP $35 This wine’s nose is quintessential Roussanne. However, its palate shows surprising acidic lift and lacks the pooch of baby fat typically worn by this variety. Whatever the expectation, this combination strikes a perfect chord. Upfront aromas of hazelnut, beeswax and lemon candy follow through to the medium-plus finish. Terrific value. Drinks: 2014-17

Page 34

Gård Vintners 2011 Pinot Gris Grand Klasse Columbia Valley 91 14.5%; www.gardvintners.com, AWSP $17 at winery Gård means “farm” in Norweigian, and the Lawrence family named this winery for its 50 years of farming Washington’s Royal Slope. This Pinot Gris smells of bruised yellow apples, sweet spice and fresh-turned earth. Best enjoyed early, it is nonetheless a Pinot Gris of consequence. Drink: 2014-15

Gård Vintners 2010 Riesling Ice Wine Columbia Valley 91 9.3%; www.gardvintners.com, AWSP $34 at winery (375 ml) Regardless the region, Ice Wine doesn’t come easy. What it produces is something ethereal and unctuous. This wine doesn’t deny that standard. White raspberries, white chocolate and pear nectar lead in flavor. Not quite piercing in acidity, the profound sugar unctuousness could use some lift. Drink: 2014-17

Gramercy Cellars 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley 91 13.9%; www.gramercycellars.com, AWSP $50 This wine is profoundly red but far from opaque as are many other Washington Cabs, surprising considering its 1% dollop of über-dark Petit Verdot. This blackcurrant-studded Cabernet is finessed in aroma and structure with a medium body and solid acidic lift. The fruit is from Phinny Hill in the Horse Heaven Hills, just across the way from Champoux. Drink: 2010-19

Januik 2010 Cabernet Franc Weinbau Vineyard Wahluke Slope 91 14.4%; www.noveltyhilljanuik.com, AWSP $34 This is rather pale for Cabernet Franc in these parts, where color is often king. Nonetheless, the wine’s other aspects appeal entirely to New World imbibers, from its strongly oak- influenced nose to its sumptuous palate. Dark chocolate-covered cherries, overripe mulberries and blackcurrants battle the oak, but it all works out in the end. Drink: 2014-18

L’Ecole No. 41 2012 Luminesce Estate Seven Hills Vineyard Walla 91 Walla Valley 14.5%; www.lecole.com, AWSP $20 At L’Ecole No. 41’s Estate vineyard, only about 8 acres amongst 220 are dedicated to white. Tasting this subtle Sauvignon Blanc (61%) and Semillon (39%) blend, I wish there were more. (See my note on their Columbia Valley Semillon as well.) Straw, grapefruit, lemon pith and honeysuckle mingle and compose a medium finish. Drink: 2014-16

L’Ecole No. 41 2008 Perigee Estate Seven Hills Vineyard Walla 91 Walla Valley 14.5%; www.lecole.com, AWSP $40 Moving into its mature stage, this wine shows light bricking at the rim along with the development of Bordelais notes of cedar, cigar and spice box. Some youthful boysenberry and blackcurrant fruit still linger on the palate. Beautifully balanced and drinking well now. Drink: 2014-17

Page 35

Leonetti Cellar 2010 Sangiovese Walla Walla Valley 91 13.7%; www.leonetticellar.com, AWSP $85 A tribute to the Leonetti family’s Italian heritage, this bottling’s Sangiovese is 100% Biondi Santi clone. Since a (fortuitous) 2002 uh-oh in the winery by an extra hand, Syrah has been co-fermented with the Sangiovese. Figgins likes how the Syrah fills out the mid-palate. Tart red cherries, mulberries, tangy acidity and sandpaper-esque tannins belie the Syrah and sing of the Sangiovese. Drink: 2014-20

Owen Roe 2011 Syrah Lady Rosa 91 14.1%; www.owenroe.com, AWSP $43 Blackcurrant, grilled fig, lavender and anise scent this decadent wine. Succulent to the point of feeling slightly thick on the palate, this wine isn’t the easiest drinking in my book. The finish suggests longevity, but the structure may have trouble holding up. Drink: 2014-20

Ramseyer Vineyards 2010 R Vintage Six Yakima Valley 91 14.9%; www.ramseyervineyards.com, AWSP $50 Ten barrels (220 cases) of this sixth vintage were produced. For the first time, it included estate fruit. A complex merger of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot and 10% Malbec, this is a brawny, powerful wine with significant extraction and a faint perception of residual sugar. All the right things are done here, and while the wine is tasty, it’s not “there” yet. With the advancing age of estate vines, this should be a space to watch. Drink: 2015-20

Reininger Winery 2009 Carmenère Seven Hills Vineyard 91 Walla Walla 14.1%; www.reiningerwinery.com, AWSP $44 at winery Washington has less than 20 acres of Carmènere planted, so this varietal bottling is a treat. The nose is bright and aromatic with marionberries, grilled capsicum, soy and fresh-cracked pepper. The tannins lightly dry the palate, especially on the finish, making this a wine best enjoyed with food. Drink: 2014-16

Sheridan Vineyard 2011 Mystique Yakima Valley 91 14.1%; www.sheridanvineyard.com, AWSP $30 This generous red belies the fact vintage 2011 was 25% below normal heat units in eastern Washington. It is lightly viscous, shows some heat on the finish and doesn’t want for ripeness. Blueberries saturate the nose and palate of this Merlot (60%), Cabernet Franc (30%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (10%) blend. Ready to go and downright quaffable. Drink: 2012-19

Sleight of Hand Cellars 2011 Syrah Levitation 91 14.3%; www.sofhcellars.com, AWSP $45 at winery Wild berries mesh with bramble, game, black pepper and iodine in this wine. Less austere than the Funkadelic, this has a plumper mid-palate and less “funk”. It’s packed with varietal character: olives, underbrush, game and graphite. Full-bodied with little extraction, this beautiful gem has grace but, with only medium acidity, it doesn’t have quite the lift it needs to make it easy drinking. Decanting helps immensely now. Drink: 2014-18

Page 36

Sparkman 2010 Stella Mae Columbia Valley 91 14.9%; www.sparkmancellars.com, AWSP $50 Pure and vibrant, this Bordeaux-style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot shows the classically bright, Columbia Valley acidity (emphasized by vintage 2010) along with moderate extraction. Blueberries meet dusty earth then turn into a spicy finish. Drink: 2014-18

Tamarack Cellars 2008 Seven Hills Vineyard Reserve Walla Walla 91 Valley 14.5%; www.tamarackcellars.com, AWSP $50 Clean, concentrated and energized, this is a compelling wine. The Cabernet Sauvignon is accompanied by 5% each of Malbec and Carmenère. Blackcurrants are complemented by soy and asphalt. Yet again, I appreciate Coleman’s wines for their sheer sippability! Drink: 2015-23

Woodward Canyon 2012 Sauvignon Blanc Estate Walla 91 Walla Valley 14.3%; www.woodwardcanyon.com, AWSP $26 Very pale straw colored and briskly dry, this vivid Sauvignon Blanc is vinified with plenty of TLC. Whole cluster pressed with no malolactic fermentation, it is aged entirely in neutral oak after the primary fermentation. Pristine, it showcases flavors of nectarine, Gala apple and grass with a spicy top note on the finish. Mouthwatering acidity and light viscosity easily carry the high alcohol. Drink: 2014-15

21 Grams 2009 21 Grams Columbia Valley 90 14.5%; www.21gramswine.com, AWSP $120 Composed from the best lots of both Waters Winery and Gramercy Cellars, this 100-case bottling is a densely concentrated and boldly extracted wine of immense purity. Thankfully, the structure keeps things in-line. However, it is so super-charged it is one of those wines I would rather taste than drink. Check out the lovely label, painted by the celebrated Makoto Kojima. Drink: 2014-19

Adams Bench 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Mays Discovery Horse 90 Heaven Hills 14.5%; www.adamsbench.com, AWSP $NA A micro-production of only 97 cases, this is a blockbuster style of Cab. Blackberry jam, fig cake and baking spice create a sweet focus for the nose, but they are countered by grilled meat on the palate. The finish is long, but depending on your ripeness and oak tolerance, the flavors may be too tedious to enjoy. Drink: 2015-20

Alexandria Nicole 2011 Grenache Purple Reign Destiny Ridge 90 Vineyards Horse Heaven Hills 14.4%; www.alexandrianicolecellars.com, AWSP $42 at winery Supple and approachable, this Southern Rhône emulation is richly fruited and lightly exotic. Aromas of cigar humidor, worn leather and spice rack seduce the sipper. There’s a pinch of Syrah (4%) here to try to focus and lift this wine’s lazy palate. Drink: 2014-16

Page 37

Andrew Rich 2010 Syrah Prometheus Columbia Valley 90 14.1%; www.andrewrichwines.com, AWSP $26 Deep, bright and clear crimson color. The stong alcohol on the attack seems more balanced toward the finish. The lightly bitter tannins have some serious grip and are emphasized by the alcohol, despite the near port-like glycerol trying to provide some smoothness. Game, black pepper and peak-of-summer blackberries blend into an overall interesting wine but one not to attack now. Drink: 2015-18

Avennia 2010 Syrah Arnaut Boushey Vineyard Yakima Valley 90 15.1%; www.avennia.com, AWSP $Sold Out Huge and jammy. Nonetheless enticing, this bottling is still searching for its purpose, lost in a sea of unctuousness. There’s minerality and black pepper, but the alcohol tries to overwhelm these subtleties. Despite the beautiful purity, it’s not fun sipping to my taste. Drink: 2015-18

Chateau Ste. Michelle & Dr. Loosen 2008 Riesling Eroica 90 Columbia Valley 12.0%; www.ste-michelle.com, AWSP $21 This iconic Washington Riesling is really moving into its prime now. Apricot on the attack with honeyed mid-palate nuance, there’s an appealing blousiness from residual sugar, which gives the wine medium body. The finish lingers, allowing for extra time to savor its deliciousness. Drink: 2014-16

Chateau Ste. Michelle 2012 Riesling Cold Creek Vineyard 90 12.5%; www.ste-michelle.com, AWSP $14 Produced from 30-year-old vines, this Riesling boasts a ripe cantaloupe nose and tropical flavors of guava and passion fruit. Fairly light in body but not in concentration, there’s no reason to rush to imbibe this high-toned, classic Washington white. Drink: 2014-20

Corliss 2008 Syrah Columbia Valley 90 15.4%; corlissestates.com, AWSP $55 at winery Yet again, Corliss shows high quality fruit and high-minded winemaking with this Syrah. Nonetheless, this bottling is more of a generically chunky red wine than a Syrah. Its hedonistic oak and crunchy tannins leave a chalky impression on the palate. It’s a good thing the winery’s mission is to release in a five-year program. However, I wonder if the window should be revised to release earlier or later in case these 2008s were simply released during an awkward, closed-up phase. Drink: 2015-18

Den Hoed 2008 Marie’s View Wallula Vineyard Horse Heaven Hills 90 14.5%; www.denhoedwines.com/home, AWSP $68 Dried blackcurrants and hard-stemmed herbs frame this kitchen sink blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc and Sangiovese. Lightly developed with notes of fallen leaves and cigar wrapper, this wine isn’t necessarily becoming more refined but does seem to be harmonizing, despite the light heat appearing on the lingering finish. Drink: 2014-16

Page 38

Doyenne 2010 AIX Red Mountain 90 15.0%; www.delillecellars.com, AWSP $38 This spicy wine is a bit tedious on the palate between its vaguely syrupy texture, its medium acidity and leathery tannins. The 43% Cabernet Sauvignon shines brighter than the 51% Syrah while the 6% Mourvèdre obediently and discreetly blends into the cuvée. Cassis, licorice, eucalyptus, lavender and iodine pack the palate. Drink: 2014-16

Doyenne 2011 Métier 90 14.2%; www.delillecellars.com, AWSP $44 at winery A pretty magenta-red color, this wine virtually vibrates with youthful strawberry and lingonberry fruits. Medium-plus in body, its fine-tuned acidity makes it feel lighter than 14.2%. The palate is smooth to the point of feeling cuddly thanks to its glycerol veneer and caressing tannins. A blend of Grenache (40%), Mourvèdre (35%) and Syrah (25%), this reminds me of one of those Côtes du Rhônes that far exceeds its basic stature on the appellation scale. In fact, the graphite notes on the modest finish do seem Old World-ish. Drink: 2014-16

Dusted Valley Vintners 2010 Syrah Tall Tales Walla Walla 90 14.7%; dustedvalley.com, AWSP $53 at winery This wine offers crowd-pleasing, showstopping juiciness. Bramble, boysenberry and marionberry dominate while a touch of animale and North African spices add interest. The fairly short finish indicates this isn’t a wine for the long-haul but rather a wine to sip with gusto in the near term. Drink: 2014-16

Efeste 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Big Papa Old Block 90 Columbia Valley 14.5%; www.efeste.com, AWSP $52 Another blockbuster red from Efeste, this varietal wine comes from vines that average 31 years of age. Beware its impenetrable color, colossal concentration, sweet ripeness and extravagant oak flavors. If bigger is better in your eyes, feast on this bottling. It does possess enough acidic backing and suave tannins to support it for the medium-term. Drink: 2015-20

Efeste 2011 Chardonnay Lola Evergreen Vineyard 90 13.4%; www.efeste.com, AWSP $31 Seriously citrusy with notes of tangy sherbet and yuzu, this Chardonnay’s refinement and elegance are impressive. Nervous with high acidity and medium-bodied, this bottling works equally well alone or with food and is a good crossover for Old World imbibers. Drink: 2014-16

Efeste 2010 Final Final Red Blend Columbia Valley 90 14.4%; www.efeste.com, AWSP $28 By design, this “dumping ground”, as owner Daniel Ferrelli calls it, for Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah not used elsewhere, this red falls in step with its siblings. Smelling pleasantly like fig and prune pastry dusted with cinnamon, this wine has lots of drying tannin to corral its full body. If you like super-charged wines, this one offers good value. Drink: 2014-17

Page 39

Efeste 2012 Sauvignon Blanc Feral 90 13.5%; www.efeste.com, AWSP $21 From the cool Evergreen Vineyard in a warmer vintage, this wine’s slightly flamboyant ripeness is counterbalanced by zippy acidity (aided by the blocking of malolactic fermentation). Fermented in old French oak with native yeasts, this white shows appealing funk of sweaty socks and cheese rind. Drink: 2014-15

Efeste 2010 Syrah Eléni 90 15.0%; www.efeste.com, AWSP $45 wine club or winery only This is another opulent, extravagant effort produced from fruit grown on some of the oldest soils in Washington at the Red Willow Vineyard. The winemaking seems determined to out- do the terroir, however. Intense oak notes of milk chocolate, cappuccino and toast oppress the fruit expression. Additionally, the wine could be perceived as a bit off-dry due to its loads of extract and alcohol. Nonetheless, many will find hedonistic delight in this wine’s glowing purity and palate-saturating style. Drink: 2015-20

Efeste 2010 Syrah Jolie Bouche Boushey Vineyard Yakima Valley 90 14.9%; www.efeste.com, AWSP $39 A bit over the top at this youthful stage, there is, nonetheless, an appealing purity of fruit. The palate feels slightly cloying from its generous viscosity though the refined tannins do fight to provide balance. The moderate finish suggests this wine has time to come around, but proceede with caution in case it doesn’t. Drink: 2015-17

Force Majeure 2010 Ciel du Cheval Collaboration Series VI 90 Red Mountain 14.8%; www.forcemajeurevineyards.com, AWSP $50 at winery This is a turbo force of a wine in its tightly-knit mesh of blackberry, blackcurrant and fresh-cracked black pepper. It’s slightly sappy and surprisingly easy-drinking considering its domination by the furry Mouvedre (56%) and tannic Syrah (38%) with only 6% sappy Grenache. I tend to enjoy and admire James Montone’s wines at Syncline, so it follows this one should be just as delectable. Drink: 2014-18

Gramercy Cellars 2010 Syrah Lagniappe Columbia Valley 90 14.2%; www.gramercycellars.com, AWSP $55 Made entirely from Syrah with 30% stems and strictly neutral oak, this bottling is partially derived from an old block of the Red Willow Vineyard planted by the Sauer family (with the late David Lake MW’s strong encouragement) in 1983. A Syrah of grace and subtlety, exuberant red fruits and cured black olives dominate. Traces of evergreen levitate on the palate. Drink: 2014-18

J. Bookwalter 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Foreshadow 90 Columbia Valley 14.8%; www.bookwalterwines.com, AWSP $40 Accompanied by 8% Merlot and 3% Syrah, this blackberry- and blueberry-infused Cabernet Sauvignon shows high notes of asphalt and spice rack. Academically, it’s varietally spot-on in its grainy tannic structure, modest extraction and well-measured alcohol. However, it is somewhat joyless overall, even if technically correct. Drink: 2014-16

Page 40

J. Bookwalter 2011 Subplot No. 27 Columbia Valley 90 14.2%; www.bookwalterwines.com, AWSP $17 Inky-colored and seriously spicy, this is the 27th bottling of Subplot since 1983. Fittingly, this Syrah, Cabernet Sauvigon, Malbec, Cabernet Franc and Merlot mix is a composition of the remnants of the winery’s higher-end wines. At less than half the price of one of those, this wine is a proud beneficiary of these lots and shows that the sum truly can be greater than the parts. Drink: 2014-15

K Vintners 2012 Viognier Columbia Valley 90 14.5%; www.kvintners.com, AWSP $23 Medium straw-colored, this seems more like a nice white wine than it does a Viognier per se. The varietal character is not forthcoming. Smelling of toasted breadcrumbs, baby’s breath flowers and lemon pith and curd, this wine is diverse in flavors yet only modestly complex. Still, it’s delightful, especially for an inexpensive Washington white. Drink: 2014-18

L’Ecole No. 41 2010 Apogee Pepper Bridge Vineyard Walla 90 Walla Valley 14.5%; www.lecole.com, AWSP $39 Tasting this wine versus its companion, the Perigee, the names instantly make sense as the styles are completely opposite. If the Perigee is more Old World in style, this is for certain its blatantly New World counterpoint. This 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 10% Malbec and 5% Petit Verdot wine is much richer. It is also slightly hot from start to finish. Drink: 2014-18

L’Ecole No. 41 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley 90 14.5%; www.lecole.com, AWSP $30 This wine boasts a beautiful, forward and fresh nose of pure Cabernet Sauvignon with currants, Damson plums, licorice and a hint of tobacco leaf. The palate is full-bodied and a bit gruff with lightly coarse tannins and just enough acidity to make the palate feel terse. Quick to finish, but overall, it’s a nice wine for a big hunk of meat. Drink: 2014-17

L’Ecole No. 41 2012 Chardonnay Columbia Valley 90 14.5%; www.lecole.com, AWSP $21 Pale lemon pulp color. This wine is super-restrained - both on nose and palate - with hay, almond skin, citrus and aloe. Though labeled 14.1%, this wine feels more medium- than full-bodied. The finish is a bit pithy with a pleasant touch of phenolics. This is highly sophisticated and definitely made for the table. Drink: 2014-18

Long Shadows 2010 Pirouette Columbia Valley 90 14.9%; www.longshadows.com, AWSP $60 This blend of 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot and 10% Petit Verdot is simultaneously exotic and classic. Its nose is massive, bordering over-ripeness with its cassis and fig notes. Neither the oak spice (70% new French barrels) nor the alcohol is discreet, but Philippe Melka and Augustin Huneeus Sr. nonetheless manage to knit together a complete package. Drink: 2014-20

Page 41

Maison Bleue 2010 Marsanne Petite Joie Boushey Vineyard 90 Yakima Valley 13.9%; www.mbwinery.com, AWSP $35 The second vintage of this wine, named for Meuret’s daughter born the year prior, is pale gold, richly flavored, lightly viscous, moderately acidic and lengthy in finish. Aromas of raw hazelnuts, lemon curd and glue give it good varietal typicity. Drink: 2014-17

Maison Bleue 2010 Syrah Liberté Boushey Vineyard Yakima Valley 90 14.5%; www.mbwinery.com, AWSP $40 Feral on the first sniff, this wine becomes more aromatically refined in the glass as it releases garrigue, black olive and licorice. Streamlined tannins and mouthwatering acidity rein in the plump, black fruit flavors. Meuret may have multiple science degrees to his name, but his wines showcase terroir and variety rather than techy winemaking. Drink: 2014-20

Maison Bleue 2011 Viognier Notre Vie Arthur’s Vineyard 90 Yakima Valley 13.3%; www.mbwinery.com, AWSP $25 Planted in a former riverbed sitting at 425 meters (1,400 feet), Arthur’s Vineyard is also a primary site for Eroica Riesling. Meuret’s preference for leaner wines means he harvests at only 22.5-23 Brix, bringing cheeky acidity to a variety that tends to be blowsy. Forward in fragrance with peaches, white flowers and Brazil nut, this wine shows lovely minerality on the palate. Drink: 2014-17

Milbrandt Vineyards 2010 Merlot The Estates Wahluke Slope 90 14.3%; www.milbrandtvineyards.com, AWSP $22 A wine that dabbles in the extravagrant while keeping a sense of restraint, this wine is both a people and a wallet pleaser. It is densely plummy and streaked with cassis, mint and dark chocolate highlights. Full-bodied with a lingering finish, this wine shouldn’t be dismissed for its upfront showiness. Drink: 2014-18

Monde Eau-Wine into H20 2011 Syrah 90 13.5%; www.badgermtnvineyard.com/monde_eau, AWSP $9 The purple-black color promises a pungent wine. Beyond that, it is incredibly true to the grape variety with cracked black pepper, tar, blackberry and game. Medium-plus in body with refreshing acidity and moderate tannins, this is easy to quaff yet still a wine of personality despite its fairly quick finish. It is also made from organically grown grapes. Drink: 2014-15

Owen Roe 2010 Union Gap Yakima Valley 90 14.3%; www.owenroe.com, AWSP $85 at winery Uncomfortably pricey for what it delivers vis-à-vis other wines like the Yakima Valley Red, this Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Malbec cuvée comes across as a touch hot and loaded up with oak, despite the fact only 15% is new. Still, this single vineyard delivers high quality fruit and a fairly long finish. Drink: 2014-18

Page 42

Rôtie Cellars 2012 Northern White Washington State 90 13.5%; rotiecellars.com, AWSP $28 at winery Dazzling bright yellow color. Typical of Marsanne (100%, in fact), this wine is restrained in aroma – especially on the fruit side - but full in flavor. Melting butter (not oak derived), raw hazelnut, bamboo, yellow tomato, yellow grapefruit and baby’s breath flowers mingle. The body is full, the acidity is medium-plus and the finish lingers. This is a fresher Marsanne than usual, given its 55-degree (13 degrees Celsius) fermentation, all in stainless steel and with zero secondary fermentation. For the price and style, it offers good value. Drink: 2014-18

Seven Hills 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley 90 13.5%; www.sevenhillswinery.com, AWSP $22 This cuvée is the lucky beneficiary of fruit usually destined for the Ciel du Cheval, Pintade, Klipsun and Reserve bottlings due to the chilly vintage. The result is a mid-depth, ruby color wine with inky streaks. Its bright nose of black plum and cedar works into a medium-plus finish. This is a fabulous value and what I would hope for more of from Washington. Drink: 2014-17

Seven Hills 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Seven Hills Vineyard Walla 90 Walla Valley 14.5%; www.sevenhillswinery.com, AWSP $36 From the old blocks of the Seven Hills vineyard. Excellent varietal typicity wrapped into a neatly structured package of firm, lightly chunky tannins and medium, structuring acidity. The wine’s forté is its aromatics followed by its structuring attack. The complexity and finish are modest, but the wine shows a good bit of chocolate oak spice. Drink: 2014-18

Sleight of Hand Cellars 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon The Illusionist 90 Columbia Valley 14.7%; www.sofhcellars.com, AWSP $54 A bewitching Bordelais-style blend, this wine is a beautiful combination of opulent fruit and serious earthiness, divided bewteen 91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot and 4% Cabernet Franc. It is beguiling for a New World wine as, typically, their high-toned fruits suppress their bass notes. However, both are equally pronounced here. The wine carries its alcohol well thanks to its good acidic tension and mild but framing tannins. Still, neither can quite overcome the slightly syrupy texture. Drink: 2014-20

Sleight of Hand Cellars 2011 Chardonnay The Enchantress Old 90 Vines Yakima Valley 12.9%; www.sofhcellars.com, AWSP $29 This wine hails from the French Creek Vineyard, planted in 1978 and now under the control of Meuret at Maison Bleue. This was whole cluster pressed to neutral French oak and spent 11 months on the lees, delivering a slightly hazy wine of vibrant yellow color. Aromatics of yellow apples, raw hazelnuts, brown sugar and whipping cream reel from the glass. The attack is dry and moderate in body, but the mid-palate creaminess gives the overall mouthfeel a boost. The wine is rather Old World in fruit character and alcohol as well as its minerality. Drink: 2014-16

Page 43

Soos Creek 2010 Ciel du Cheval Vineyard Red Mountain 90 14.1%; www.sooscreekwine.com, AWSP $35 An about-face from the two other Soos Creek wines previously summarized, this one is heady in extraction and whacked with oak. Still, there’s good fruit purity and expressiveness, and the thick and mouth-coating palate will entice lovers of decadently-styled bottlings. The finish is long, both on fruit and on oak. (59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Cabernet Franc and 8% Merlot) Drink: 2015-20

Stevens 2010 Syrah Black Tongue Yakima Valley 90 14.9%; www.stevenswinery.com, AWSP $32 Appropriately named given its purple-black, opaque appearance, this wine is lavish in extraction and oak. It is fun to taste and will have many fans from the hedonistic wine lovers crowd. It’s pure, varietally true and finishes fairly long, so there are brownie points to award here. However, I personally couldn’t drink more than a half glass at best. Drink: 2014-16

Tamarack Cellars 1999 Merlot Columbia Valley 90 13.5%; www.tamarackcellars.com, AWSP $NA Tobacco, grilled meat, barbecue spice and a touch of funk create an intriguing bouquet that suggests this wine is approaching its peak. Still aromatically lively, the palate also engages with resolved tannins and crisply delineated acidity. Don’t decant and drink with enthusiasm…fairly quickly, that is. Drink: 2014-15, depending on bottle variation

Tamarack Cellars 2008 Syrah Ciel du Cheval Vineyard 90 14.8%; www.tamarackcellars.com, AWSP $50 Coleman says, “I’m a Bordeaux guy. Younger guys do Syrah. Not my thing.” This wine, however, does its best to contradict him. Five years out of harvest, it has calmed down. It’s fairly laid-back, feeling lightly mouth-coating and pillow-y in the mid-palate. The elevated alcohol is not obvious. Coleman picks later to avoid greeness, but he doesn’t aim to make Port. Drink: 2014-18

Tamarack Cellars 2012 Viognier Columbia Valley 90 13.4%; tamarackcellars.com, AWSP $24 Peach and lemon curd burst from the glass in this easy-drinking Viognier. Lightly viscous with good acidic support and a creamy mid-palate, this is a value-oriented crowd-pleaser from the 12th winery established in the Walla Walla Valley. Clearly, Ron Coleman knows how to make wines to keep drinkers coming back. Drink: 2014-15

Tranche Cellars 2009 Cabernet Franc Estate Walla Walla Valley 90 14.9%; www.tranchecellars.com, AWSP $30 at winery Sourced from owned parcels in the Corliss’ Blue Mountain Estate, winemaker Griffin Frey’s three-day cold soak and careful basket pressing result in a gratifying overload of pure flavors (with some help from the warm vintage, naturally.) After the initial palate-drenching of blueberries, graphite and cocoa, a surge of tannin cleanses the palate while the moderate acidity prowls in the fringes. Drink: 2014-17

Page 44

Waters Winery 2010 Interlude Columbia Valley 90 14.5%; www.waterswinery.com, AWSP $27 This chunky blend of Merlot (57%), Cabernet Sauvignon (27%), Malbec (13%) and Cabernet Franc (3%) wears a good bit of baby fat that makes for easy drinking. There is a nice balance between succulence and savoriness that lasts into the medium finish. Give it some time to unwind from its über-youthfulness. Drink: 2014-17

Woodward Canyon 2010 Merlot Columbia Valley 90 14.9%; www.woodwardcanyon.com, AWSP $40 A dash of Grenache accompanies this somewhat stocky Merlot. Mostly from the Weinbau Vineyard, which Small says contributes cherry, spice and coffee, about one-third is earthy estate fruit. Its oak aging also contributes spiciness along with light tannins. Smooth and lightly warm with bodybuilder-esque concentration, it’s a bit monolithic now. Drink: 2015-20

Page 45

Complete scores A-Z name

ne i INTAGE ro P DUCER W V COLOUR SCORE ABV AWSP

21 Grams 21 Grams Columbia Valley 2009 Red 90 14.5 $120

Abeja Cabernet Sauvignon "Vtg 10" Columbia Valley 2010 Red 93 14.3 $45

Adams Bench Cabernet Sauvignon Mays Discovery Horse Heaven Hills 2010 Red 90 14.5 NA

Adams Bench Cabernet Sauvignon Red Willow Vineyard Yakima Valley 2010 Red 88 14.9 NA

Adams Bench Cabernet Sauvignon The V Columbia Valley 2010 Red 87 14.6 $55

Adams Bench Reckoning Columbia Valley 2010 Red 87 14.8 NA

Airfield Estates Aviator Yakima Valley 2009 Red 88 14.5 $31

Airfield Estates Bombshell Red Vineyard Salute Yakima Valley 2010 Red 88 14.1 $17

Airfield Estates Chardonnay Unoaked Yakima Valley 2012 White 87 13.9 $14

Alexandria Nicole Grenache Purple Reign Destiny Ridge Vineyards Horse Heaven Hills 2011 Red 90 14.4 $42 at winery

Alexandria Nicole Quarry Butte Destiny Ridge Vineyards Horse Heaven Hills 2010 Red 88 14.5 $23

Alexandria Nicole Shepherd's Mark Destiny Ridge Vineyards Horse Heaven Hills 2012 White 93 13.5 $20

Amavi Cellars Cabernet Franc Rosé Walla Walla Valley 2012 Rosé 89 13.9 Sold out

Amavi Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla Valley 2010 Red 89 14.1 $26

Amavi Cellars Sémillon Walla Walla Valley 2012 White 91 13.9 $21

Amavi Cellars Syrah Walla Walla Valley 2011 Red 88 14.3 $26

Andrew Rich Roussanne Columbia Valley 2011 White 92 14.1 $22

Andrew Rich Syrah Prometheus Columbia Valley 2010 Red 90 14.1 $26

Andrew Will Cabernet Franc Columbia Valley 2009 Red 92 14.0 $30

Andrew Will Champoux Vineyard Horse Heaven Hills 2009 Red 94 14.5 $61

Andrew Will Ciel du Cheval Vineyard Red Mountain 2009 Red 92 14.5 $54

Andrew Will Sorella Horse Heaven Hills 2009 Red 94 14.5 $70

Andrew Will Two Blondes Vineyard Yakima Valley 2009 Red 91 14.5 $66

Anew Riesling Columbia Valley 2012 White 87 11.5 $12

Arbor Crest Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Dionysus Vineyard Columbia Valley 2010 Red 79 13.9 $34

Arbor Crest Wine Cellars Meritage Blend Dionysus Vineyard Columbia Valley 2010 Red 86 13.8 $45

Arbor Crest Wine Cellars Merlot Four Vineyards Columbia Valley 2010 Red 79 13.8 $13

Arbor Crest Wine Cellars Sauvignon Blanc 2012 White 81 13.0 $10

Avennia Gravura Columbia Valley 2010 Red 93 14.5 $36

Avennia Justine Yakima Valley 2011 Red 94 14.9 $35

Avennia Sauvignon Blanc Oliane Yakima Valley 2012 White 91 13.8 $25

Avennia Sestina Columbia Valley 2010 Red 94 14.5 $52

Avennia Syrah Arnaut Boushey Vineyard Yakima Valley 2011 Red 91 14.8 $48 at winery

Avennia Syrah Arnaut Boushey Vineyard Yakima Valley 2010 Red 90 15.1 Sold out

Betz Family Vineyards Bésoleil Columbia Valley 2011 Red 93 14.2 $49

Betz Family Vineyards Bésoleil Columbia Valley 2010 Red 92 14.6 $45

Betz Family Vineyards Clos de Betz Columbia Valley 2010 Red 93 14.2 $60

Betz Family Vineyards Père de Famille Columbia Valley 2010 Red 92 14.0 $70

Betz Family Vineyards Père de Famille Columbia Valley 2005 Red 92 14.5 $64

Betz Family Vineyards Syrah La Côte Patriarche Yakima Valley 2011 Red 94 14.3 $55

Betz Family Vineyards Syrah La Côte Rousse Red Mountain 2006 Red 94 14.5 $63

Boudreaux Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Washington State 2008 Red 91 13.9 $99

Boudreaux Cellars Malbec Columbia Valley 2008 Red 93 13.5 $60 at winery

Boudreaux Cellars Syrah Wallula Vineyard Horse Heaven Hills 2008 Red 92 13.6 $60

Buty Chardonnay Conner Lee Vineyard Columbia Valley 2011 White 89 13.8 $35

Buty Rediviva of the Stones Walla Walla Valley 2010 Red 91 13.7 $52

Buty Rediviva Phinny Hill Vineyard Horse Heaven Hills 2009 Red 93 14.5 $55

Buty Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Muscadelle 2011 White 89 13.8 $25

Cadaretta Springboard Columbia Valley 2009 Red 86 14.1 $50 at winery

Cadaretta Syrah Columbia Valley 2010 Red 84 14.3 $33

Cadence Bel Canto Cara Mia Vineyard Red Mountain 2010 Red 95 14.4 $55

Cadence Bel Canto Cara Mia Vineyard Red Mountain 2009 Red 92 14.4 $55

Cadence Bel Canto Cara Mia Vineyard Red Mountain 2008 Red 93 14.4 $55

Cadence Bel Canto Cara Mia Vineyard Red Mountain 2006 Red 92 14.4 $50

Cadence Camerata Cara Mia Vineyard Red Mountain 2010 Red 93 14.4 $55

Cadence Camerata Cara Mia Vineyard Red Mountain 2009 Red 92 14.4 $55

Cadence Ciel du Cheval Vineyard 2009 Red 94 14.4 $45

Cadence Coda 2010 Red 91 14.4 $27

Cadence Tapteil Vineyard Red Mountain 2009 Red 92 14.4 $45

Canoe Ridge Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon The Expedition Horse Heaven Hills 2011 Red 85 13.5 $17

Canoe Ridge Vineyard Merlot The Expedition Horse Heaven Hills 2011 Red 86 13.9 $17

Cayuse Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Widowmaker En Chamberlin Vineyard 2010 Red 92 14.7 $160

Cayuse Vineyards Grenache God Only Knows Armada Vineyard Walla Walla Valley 2010 Red 94 14.4 $80

Cayuse Vineyards Syrah Bionic Frog 2010 Red 95 14.8 $260

Cayuse Vineyards Syrah Cailloux Vineyard 2010 Red 96 14.8 $118

Cayuse Vineyards Syrah En Chamberlin Vineyard 2011 Red 94 13.4 $80

Cayuse Vineyards Syrah En Chamberlin Vineyard 2010 Red 96 14.7 $160

Cayuse Vineyards Tempranillo Impulsivo En Chamberlin Vineyard 2010 Red 92 14.8 $150

Charles Smith Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Chateau Smith Columbia Valley 2011 Red 87 13.5 $18

Charles Smith Wines Chardonnay Eve Columbia Valley 2012 White 86 13.0 $12

Charles Smith Wines Merlot The Velvet Devil Columbia Valley 2012 Red 88 13.5 $12 at winery

Charles Smith Wines Riesling Kung Fu Girl Washington State 2012 White 88 11.0 $13

Charles Smith Wines Syrah Boom Boom Columbia Valley 2011 Red 84 13.5 $17

Chateau Ste Michelle & Dr. Loosen Riesling Eroica Columbia Valley 2012 White 92 12.0 $20

Chateau Ste Michelle & Dr. Loosen Riesling Eroica Columbia Valley 2008 White 90 12.0 $21

Chateau Ste Michelle & Dr. Loosen Riesling Eroica Gold Columbia Valley 2012 White 92 10.0 $35

Chateau Ste. Michelle Cabernet Sauvignon Cold Creek Vineyard 2010 Red 92 15.0 $28

Chateau Ste. Michelle Chardonnay Canoe Ridge Estate Horse Heaven Hills 2010 White 89 14.5 $19

Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling Cold Creek Vineyard 2012 White 90 12.5 $14

Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling Dry Columbia Valley 2012 White 88 13.0 $10

Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling Ethos Reserve Late Harvest Columbia Valley (375ml) 2011 White 94 8.0 $27

Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling Waussie Columbia Valley 2012 White 92 13.0 $24 at winery

Chateau Ste. Michelle Syrah Reserve Ethos 2010 Red 88 15.0 $45 at winery

Col Solare Col Solare 2008 Red 93 14.5 $63

Columbia Crest Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2009 Red 86 14.5 $39

Corliss Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 Red 94 14.7 $75 at winery

Corliss Corliss 2008 Red 93 14.9 $65 at winery

Corliss Syrah Columbia Valley 2008 Red 90 15.4 $55 at winery

Côte Bonneville Chardonnay DuBrul Vineyard Yakima Valley 2010 White 91 14.1 $47

Côte Bonneville Côte Bonneville DuBrul Vineyard Yakima Valley 2008 Red 93 14.6 $120 at winery

Côte Bonneville Riesling DuBrul Vineyard Yakima Valley 2012 White 92 10.0 $22

Côte Bonneville Syrah DuBrul Vineyard Yakima Valley 2010 Red 87 14.7 $70

DeLille Cellars Chaleur Estate Blanc Columbia Valley 2012 White 93 14.0 $34

DeLille Cellars Chaleur Estate Red Mountain 2010 Red 95 14.9 Sold out

DeLille Cellars D2 2010 Red 92 14.7 $40

DeLille Cellars Harrison Hill 2010 Red 95 14.4 $68

DeLille Cellars Roussanne Red Mountain 2012 White 92 14.0 $33

Den Hoed Marie's View Wallula Vineyard Horse Heaven Hills 2008 Red 90 14.5 $68

Doubleback Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla Valley 2010 Red 92 14.4 $100

Doyenne AIX Red Mountain 2010 Red 90 15.0 $38

Doyenne Métier 2011 Red 90 14.2 $44 at winery

Doyenne Rosé 2012 Rosé 91 14.1 $30 at winery

Doyenne Syrah Signature 2010 Red 91 14.8 $39

Dusted Valley Vintners Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley 2010 Red 88 14.7 $35 at winery

Dusted Valley Vintners Merlot Boomtown 2010 Red 81 14.1 $17

Dusted Valley Vintners Pinot Gris Boomtown Columbia Valley 2011 White 84 13.5 $14

Dusted Valley Vintners Syrah Stained Tooth Columbia Valley 2011 Red 86 14.7 $31

Dusted Valley Vintners Syrah Tall Tales Walla Walla Valley 2010 Red 90 14.7 $53 at winery

Efeste Cabernet Sauvignon Big Papa Old Block Columbia Valley 2010 Red 90 14.5 $52

Efeste Chardonnay Lola Evergreen Vineyard 2011 White 90 13.4 $31

Efeste Final Final Red Blend Columbia Valley 2010 Red 90 14.4 $28

Efeste Riesling Evergreen Columbia Valley 2011 White 89 12.1 $18

Efeste Rosé Babbitt 2012 Rosé 89 14.2 $20 at winery

Efeste Sauvignon Blanc Feral 2012 White 90 13.5 $21

Efeste Sauvignon Blanc Sauvage 2011 White 92 12.5 $18

Efeste Syrah Ceidleigh 2010 Red 91 14.7 $45

Efeste Syrah Eléni 2010 Red 90 15.0 $45 at winery or via wine club Efeste Syrah Jolie Bouche Boushey Vineyard Yakima Valley 2010 Red 90 14.9 $39

Eight Bells Cabernet Sauvignon David's Block Red Willow Vineyard Yakima 2010 Red 89 14.5 $35 at winery

Eight Bells Sangiovese Red Willow Vineyard Yakima Valley 2011 Red 89 13.9 $20 at winery

Eight Bells Syrah Eight Clones Red Willow Vineyard Yakima Valley 2011 Red 88 13.6 $32 at winery

Fausse Piste Grenache Les Garçons Columbia Valley 2010 Red 89 14.5 $25

Fausse Piste Pinot Noir Columbia Valley 2011 Red 88 13.0 NA

Fausse Piste Roussanne L'Ortolan Outlook Vineyard Yakima Valley 2010 White 91 13.0 $35

Fausse Piste Syrah Ambassador Columbia Valley 2010 Red 88 14.5 $25

Figgins Estate Red Wine 2010 Red 92 14.3 $99

Figgins Estate Red Wine Walla Walla Valley 2009 Red 93 14.4 $99

Force Majeure Ciel du Cheval Vineyard Collaboration Series I Red Mountain 2010 Red 95 14.8 $58 at winery

Force Majeure Ciel du Cheval Vineyard Collaboration Series III Red Mountain 2010 Red 92 14.7 $58 at winery

Force Majeure Ciel du Cheval Vineyard Collaboration Series VI Red Mountain 2010 Red 90 14.8 $50 at winery

Force Majeure Viognier Collaboration Series Red Mountain 2011 White 93 14.3 $35 at winery

Gård Vintners Pinot Gris Grand Klasse Columbia Valley 2011 White 91 14.5 $17 at winery

Gård Vintners Riesling Columbia Valley 2011 White 87 12.5 $17 at winery

Gård Vintners Riesling Grand Klasse Columbia Valley 2011 White 88 13.1 $32 at winery

Gård Vintners Riesling Ice Wine Columbia Valley (375 ml) 2010 White 91 9.3 $34 at winery

Gramercy Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley 2009 Red 91 13.9 $50

Gramercy Cellars Rosé Olsen Vineyard Columbia Valley 2012 Rosé 88 13.2 $25

Gramercy Cellars Syrah John Lewis 2007 Red 94 13.9 Sold out

Gramercy Cellars Syrah Lagniappe Columbia Valley 2010 Red 90 14.2 $55

Gramercy Cellars The Third Man Columbia Valley 2010 Red 93 14.7 $50

Grand Ciel Cabernet Sauvignon Four Flags 2010 Red 94 15.1 Wine club only

Grand Ciel Cabernet Sauvignon Red Mountain 2009 Red 96 15.0 $170

Guardian Cellars Chalk Line Columbia Valley 2010 Red 86 14.5 $24

Guardian Cellars Merlot Confidential Source Columbia Valley 2010 Red 87 14.4 $30

Guardian Cellars The Informant Stonetree Vineyard Wahluke Slope 2010 Red 89 14.5 $32

Helix by Reininger Chardonnay Columbia Valley 2011 White 88 13.5 $21

Helix by Reininger Merlot Columbia Valley 2009 Red 88 14.2 $23

Helix by Reininger Sangiovese Stillwater Creek Columbia Valley 2007 Red 87 14.2 $24

Helix by Reininger Stone Tree SoRho Columbia Valley 2008 Red 88 14.4 $33

Helix by Reininger Syrah Columbia Valley 2009 Red 89 14.8 $24 Hogue Cellars Riesling Columbia Valley 2011 White 86 12.5 $9 Hogue Cellars Riesling Genesis 2011 White 85 13.0 NA

Hogue Cellars Riesling Late Harvest Columbia Valley 2011 White 88 11.0 $9

Hogue Cellars Riesling Late Harvest Reserve Yakima Valley 2011 White 88 7.9 $30 at winery $120 (upon May 2014 Horsepower Vineyards Grenache Sur Echalas Walla Walla Valley 2011 Red 95 13.5 release) $120 (upon May 2014 Horsepower Vineyards Syrah The Tribe Vineyard 2011 Red 93 13.2 release) J. Bookwalter Cabernet Sauvignon Foreshadow Colulmbia Valley 2010 Red 90 14.8 $40

J. Bookwalter Chardonnay Double Plot Columbia Valley 2011 White 86 13.2 NA

J. Bookwalter Couplet Conner-Lee Columbia Valley 2012 White 92 14.2 $16

J. Bookwalter Notebook 3NV Red Blend Columbia Valley NV Red 87 13.2 $15

J. Bookwalter Protagonist Columbia Valley 2010 Red 89 14.8 $45

J. Bookwalter Riesling Notebook Columbia Valley 2012 White 88 12.5 $13

J. Bookwalter Riesling Notebook Columbia Valley 2011 White 86 13.2 $14

J. Bookwalter Rosé Scarlett Hexflame 2012 Rosé 86 12.2 NA

J. Bookwalter Subplot No. 27 Columbia Valley 2011 Red 90 14.2 $17

J. Bookwalter Syrah Antagonist Columbia Valley 2011 Red 89 14.8 $45 at winery

Januik Cabernet Franc Weinbau Vineyard Wahluke Slope 2010 Red 91 14.4 $34

Januik Cabernet Sauvignon Champoux Vineyard Horse Heaven Hills 2010 Red 92 14.4 $53

Januik Riesling Bacchus Vineyard Columbia Valley 2011 White 89 12.5 $20

JM Cellars Tre Columbia Valley 2010 Red 86 14.4 $39

K Vintners Syrah Milbrandt Wahluke Slope 2011 Red 93 14.0 $30

K Vintners Syrah Morrison Lane Walla Walla Valley 2010 Red 93 15.0 $47

K Vintners Syrah Motor City Kitty 2010 Red 87 14.5 $31

K Vintners Syrah Phil Lane Walla Walla Valley 2006 Red 96 14.5 $109 at winery

K Vintners Viognier Columbia Valley 2012 White 90 14.5 $23

L'Ecole No. 41 Apogee Pepper Bridge Vineyard Walla Walla Valley 2010 Red 90 14.5 $39

L'Ecole No. 41 Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley 2010 Red 90 14.5 $30

L'Ecole No. 41 Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla Valley 2010 Red 93 14.5 $35

L'Ecole No. 41 Chardonnay Columbia Valley 2012 White 90 14.5 $21

L'Ecole No. 41 Chenin Blanc Columbia Valley 2012 White 92 13.5 $17

L'Ecole No. 41 Luminesce Estate Seven Hills Vineyard Walla Walla Valley 2012 White 91 14.5 $20

L'Ecole No. 41 Merlot Columbia Valley 2010 Red 88 14.5 $24

L'Ecole No. 41 Merlot Estate Seven Hills Vineyard Walla Walla Valley 2010 Red 92 14.5 $35

L'Ecole No. 41 Perigee Estate Seven Hills Vineyard Walla Walla Valley 2010 Red 93 14.5 $46

L'Ecole No. 41 Perigee Estate Seven Hills Vineyard Walla Walla Valley 2008 Red 91 14.5 $40

L'Ecole No. 41 Semillon Columbia Valley 2012 White 92 14.5 $18

L'Ecole No. 41 Syrah Columbia Valley 2010 Red 87 15.0 $24

L'Ecole No. 41 Syrah Estate Seven Hills Vineyard Walla Walla Valley 2010 Red 92 15.0 $33

Leonetti Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla Valley 2010 Red 96 14.3 $99

Leonetti Cellar Merlot Walla Walla Valley 2011 Red 93 14.0 $85

Leonetti Cellar Reserve Walla Walla Valley 2010 Red 97 14.4 $199

Leonetti Cellar Sangiovese Walla Walla Valley 2010 Red 91 13.7 $85

Lone Birch Wines Chardonnay Yakima Valley 2011 White 86 12.5 $11

Lone Birch Wines Pinot Gris Yakima Valley 2012 White 87 13.1 $11

Long Shadows Cabernet Sauvignon Feather Columbia Valley 2009 Red 96 14.2 $55

Long Shadows Chester Kidder 2009 Red 92 14.9 $50 at winery

Long Shadows Merlot Pedestal 2010 Red 89 15.2 $59

Long Shadows Pirouette Columbia Valley 2010 Red 90 14.9 $60

Long Shadows Riesling Poet's Leap Columbia Valley 2012 White 93 12.9 $19

Long Shadows Saggi Columbia Valley 2010 Red 92 14.9 $45 $50 (upon early 2014 Long Shadows Syrah Sequel 2010 Red 94 14.8 release) $35 (at winery upon Spring Maison Bleue Grenache Le Midi Boushey Vineyard Yakima Valley 2011 Red 93 14.5 2014 release) Maison Bleue GSM Gravière Upland Vineyard Snipes Mountain 2010 Red 93 14.5 $45

Maison Bleue GSM Jaja Yakima Valley 2011 Red 92 14.1 $28

Maison Bleue Marsanne Petite Joie Boushey Vineyard Yakima Valley 2011 White 93 13.3 $35

Maison Bleue Marsanne Petite Joie Boushey Vineyard Yakima Valley 2010 White 90 13.9 $35

Maison Bleue Rosé of Mourvèdre La Famille 2012 Rosé 89 12.5 $20

Maison Bleue Syrah Liberté Boushey Vineyard Yakima Valley 2011 Red 92 14.1 $40 at winery

Maison Bleue Syrah Liberté Boushey Vineyard Yakima Valley 2010 Red 90 14.5 $40

Maison Bleue Viognier Notre Vie Arthur's Vineyard Yakima Valley 2011 White 90 13.3 $25

McCrea Cellars Counoise Ciel du Cheval Red Mountain 2009 Red 83 14.8 $28 at winery

McCrea Cellars Grenache Yakima Valley 2009 Red 85 14.8 $28 at winery

McCrea Cellars Syrah Boushey Vineyard Yakima Valley 2008 Red 89 14.5 $38

McCrea Cellars Syrah Cuvée Orleans Yakima Valley 2008 Red 85 14.6 $42

Mercer Estates Riesling Yakima Valley 2011 White 86 12.1 $15

Milbrandt Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon The Estates Wahluke Slope 2010 Red 92 13.5 $23

Milbrandt Vineyards Merlot The Estates Wahluke Slope 2010 Red 90 14.3 $22

Millbrandt Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Traditions Columbia Valley 2011 Red 88 13.6 $15

Millbrandt Vineyards Merlot Traditions Columbia Valley 2009 Red 87 13.5 $17

Millbrandt Vineyards Sentinel Wahluke Slope 2009 Red 87 15.2 $44

Monde Eau-Wine into H20 Syrah 2011 Red 90 13.5 $9 $90 (upon March 2014 No Girls Grenache La Paciencia Vineyard Walla Walla Valley 2010 Red 94 14.4 release) $70 (upon March 2014 No Girls Syrah La Paciencia Vineyard 2010 Red 93 14.8 release) Northstar Merlot Columbia Valley 2009 Red 89 14.8 $33

Novelty Hill Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley 2010 Red 88 14.4 $23

Novelty Hill Sauvignon Blanc Stillwater Creek Vineyard Columbia Valley 2012 White 88 13.5 $17

O Wines Red Wine Columbia Valley 2010 Red 86 13.5 $15

Otis Kenyon Incendiary Washington State 2009 Red 88 14.8 NA

Otis Kenyon Merlot Washington State 2009 Red 88 14.4 NA

Owen Roe Cabernet Franc The Pearl Yakima Valley 2011 Red 93 13.2 $72 at winery

Owen Roe Chardonnay DuBrul Vineyard Yakima Valley 2012 White 94 13.0 $48 at winery

Owen Roe Red Wine Yakima Valley 2010 Red 93 14.5 $38

Owen Roe Sinister Hand Yakima Valley 2011 Red 92 14.3 $25

Owen Roe Syrah Chapel Block Red Willow Vineyard Yakima Valley 2011 Red 89 14.1 $55 at winery

Owen Roe Syrah Ex Umbris Columbia Valley 2010 Red 89 14.2 $28

Owen Roe Syrah Lady Rosa 2011 Red 91 14.1 $43

Owen Roe Union Gap Yakima Valley 2010 Red 90 14.3 $85 at winery

Owen Roe Yakima Valley Red 2009 Red 87 14.6 $37

Pacific Rim Riesling Dry Columbia Valley 2011 White 87 13.5 $10

Pacific Rim Riesling Wallula Vineyard 2010 White 87 12.9 $18

Pepper Bridge Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla Valley 2010 Red 89 14.5 $60 at winery

Pepper Bridge Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla Valley 2009 Red 88 14.1 $55

Pepper Bridge Winery Merlot Walla Walla Valley 2010 Red 89 14.5 $49

Pepper Bridge Winery Trine Walla Walla Valley 2009 Red 89 14.1 $60

Powers Champoux Reserve Horse Heaven Hills 2009 Red 82 14.0 $38

Powers Coyote Vineyard Reserve Wahluke Slope 2009 Red 84 14.0 $26

Powers Merlot Columbia Valley 2010 Red 84 14.0 $15

Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley 2010 Red 92 15.2 $225

Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley 2006 Red 94 15.2 $225

Quilceda Creek Merlot Columbia Valley 2005 Red 92 14.9 $100

Ramseyer Vineyards R Vintage Six Yakima Valley 2010 Red 91 14.9 $50

Rasa Vineyards Creative Impulse DuBrul Vineyard Yakima Valley 2009 Red 88 15.3 $99

Rasa Vineyards In Order to Form a More Perfect Union 2009 Red 87 15.2 $95 at winery

Rasa Vineyards QED Columbia Valley 2009 Red 89 14.7 $50 at winery

Rasa Vineyards Riesling The Lyricist 2011 White 85 11.5 $28

Reininger Carmenère Seven Hills Vineyard Walla Walla Valley 2009 Red 91 14.1 $44 at winery

Rôtie Cellars Northern Blend Washington State 2011 Red 92 13.8 $40

Rôtie Cellars Northern White Washington State 2012 White 90 13.5 $28 at winery

Rôtie Cellars Southern Blend Washington State 2011 Red 94 13.8 $40

Rôtie Cellars Southern White Washington State 2012 White 88 13.5 $28

Seven Hills Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley 2011 Red 90 13.5 $22

Seven Hills Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Seven Hills Vineyard Walla Walla Valley 2010 Red 90 14.5 $36

Seven Hills Winery Ciel du Cheval Vineyard Red Mountain 2010 Red 89 14.4 $54

Seven Hills Winery Merlot Seven Hills Vineyard Walla Walla Valley 2011 Red 88 13.5 $26

Seven Hills Winery Riesling Columbia Valley 2011 White 87 10.0 $11

Sheridan Vineyard Cabernet Franc Boss Block 2010 Red 93 14.1 $50

Sheridan Vineyard L'Orage 2010 Red 94 14.1 $60

Sheridan Vineyard Mystique Yakima Valley 2011 Red 91 14.1 $30

Sleight of Hand Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon The Illusionist Columbia Valley 2010 Red 90 14.7 $54

Sleight of Hand Cellars Chardonnay The Enchantress Old Vines Yakima Valley 2011 White 90 12.9 $29

Sleight of Hand Cellars Syrah Levitation Columbia Valley 2011 Red 91 14.3 $45 at winery

Sleight of Hand Cellars Syrah The Funkadelic Walla Walla Valley 2011 Red 92 13.6 $60 at winery

Soos Creek Artist Series #10 Columbia Valley 2010 Red 88 14.1 $27

Soos Creek Champoux Vineyard Horse Heaven Hills 2010 Red 92 14.1 $37

Soos Creek Ciel du Cheval Vineyard Red Mountain 2010 Red 90 14.1 $35

Soos Creek Palisade Columbia Valley 2010 Red 94 14.1 $22

Sparkman Cellars Stella Mae Columbia Valley 2010 Red 91 14.9 $50

Sparkman Cellars Syrah Darkness Yakima Valley 2011 Red 87 15.3 $59

Stevens 424 Yakima Valley 2010 Red 80 14.8 $37

Stevens Syrah Black Tongue Yakima Valley 2010 Red 90 14.9 $32

Stevens XY Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Yakima Valley 2010 Red 88 14.7 $45 at winery

Syncline Cuvée Elena Columbia Valley 2011 Red 93 14.4 $40

Syncline Pinot Noir Underwood Mountain Columbia Gorge 2011 Red 88 12.7 $30 at winery

Syncline Rosé Columbia Valley 2012 Rosé 88 12.6 $18

Syncline Subduction Red Columbia Valley 2011 Red 93 13.5 $20

Tamarack Cellars Cabernet Franc Wahluke Slope 2011 Red 88 14.2 $25

Tamarack Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley 2010 Red 92 14.3 $29

Tamarack Cellars Ciel du Cheval Vineyard Reserve 2008 Red 92 14.4 $50

Tamarack Cellars DuBrul Vineyard Reserve Rattlesnake Hills 2009 Red 93 14.1 $50

Tamarack Cellars Firehouse Red Columbia Valley 2011 Red 88 14.1 $16

Tamarack Cellars Merlot Columbia Valley 2005 Red 92 14.2 NA

Tamarack Cellars Merlot Columbia Valley 1999 Red 90 13.5 NA

Tamarack Cellars Merlot Columbia Valley 2009 Red 89 14.2 $21

Tamarack Cellars Rosé of Mourvèdre Wahluke Slope 2012 Rosé 88 13.4 $15

Tamarack Cellars Sangiovese Columbia Valley 2009 Red 87 14.1 $23

Tamarack Cellars Seven Hills Vineyard Reserve Walla Walla Valley 2008 Red 91 14.5 $50

Tamarack Cellars Syrah Ciel du Cheval Vineyard 2008 Red 90 14.8 $50

Tamarack Cellars Viognier Columbia Valley 2012 White 90 13.4 $24

Thorny Rose Riesling Columbia Valley 2012 White 85 12.5 $9

Tranche Cellars Barbera Columbia Valley 2008 Red 88 14.7 $25 at winery

Tranche Cellars Cabernet Franc Estate Walla Walla Valley 2009 Red 90 14.9 $30 at winery

Tranche Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Estate 2008 Red 88 14.8 $40 at winery

Tranche Cellars Dolcetto Estate Columbia Valley 2011 Red 86 13.5 $25 at winery

Tranche Cellars Pink Pape Columbia Valley 2012 Rosé 88 12.9 $16 at winery

Tranche Cellars Pinot Gris Columbia Valley 2011 White 89 14.3 $18

Tranche Cellars Sangiovese Estate 2010 Red 92 14.7 $30 at winery

Tranche Cellars Slice of Pape 2008 Red 89 14.8 $35 at winery

Tranche Cellars Slice of Pape Blanc Columbia Valley 2010 White 93 13.2 $30 at winery

Tranche Cellars Syrah Estate 2009 Red 89 15.1 $35 at winery

Tranche Cellars Tempranillo Estate Black Rock Vineyard 2010 Red 87 14.7 $30 at winery

van Löben Sels Cellars Bona Dea Conner Lee Vineyard 2009 Red 84 13.8 $55 at winery

van Löben Sels Cellars Chardonnay Conner-Lee Vineyard Columbia Valley 2010 White 79 13.8 $30 at winery

ViNO (Charles Smith Wines) Pinot Grigio Ancient Lakes 2012 White 88 12.0 $12

Waters Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2010 Red 92 14.6 $80 at winery

Waters Winery Interlude Columbia Valley 2010 Red 90 14.5 $27

Waters Winery Syrah Loess Vineyard Walla Walla Valley 2010 Red 89 14.5 $44

Wines of Substance Cabernet Sauvignon Washington State 2012 Red 88 14.3 NA

Wines of Substance Viognier Columbia Valley 2012 White 89 13.5 NA

Woodward Canyon Cabernet Sauvignon Artist Series #19 Washington State 2010 Red 94 14.1 $40

Woodward Canyon Chardonnay Estate Washington State 2012 White 94 14.1 $35

Woodward Canyon Erratic Reserve Walla Walla Valley 2010 Red 93 14.3 $66 at winery

Woodward Canyon Merlot Columbia Valley 2010 Red 90 14.9 $40

Woodward Canyon Sauvignon Blanc Estate Walla Walla Valley 2012 White 91 14.3 $26

Recommended restaurants

RECOMMENDED RESTAURANTS RECOMMENDED RESTAURANTS IN SEATTLE IN EASTERN WASHINGTON WINE COUNTRY

Aqua by El Gaucho Brasserie Four (+1.206.956.9171; www.elgaucho.com/Aqua-by-El- (+1.509.529.2011; www.facebook.com/brasseriefour) Gaucho.html) Cannella Kitchen Barking Frog (+1.509.888.4197; cannellakitchen.com) (+1.425.424.2999; www.willowslodge.com/barking_frog) Celilo Restaurant and Bar The Carpenter & the Walrus (+1.541.386.5710; www.celilorestaurant.com) (+1.206.395.9227; thewalrusbar.com) Everybody’s Brewing Elliot’s (+1.509.637.2774; www.everybodysbrewing.com) (+1.206.623.4340; www.elliottsoysterhouse.com) JBistro Etta’s Seafood (+1.509.627.5000; www.bookwalterwines.com/VISIT-US/ (+1.206.443.6000; tomdouglas.com/index. JBISTRO) php?page=ettas) Local Myth Pizza The Herbfarm (+1.509.682.2914; localmythpizza.com/Home_Page.html) (+1.425.485.5300); theherbfarm.com) Nora’s Table Matt’s in the Market (+1.541-387-4000; norastable.com) (+1.206.467.7909; www.mattsinthemarket.com) Saffron Mediterranean Kitchen Melrose Market - food market (+1.509.525.2112; www.saffronmediterraneankitchen. (melrosemarketseattle.com) com)

Pink Door Simon’s Cliff House (+1.206.443.3241; thepinkdoor.net) (+1.800.345.1921; www.columbiagorgehotel.com)

Purple Café Solstice Wood Fire Café (+1.206.829.2280; www.thepurplecafe.com) (+1.509.493.4006; www.solsticewoodfirecafe.com)

RN74 Seattle Three Rivers Grill (+1.206.456.7474; michaelmina.net/restaurants/locations/ (+1.541.386.8883; www.threeriversgrill.com) rnwa.php) Whitehouse-Crawford Restaurant Seastar – two locations (+1.509.525.2222; www.whitehousecrawford.com) (+1.206.462.4364; seastarrestaurant.com)

Steelhead Diner (+1.206.625.0129; www.steelheaddiner.com)

Terra Plata (+1.206.325.1501; terraplata.com) Further reading

American Wine: The Ultimate Companion to the Wines and Wineries of the United States by Jancis Robinson and Linda Murphy (University of California Press)

A History of Pacific Northwest Cuisine: Mastodons to Molecular Gastronomy by Marc Hinton (The History Press)

The Oxford Companion to the Wines of North America by Bruce Cass and Jancis Robinson (Oxford University Press, USA)

The Wines of the Pacific Northwest: A Contemporary Guide to the Wines of Washington & Oregon by Lisa Shara Hall (Mitchell Beazley)

Washington Wines & Wineries, Second Edition by Paul Gregutt (University of California Press)

Page 53 Contact Christy: [email protected]

For wine reviews, features and more, special reports, visit www.timatkin.com and sign up to receive his newsletters and regular updates.

I would like to acknowledge the help and support of the Washington Wine Commission in organizing visits to Washington wineries and tasting rooms in July 2013. Erica Waliser is a gem. I also extend a warm thank you to the winemakers and grapegrowers who received me during my trip, enthusiastically explaining the intricacies of their vineyards, purchasing arrangements and wines while generously opening bottles to demonstrate how the Washington wine industry is evolving. Thanks, too, to my friend and fellow Master of Wine, Tim, for the opportunity to share Washington’s wines and culture with you. Finally, thanks to you, dear reader, for your interest in this inaugural piece on Washington State, which I hope will entice you to follow my other reports on West Coast USA wine regions.