Today we share one of the outstanding outposts in the Columbia Gorge AVA. A small family winery AniChe focuses on varietal blends that include rarely planted Italian varietals like Dolcetto, Barbera and Zinfandel (Primativo). The wines all have good richness and a really good tension that runs through their veins. I have been so impressed with these wines since I first tasted them nearly a decade ago. They are now making some killer bubbles as well that are a must-taste.
Anais Mera, and Rachael Horn make some beautiful wines together. They have crafted some beautiful new wines which were seriously good across the board. I loved the new 2020 AniChe ‘Titania’ Sparkling Wine (OB, 91) which is 100% Marsanne and is truly one of its kind. A standout white wine, the 2022 AniChe Cellars ‘No. 5’ White Wine (OB, 92) which is one of the really electric Bordeaux inspired white wines that I have tasted this year from Washington. Learn more about this exciting small Washington winery at http://anichecellars.com/ and here are my reviews of the new AniChe Cellars wines.
2020 AniChe Cellars ‘Titania’ Sparkling Wine- This 100% Marsanne sparkling wine has to be the only one of its kind in Washington State. This spent 20 months en tirage, as this shows a touch of sweetness on the palate. Yellow plum and brioche notes combine with quince and shades of Japanese pear on the palate. Don’t serve too cold to enjoy the great range here. Enjoy this beautiful wine now and over the next several years. Drink 2023-2028- 91
2022 AniChe Cellars ‘Puck’ Sparkling Wine- The Charmat method produced 2022 ‘Puck’ combines 75% Pinot Gris and the remainder Riesling. This is wonderfully salty with pear and kiwi notes alongside saline drenched peach flavors and French bread accents. With light stony accents, enjoy this beautiful wine now and over the next few years. Drink 2023-2028- 90
2022 AniChe Cellars ‘Serafina’ Riesling- The 2022 ‘Serafina’ comes from the Hecate’s Key Vineyard in the Columbia Gorge AVA. It has a smooth texture, loaded with kiwi, Gravenstein apple, Brie cheese and wet stony accents on the palate. Enjoy this now and over the next few years. Drink 2023-2028- 90
2022 AniChe Cellars ‘The Fool’ Gruner Veltliner- The 2022 ‘The Fool’ weights in at under 12% alcohol and also hails from the Columbia Gorge AVA. This is bright with plenty of mouth-watering acidity once on the entry. Layers of green papaya and gooseberry combine with hints of nectarine and wet gravel notes on the palate. Neatly textured, this is really going to rock with Thai food. Drink 2023-2030- 91
2022 AniChe Cellars ‘The Devil’ Gruner Veltliner- The 2022 ‘The Devil’ comes from the Hecate's Key Estate Vineyard and was picked midway through harvest. This has outstanding texture with a great sense of weight — yet comes off as very weightless. Kiwi, mango and Japanese pear flavors mingle with cashew crusted brioche bread notes on the palate. Don’t drink too cold to take in the outstanding flavor range. Drink 2023-2030- 92
2022 AniChe Cellars ‘The World’ Gruner Veltliner- The 2022 ‘The World’ was picked later in the season, also coming from the Hecate’s Key Estate Vineyard. It has a touch of sweetness and shows beautiful concentration, with walnut, buttered French bread, and Pizzaz apple flavors that mingle well with honeydew melon. Rich and dense, enjoy this beautiful wine now and over the next seven years to come. Drink 2023-2030- 92
2022 AniChe Cellars ‘No.5’ Chardonnay- The ‘No.5’ was fermented in clay amphorae and Italian cocciopresto. Coming from the their estate Hecate’s Key, this is very well-balanced, with a seamless texture and great sense of freshness. Buttered French bread flavors combine with shades of red delicious apple, kumquat zest, wet stone and suggestions of beeswax with marzipan accents. Complex and delicious, enjoy now and over the next five to seven years to come. Drink 2023-2030- 92
2021 AniChe Cellars ‘Three Witches’ Red Wine- The ‘Three Witches’ is a super unique blend of Carignan, Counoise and Mourvèdre from the Columbia Valley AVA. The end product is very juicy and delicious, delivering bright strawberry, guava zest, orange peel and red raspberry flavors alongside garriague and damp soil notes on the palate. Neatly textured and showing good freshness, this is drinking beautifully right now. Drink 2023-2030- 92
2021 AniChe Cellars ‘Arachne’ Nebbiolo- The 100% Nebbiolo ‘Arachne’ hails from the Red Mountain AVA. Soot and scorched earth notes combine with bright red fruits, and suggestions of garrigue on the nose. The palate is soft and refined with a smooth texture and great underlying freshness. Rich red fruit flavors parade with copious minerals and mouth-watering acidity on the palate. Totally novel and delicious, this is one of the most eye-catching red wines I have tasted from Washington this year. What a beauty! Drink 2023-2030- 93
2019 AniChe Cellars ‘Goat Boy’ Red Wine- A Bordeaux-inspired blend coming from the Horse Heaven Hills AVA, the wine is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot with smaller parts Malbec and Cabernet Franc. It has beautiful red florals, showing cocoa powder dusted red cherry flavors alongside freshly tilled soils, dark currants and tobacco leaf flavors. Really singing now at the four year mark, this beautiful red blend will hold on for another eight to ten years at least. Drink 2023-2031- 93