Today we share one of the electric wine brands of the Pacific Northwest. Dossier began with a partnership between former NFL star Sidney Rice and businessman and fellow Whitman grad Tim Lenihan. For years I have admired the wines made by master of wine, Billo Naravane, who over the years has become one of Washington’s great winemakers. Naravane makes the beautiful wines of Rasa Vineyards. He has a trademark texture to his wines as these are elixirs that embody flavor density and weight, without coming off as cloying or heavy. Longtime Washington wine industry veteran Brandon Kubrock serves as general manager, formerly owning his own Ardor Cellars label. Kubrock has been in this field for more than 20 years.
I am so impressed with the new lineup of wines, which includes the new Oregon Pinot Noir. Once again, they have crafted one of the best Rose wines in the Pacific Northwest. I adore the 2024 Dossier Rose (OB, 94) which has serious tension, texture and flavor range. Don’t miss out on the 2023 Dossier ‘Columbia Valley’ Syrah (OB, 96) which is somehow even better than the last scintillating bottling. This has a small amount of fruit from the Rocks District which adds stony and briny nuance to the wine. It is a must-purchase for any Syrah lover. These wines have just been released and I will taste the ‘Halo’ series later this year. Learn more about this exciting new project at dossierwine.com and here are my reviews of the new Dossier wines.
2024 Dossier Rose- This beautiful 2023 Syrah Rose bottling was sourced from the Columbia Valley. Stored in 12% new French oak barrels with the reminder mostly concrete and some neutral oak barrels, this opens with gorgeous red florals alongside dense melon and strawberry fruit aromatics. The palate is insanely good with serious texture and pure melon and pretty red fruits. Dense, round and mineral-laden on the tongue, with a great sense of tension and salty nuance, this is a total stunner. This is up there with the finest Rose wines in North America. Drink 2025-2034- 94
2023 Dossier Viognier- The gorgeous 2023 Dossier Viognier is a complex and delicious rendition of this wine coming from several sites in the Columbia Valley. Coming from the Connor Lee, Stoneridge, StoneTree and Sagemoor Vineyards, this was stored in 40% new French oak before bottling. This is oily and unctuous on the palate, with serious depth, flavor density and weight. While obviously big and rich, the underlying tension and salty tones really add to the enjoyment. Star jasmine water and rich starfruit and kiwi flavors mingle well with honeydew melon and shortbread notes all parade on the palate. Not for the weary, enjoy this stunning wine now and over the next eight plus years. Drink 2025-2033- 95
2023 Pinterre ‘Rice Lane Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The 2023 Pinterre ‘Rice Lane Vineyard’ Pinot Noir comes from the 'Rice Lane Vineyard’ which is not a vineyard that they could name, located in the Eola-Amity Hills AVA. This saw 25% whole cluster fermentation and was stored in largely new (60%) oak barrels before bottling. Beautiful red florals collide with damp soils, black truffle shavings and juicy cranberry notes collide on the nose. The palate shows beautiful weight and salty nuance from these marine sedimentary soils. Big, juicy and delicious, enjoy now and over the next ten to fifteen years. Drink 2025-2038- 94
2023 Dossier Syrah- The outrageously good 2023 Dossier Syrah is another sensational edition of this wine. This wine was sourced from a range of sites including 25% fruit from the Rocks District and some from the Connor Lee Vineyard. This stands jet black in the glass, as this is dense and burly stuff with good nuance, opening with bulls blood and Marionberry compote alongside tar, tobacco leaf and shades of black licorice. The palate is very fresh and complex, with creme de violette, anise and sweet pipe tobacco with smoked meats and shades of blueberry compote. This is highly complex, novel and beautifully-textured stuff that has a long life ahead of it. Drink 2025-2039- 96