Abeja

A stellar Walla Walla winery, Abeja is one of the more gorgeous wineries in Washington to visit. Abeja is set in the foothills of Walla Walla’s Blue Mountains. This stunning winery includes seven luxury cottages, creeks, and gardens on the 32 acre property. I recently had the chance to stop by the winery and taste their awesome new wines. Abeja relies on the winemaking talents of Dan Wampfler and Amy Alvarez-Wampfler.  Both Dan and Amy have roughly a combined 30 years of winemaking experience. I was blown away with their new release wines.

Look for the 2016 Abeja Viognier (WWB, 94) which is the best Washington Viognier that I have sampled in the last year. This wine shows opulence, poise and an exotic character that makes this a standout wine. Just as good was the 2014 Abeja Cabernet (WWB, 94) which was a massive wine that shows incredible dark fruit character and needs some time to settle. This Cabernet is one for the cellar. Learn more about this outstanding winery at http://www.abeja.net/ Here are the great new wines by Abeja.

2016 Abeja 'Beekeeper' Rose- This Mourvèdre Rose was sourced from the Kenny Hill Vineyard. This begins with aromatics of pink grapefruit, watermelon and red cherry starburst. This leads to flavors of guava, watermelon and green apple. This is lithe and delicious Rose wine. Drink 2017-2021- 90 $25

2016 Abeja 'Beekeeper' Chardonnay- This wine begins with a bouquet of white peach, Pazzaz apple, and white flowers. The mouthfeel is lovely. Flavors of poached pear, lemon zest and Red Delicious apple persist. Drink 2017-2022- 90 $25

2015 Abeja 'Washington State' Chardonnay-This begins with dense aromas of marzipan, brioche, nutmeg and creme brulee. This leads to flavors of pear, New York apple pie, nutmeg and starfruit.  This has a gorgeous texture and a plush mouthfeel. Drink 2017-2024- 92 $Washington, $35

2015 Abeja 'Walla Walla Valley' Chardonnay- This starts with aromatics of creme brulee, bananas foster, honeydew melon and Gala apple. This leads to bright flavors of baking spices, vanilla cream, Pazzaz apple and sourdough bread. This has wonderful minerality. Drink 2017-2024- 93

2016 Abeja Viognier- This has a highly perfumed nose of lychee, white rose, gardenia and hints of baked apple. This leads to flavors reminiscent of brioche, vanilla cream and starfruit with a touch of lychee. The ripeness, texture and viscosity makes this one of the best out there in Washington. This is simply an exceptional wine made by the superstar winemaking team at Abeja. Drink 2017-2025- 94

2015 Abeja 'Beekeeper's Blend' Red Blend- This Wine is a blend of 68% Cabernet with the rest Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cab Franc. This begins with a bouquet of prune, black olive, black cherry and hints of milk chocolate. There are deep flavors of black plum, milk chocolate, mint and blackberry jam. This has wonderful balance and weight. Drink 2017-2024- 90

2014 Abeja Merlot-Made with 3% Cabernet Franc, they have used a touch of Estate fruit as well. This begins with aromatics of baking spices, black cherry, black olive tapenade and hints of milk chocolate shavings. This leads to flavors reminiscent of black tea, wild blackberry preserves, creme de cassis and Turkish coffee. There is wonderful fruit weight and a gorgeous, velvety texture. This is an outstanding effort by the talented winemaking team of Abeja. Drink 2017-2029- 94

2014 Abeja Cabernet- This Columbia Valley bottling begins with dense aromatics of mocha, black tea, blackberry pie and blueberry cobbler. The hedonistic aromas bring you back to the glass for more. This leads to flavors of coffee grounds, dark chocolate shavings, crushed mint, eucalyptus and creosote. Moderately tannic, this needs another year in the bottle to fully come together. This Cabernet is Dynamic and lithe, yet massive. If enjoying young, give this beautiful wine at least a two hour decant. Drink 2018-2033- 94

Avennia

Avennia

When you have superstar winemaker Chris Peterson at the helm, good things happen. Avennia is one of the best boutique Washington wineries. Their wines always sell out and are typically pretty difficult to find. Head winemaker Chris Peterson served as DeLille Cellars winemaker prior to teaming up with Avennia co-founder Marty Taucher for a winning combination. The new releases from the outstanding 2014 vintage are rich and balanced. While I was hugely impressed with the 2013 releases, these wines are up here with the best wines ever made at this great winery. Look for the 2014 Avennia ‘Justine’ Red Wine (WWB, 94) which is silky, elegant and rich. Even better was the 2014 Avennia ‘Arnaut’ Syrah (WWB, 95) which shows insane range and is downright impossible to resist. Check out their new releases at avennia.com. Here are the stellar new wines from Avennia:

2014 Avennia ‘Justine’ Red Wine- The 2014 Avennia ‘Justine’ Red Wine is a sterling blend of 45% Grenache, 36% Mourvedre, and 19% Syrah. This wine has heady aromatics of black tar, black cherry, cigar box and provencal herbs. The herbaceousness is just lovely and gives this wine extra character. This wine is silky and shows the wonderful push between feminine and masculine, as dark and red fruit flavors emerge alongside excellent structure. Juicy and downright delicious, this is an outstanding wine made by the talented hands of Chris Peterson. Drink 2017-2027- 94

2014 Avennia ‘Arnaut’ Syrah- Sourced from the esteemed Boushey Vineyard, this wine is the follow up from one of my top wines of 2016, the absolutely compelling and downright awesome 2013 ‘Arnaut’ Syrah. Showing a deep core, this Syrah wine opens with aromatics reminiscent of smoked brisket, dried sage, black olive and black cherry cough syrup. The aromatic range is hugely compelling. Dense and masculine, this wine is currently showing off flavors reminiscent of milk chocolate, black forest cake, black olive and suggestions of smoked pork shoulder. I can’t help thinking what an outstanding pairing this would be for a juicy ribeye steak. Showing a wonderful minerality, this deep wine will cellar well past the next decade. This is a true heavyhitter of a SyrahDrink 2017-2030- 95

2014 Avennia ‘Gravura’ Red Wine- The 2014 Avennia ‘Gravura’ Red Wine is a blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon with 37% Merlot, and 12% Cabernet Franc. At this time, the dark fruits show more than red fruit aromatics, as do spicebox and Hoisin sauce accents. This has really nice poise and showcases superstar winemaker Chris Peterson’s classic structured style. Black plum, black cherry, black olive and suggestions of baking spices round out these delicious flavors. The weight and mouthfeel is lovely. Be sure to give this a one hour plus decant if enjoying in its nascent phase. Drink 2017-2027- 92

2014 Avennia ‘Sestina’ Red Wine- The 2014 ‘Sestina’ by Avennia is another gorgeous wine made by Chris Peterson. A blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, this wine opens with a rich bouquet of graphite, creme de cassis, coffee grounds and suggestions of sweet pipe tobacco. The aromatics of this wine are simply intoxicating. The texture and mouthfeel deliver here. Cigar box, black cherry, mocha, black olive and creme de cassis flavors entice and sit alongside some mouth-watering acidity. If enjoying young, be sure to give this wine at least a two hour decant, as this wine becomes even more brooding and dark. Give this gorgeous Cabernet wine at least one more year in the bottle to fully settle. Drink 2018-2033- 94

2014 Avennia ‘Vallery’ Red Wine-The 2014 ‘Vallery’ by Avennia is blend of 60% Boushey Vineyard Merlot and 40% Champoux Vineyard Cabernet Franc. They make some magic together. After spending an hour in the decanter, mint, creme de cassis, Turkish coffee, black cherry and black olive tapenade aromatics emerge from the glass. Chris Peterson has crafted his signature silky mouthfeel in this wine. Black cherry, red raspberry liquor, smoke, sagebrush and milk chocolate flavors impress. This has wonderful aromatic and flavor range. Drink 2018-2033- 94

2014 Avennia ‘Red Willow Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon- This absolutely outstanding wine is sourced from old vine Cabernet which was first planted in 1985. There is a wonderful purity of fruit that emerges from the glass, as aromatics of black cherry, eucalyptus, crushed mint, blackberry cobbler and milk chocolate show their presence. There is an awesome interplay between dark and red fruits on the mid-palate, as the structure is primary and fruits secondary at this juncture. This is massive and needs time in the bottle to fully show off its potential. Drink 2019-2033- 94

Trisaetum

An outstanding winery out of Oregon, Trisaetum has gained national recognition for their Riesling wines. Co-founder, James Frey, was a former photographer from Santa Cruz who had a passion for wine. He is now a winemaker, business owner, and abstract expressionist artist. James has been making wine for the past 13 years since first planting a vineyard in his backyard. He is a hugely talented winemaker.

I was particularly impressed with the tension and minerality of their entire lineup. These wines are not to be missed as their Pinots were just as outstanding as their Riesling wines. Look for their 2016 Trisaetum ‘Coast Range Estate’ Riesling (WWB, 93) which is one of the best Rieslings in North America that I have reviewed in the past year. The brilliant tension is there in the wine. Just as outstanding was their 2015 Trisaetum ‘Ribbon Ridge Estate’ Chardonnay (WWB, 93) which was a simply gorgeous and deep Chardonnay wine that will cellar marvelously over the next decade. Learn more about this fantastic Willamette Valley winery at http://www.trisaetum.com Here are the great new release wines by Trisaetum. 

2015 Trisaetum 'Ribbon Ridge Estate' Chardonnay- Needing a 30 minute decant to be fully aromatically present, this wine emerges with a strong bouquet of creme brulee, lemon rind, baking spices and suggestions of ginger. There is a silky texture and mouthfeel, as this excellent wine glides along the mid-palate. Kumquat, Mandarin orange, lemon blossom and heavy whipping cream with a touch of roasted banana showcase this great flavor range. Delicious now, this wine will also cellar marvelously for a decade. Drink 2017-2027- 93

2015 Trisaetum 'Willamette Valley' Chardonnay- This awesome new Chardonnay wine starts with a bright bouquet of nutmeg, golden delicious apple, and heavy whipping cream. The pallet shows nice finesse and intensity with flavors reminiscent of crème brûlée, banana, red delicious apple and wet rock that sit along some serious structure. This hot vintage Chardonnay is a delight to savor at this juncture. Drink 2017-2027- 92

2016 Trisaetum 'Wichmann Dundee Estate' Dry Riesling- This excellent Riesling wine begins with a bouquet of wet stone, petrol, white flowers and granny Smith Apple. The palate is lithe as this wine is currently displaying right flavors of kumquat, pink lady apple, green papaya and unripe pear. This is simply irresistible with a lovely tension. This is truly one of the best in its kind that I have sampled in Oregon in the past year. Drink 2017-2026- 93

2016 Trisaetum 'Ribbon Ridge Estate' Dry Riesling- White flowers, petrol, green apple and melon accents show off an excellent nose. There is a striking minerality to this wine. Orange Blossom, Granny Smith apple, papaya, and wet stone flavors set off this exotic and mineral driven Riesling wine. Drink 2017-2026- 92

2016 Trisaetum 'Coast Range Estate' Dry Riesling- The 2016 Trisaetum 'Coast Range Estate' Dry Riesling is another gorgeous wine from this estate and the talented hands of winemaker James Frey. This one begins with aromatics of patrol, white flowers, honeydew melon and green apple accents. The structure is absolutely lovely. Gravenstein apple, green papaya and crushed gravel flavors set this wine off. This has the structure to cellar for a decade or more. Drink 2017-2027- 93

2015 Trisaetum ‘Willamette Valley’ Pinot Noir- Smoke, red cherry, lavender and red raspberry preserves fill up the bouquet. Forward, juicy and structured, this wine delivers persistent guava, red cherry, red raspberry and earthy flavors. This excellent Pinot Noir wine will cellar well into the next decade. Drink 2017-2027- 90

2015 Trisaetum ‘Coast Range Estate’ Pinot Noir- Sourced from the Trisaetum, 22 acre Coast Range Vineyard, this wine weighs in at 13.7% alcohol. The vineyard is set on volcanic and marine sedimentary soils. This translucent colored Pinot Noir wine opens with a bright bouquet of rose petals, smoke, sandalwood and red cherry starburst candy. The palate has wonderful structure, red fruit flavors and elegance. Guava, pomegranate seed, orange rind and red cherry flavors come to mind. This would be the perfect match for grilled salmon. Drink this delicious wine over the next decade. Drink 2017-2029- 92

2015 Trisaetum ‘Ribbon Ridge Estate’ Pinot Noir- Showing some brownish tones in the glass, this wine starts with peat moss, forest floor, red cherry and guava aromatics. There is a wonderful elegance to this wine, as well as a plush texture. Red fruit flavors show off their feminine side, while smoke and earthy tones play a smaller role. This has wonderful balance and poise in this warm vintage, as winemaker James Frey has created an outstanding Pinot Noir wine here. Drink 2017-2029- 93

2015 Trisaetum 'Wichmann Dundee Estate' Pinot Noir- This wine shows off gorgeous aromatics of black truffle oil, dried sage, cola and black cherry cough syrup. The mineral streak is just as impressive. Flavors of black cherry, wild blackberry pie and forest floor with wild mushroom impress. This is a long ager and a fantastic effort from this estate. The balance between fruit and structure makes this nearly impossible to resist right now. Drink 2017-2029- 93

2015 Trisaetum ‘Estates Reserve’ Pinot Noir- The 2015 ‘Estates Reserve’ Pinot Noir by Trisaetum is a combination of the most prized barrels from their estate vineyards and is another outstanding wine made by the talented hands of James Frey. Smoky and dark fruit tones fill the nose, as do peat moss, Shitake mushroom and forest floor elements. The texture to this wine is really stunning. Wild blackberry, black cherry, black raspberry liquor and forest floor flavors come to mind. This is another outstanding release from this great winery. Drink 2017-2029- 93

Dunham Riesling Retrospective (2007-2012)

One of the eminent Walla Walla wineries, Dunham Cellars was first founded by the Dunham family in 1995. While Dunham has primarily gained a nationwide reputation for their red wines, I have found that in the past decade they have made some of the best Riesling in Washington. Dunham currently relies on the talented hands of winemaker Tyler Tennyson for their red and white wines. Dunham Rieslings have been excellent in part due to their fruit from the esteemed Lewis Vineyard which was first planted in 1998. The vineyard is located in the foothills of the Rattlesnake Ridge in the Columbia Valley. Set at roughly 1200 feet, the vineyard is owned and managed by Betty Lewis & son, Ken Jr. Having tried the past 10 vintages of this wine, I have found the Lewis Vineyard to be one of the best sites for Riesling in Washington and arguably in North America.

The wines that I tried in the Dunham Riesling retrospective dated from 2007-2012. 2007 and 2008 were near perfect vintages for Washington. 2007 was slightly warmer while 2008 was slightly on the cooler side, these vintages showed beautifully for both red and white wines. The same was true in 2009, a slightly hotter year, which produced some scintillating and concentrated red wines in particular. 2010 and 2011 were cooler vintages that created some ripening issues particularly for red wines in 2011. Both ’10’ and ’11 vintages served up gorgeous growing conditions for Riesling and other white varietals. Finally, 2012 had a late growing season and moderate temperatures which contributed to a near perfect vintage for both red and white wines. 

The aged Dunham Riesling wines were all stunning. All wines were made by superstar winemaker Dan Wampfler, currently the winemaker at Abeja. I was struck by the consistency of the agability in the wines. None of the Riesling wines appeared to be near the end of their drinking windows. Each Riesling wine showed a classic style and structure whether it was Riesling from a cooler or warmer vintage. It was remarkable how similar the acidity seemed between very different vintages, as the structure in the ’09 appeared to be similar to that in the ’10 and ’11 Rieslings. It is clear that this high elevation site allows the varietal to retain wonderful acidity despite the heat of a vintage. The Dunham winemaking team also appeared to make wonderful judgment in terms of when to pick that varietal each year. Learn more about Dunham Rieslings at dunhamcellars.com Here are the great aged Rieslings by Dunham Cellars.

2007 Dunham 'Lewis Vineyard' Riesling- Coming from this great vintage in Washington, the 2007 ‘Lewis Vineyard’ Riesling is showing brilliantly at this decade mark. This excellent wine has heavy petrol aromatics with cantaloupe, white peach and white flowers with beeswax. The palate shows nice weight and structure, currently displaying flavors reminiscent of green papaya, wet rock, honey, and minerals with a hugely long finish. This has a wonderful astringency as the sugar content contributes to the mouth-watering effect. Drink 2017-2025- 93

2008 Dunham 'Lewis Vineyard' Riesling- The 2008 ‘Lewis Vineyard’ Riesling is currently showing strong petrol aromas and crushed gravel accents as well as white peach, nutmeg and Pazzaz apple aromatics. The mouthfeel is lithe and powerful right now. This leads to ripe flavors of cantaloupe, Granny Smith apple pie, and white flowers. This has an exceedingly long finish and a wonderful mineral streak. Drink 2017-2025- 93

2009 Dunham 'Lewis Vineyard' Riesling- 2009 was a warm vintage. It is somewhat surprising what structure this wine shows at this juncture as it remains vibrant. This excellent wine opens with white flowers, petrol, Gravenstein apple and wet rock. This leads to flavors of pink grapefruit, New York apple pie, white flowers and pineapple. This is exotic and layered, showing wonderful weight and minerality. This probably has another five plus years left right now. Drink 2017-2024- 93

2010 Dunham 'Lewis Vineyard' Riesling- This cold vintage wine begins with aromatics of green apple, green papaya, lemongrass and wet rock. The stony aspect of the wine becomes more apparent the longer you sit with it. There is a wonderful minerality and astringency as this wine currently displays bright flavors of Granny Smith, pink grapefruit, apple, unripe peach, wet rock and white flowers. This is a pretty style of Riesling that shows great balance and poise in this cold vintage. Drink 2017-2027-93

2011 Dunham 'Lewis Vineyard' Riesling- 2011 was a very cool vintage in the Columbia Valley. It is no surprise that this wine is showing marvelously, as the acidity of this wine is very impressive right now. This Riesling opens with an intense bouquet of gooseberry, wet stone, petrol and apricot with white grapefruit. The wine possesses a bright minerality with flavors of white peach, lemon oil, gooseberry, green apple and unripe pear with petrol. The mouthfeel and silky texture is gorgeous, as is the sterling structure. Drink 2017-2027- 94

2012 Dunham 'Lewis Vineyard' Riesling- The 2012 ‘Lewis Vineyard’ Riesling wine opens with aromatics of petrol, white peach, gooseberry and Red Delicious apple. The minerality of this wine is lovely, as is the mouthfeel and texture. This shows intense flavors of petrol, lemongrass, Granny Smith apple and unripe pear. The finish lingers. Drink 2017-2027- 93

Matthews

One of the older Woodinivlle wineries, Matthews was founded in 1992 and remains a family owned and operated winery. Matthews relies on the talented hands of Aryn Morell who consults for a host of exceptional Washington wineries. One of the great winemakers in the state, Morell has had previous jobs at some of the best Napa estates including Joseph Phelps, Quintessa, Chimney Rock, Vineyard 29, Chappellet, Stags Leap Winery, and Turnbull. He became head winemaker for Matthews in 2007 and Morell sources his grapes from some great vineyards in Washington like Stillwater Creek, Weinbau and Sagemoor. All Matthews wines are made at his production facility in Walla Walla.

I recently had the opportunity to taste with Aryn over a period of four hours. His wines were exceptional across the board. The Matthews lineup was just gorgeous as I immediately noticed the silky mouthfeel and wonderful minerality that Aryn incorporates into all his wines wines.  A downright awesome value is the 2016 Matthews Sauvignon Blanc (WWB, 92 points) which is one of the best Washington Sauvignon Blancs that I have sampled in the past year. Similarly gorgeous was the 2013 Matthews Claret (WWB, 93 points), which was primarily Cabernet Sauvignon and shows tremendous dark fruits. This is another great value by Matthews. Learn more about the great Matthews lineup at http://www.matthewswinery.com/ Here are the fantastic new releases by Matthews.

2016 Matthews Sauvignon Blanc- Matthews has gained a sterling reputation for their entry level Sauvignon Blanc bottling and this wine is a reminder of that. This wine was sourced from the Boushey and Stillwater Creek Vineyards. This wine has 11% Semillon blended in. You can really taste the Semillon adding to the weight and mouthfeel of this great wine. The Sauvignon Blanc begins with aromatics reminiscent of butter, white flowers, nutmeg, cantaloupe and suggestions of baking spices. White peach, white grapefruit and Pazzaz apple flavors follow. This is lithe, Bordelaise and has a wonderful elegance and weight. Drink 2017-2025- 92

2016 Matthews ‘Reserve’ Sauvignon Blanc- This gorgeous Sauvignon Blanc wine was largely aged in concrete eggs which add to the texture of the wine. This begins with aromatics of lemongrass, white peach, white grapefruit and gooseberry. This has lovely texture and complexity. Flavors of Japanese apple, nectarine, cantaloupe and hints of vanilla and whipping cream impress. The balance and Bordelaise feel is there, all leading to an exceedingly long finish. Drink 2017-2027- 93

2014 Matthews ‘Claret’ Red Wine- This compelling new wine by winemaker Aryn Morell is a blend of 54% Cabernet with the remainder Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Merlot and Petit Verdot. The wine begins with ripe aromas of creme de cassis, mocha, black olive and blackberry jam. The weight is there as is the structure and gorgeous black fruits alongside light tannins. The ripe texture impresses. Drink 2017-2028- 93

2014 Matthews Merlot- This wine is a blend of 83% Merlot with lesser parts Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine was aged in 80% new oak, showing a masculine profile. This red blend starts with a bouquet of black olive, milk chocolate, rose petal, graphite and green olive. The mid-palate weight is lovely. This has black cherry, black olive, crushed mint and milk chocolate flavors. This is downright delicious as this beauty will drink well for a decade or more. Give this at least a two hour decant if enjoying young. Drink 2017-2029- 93

2013 Matthews Cabernet Sauvignon-This gorgeous wine opens with a dense aromatic display of creme de cassis, coffee grounds, black olive and red bell pepper. The weight and texture is marvelous as this wine has intense flavors of black tea, black olive, mocha and mint, as well as earl grey tea. This mouthfeel is simply stunning. Drink 2017-2029- 93

2013 Matthews ‘Reserve’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2013 Matthews ‘Reserve’ Cabernet is a blend of 68% Cabernet with Merlot and Cabernet Franc. This has intoxicating aromatics of black tea, tar, milk chocolate and crushed mint. The texture is stunning. This leads to intoxicating flavors of black tea, black cherry, blackberry jam and suggestions of Turkish coffee with sweet pipe tobacco accents. This needs a one to two hour decant if enjoying young. This powerful Cabernet will cellar beautifully for decades but it is nearly impossible to resist at this early stage. Drink 2017-2033- 94

Pearl and Stone

An impressive new Washington winery founded in 2013, Pearl and Stone that relies on the winemaking talents of Chris Stone, Rob Wesorick and Paul Ribary. Their latest new wines hail from the warm, 2015 vintage, which saw very serious heat spikes during the growing season. Pearl and Stone are based in the Snoqualmie valley and source from some great vineyards in Washington including The Two Blondes and Ciel du Cheval Vineyards on Red Mountain. These wines are a pretty serious value, checking in at less than 30 bucks.  

Look for the 2015 Pearl and Stone ‘Mailbox Peak’ Red Wine (WWB, 92) which shows its feminine side, revealing wonderful red fruits and a silly texture. Learn more about this exciting new winery at https://www.pearlandstonewine.com Here are the great new releases by Pearl and Stone (Aug 2017 release). 

2015 Pearl and Stone 'Mailbox Peak' Red Wine- This wine is a blend of 45% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Franc with the remainder Cabernet Sauvignon. The red blend shows warm red fruit aromas and Asian spices with rose petal accents. The wine has a silky mouthfeel and a plush, layered texture. Wild blackberry preserves, black plum and black cherry cough syrup flavors impress. This gorgeous wine will drink beautifully for the next decade. Drink 2017-2027- 92

2015 Pearl and Stone 'Resolution Peaks' Red Wine- This excellent wine is primarily Cabernet (85%) with lesser parts Merlot and Cabernet Franc. It opens with a ripe bouquet of anise, creme de cassis and Black Forest cake. This leads to dense flavors reminiscent of coffee grounds, cassis, milk chocolate and suggestions of allspice. The texture is rich and the lingering finish is absolutely lovely. Drink 2017-2027- 92

2015 Pearl and Stone 'Wandering' Red Wine- This red wine is a silky blend of 42% Cabernet, 31% Cabernet Franc with the remainder Merlot. Having a translucent core, this warm vintage wine opens with aromatics of creme de cassis, rose petals, red cherry and red raspberry jam. The mouthfeel is plush, showcasing Chinese black tea, loganberry and cassis flavors. This is another excellent wine made by Pearl and Stone winemakers Chris Stone, Rob Wesorick and Paul Ribary. Drink 2017-2027- 92

Cayuse 'God Only Knows' Red Wine

A standout wine in Washington, the Cayuse ‘God Only Knows’ Red Wine is a one of a kind special bottling made by Walla Walla wine pioneer, Christophe Baron and his talented assistant vigneronne, Elizabeth Bourcier. Christophe Baron was youngest heir of the famed Champagne house, Baron Albert and his ancestors had worked the land at Baron Albert since 1677. As he grew older, Christophe studied viticulture in Burgundy and Champagne and was drawn to the Willamette Valley, with its closeness to the terroir driven Pinots of Burgundy. Christophe spent some time traveling the world before purchasing some land outside of Walla Walla in Milton-Freewater, and first planted his vines in 1997 as the land reminded him of the terroir of Chateauneuf du Pape. His wine has gained international acclaim since first bursting onto the Washington wine scene. In 2001 the Armada Vineyard was planted, which is the source for the 'Armada Vineyard' Syrah, 'Edith' Grenache Rosé and the 'God Only Knows' Grenache. In 2013 Cayuse did not label the 'God Only Knows' as Grenache and is instead labeled as a red wine. This wine is truly one of the most gorgeous wines made in Washington state. 

The 2013 'God Only Knows' Red Wine is so profound that it is hard to describe. This wine follows up the simply scintillating 2012 Cayuse 'God Only Knows' Grenache. The 2013 shows a darker fruit profile than the 2012. As the wine developed in the decanter over several hours, the aromatic and flavor range became even more expressive. One thing I have noticed over the years is the wonderful rocky terroir combined with the red fruit and citrus profiles in this wine. There is literally nothing out there that I have tried like the 'God Only Knows.' This is a collector's bottle. These wines are incredibly difficult to find. I highly recommend that you try to find these online, as wine shops sell them, as Cayuse wines are typically only available through their mailing list (long wait list currently) or online wine shops. There are great special occasion bottles that are sure to impress. Learn more about Cayuse at https://cayusevineyards.com/static/ Here is my review of the 2013 ‘God Only Knows’ Red Wine by Cayuse Vineyards.

2013 Cayuse 'God Only Knows' Red Wine- Following up the nothing short of insane 2012 release by Cayuse, the 2013 'God Only Knows' Red Wine is another stunner from the superstar winemaking team of Christophe Baron and Elizabeth Bourcier. Having a translucent core this wine has simply intoxicating aromatics of blood orange, Umami, horse manure, wet stone and suggestions of red cherry syrup. The tension and minerality to this wine is simply stunning considering the obvious heat of the vintage. Satsuma orange rind, Umami, bulls blood, rose water, white pepper and gobs of minerality. The tension is hugely compelling, literally gripping, as is the exceedingly long finish. The flavor and aromatic range continue to evolve following two hours in the decanter. Sexy, exotic, moving and feminine, this gorgeous red wine will cellar beautifully for the next decade. Drink 2017-2028- 97

Cardinale

One of the great red wine projects in the Napa Valley, Cardinale is an absolutely stunning property located in the Napa floor, in Oakville not far from Robert Mondavi Winery. Cardinale is best known for their red wine, a massive representation of Cabernet, usually with smaller parts of Merlot blended in. Superstar winemaker of Cardinale, Chris Carpenter, is an MBA graduate that gained experience as a harvest enologist at Domaine Carneros Winery, a vineyard intern at Domaine Chandon California, and a research intern at Tenute Antinori, Santa Cristina Estate, in Montefiridolfi, Italy, before coming to Cardinale. This wine has been one of my Napa favorites for many years and the 2013 version was hugely impressive. Their 2013 Cardinale Red Wine (WWB, 95) is a massive monster of a wine that has pretty serious tannins at this juncture. The flavor and aromatic range to this wine is rather intoxicating. Learn more about this special occasion wine at http://www.cardinale.com/ Here is my review of the stunning 2013 Cardinale Red Wine

2013 Cardinale Red Wine- This stunning new release is a blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon with 14% Merlot. The wine was aged for 19 months in 100% new French oak  and weighs in at 14.5% alcohol. Sourced from 10 Napa Valley vineyards, the wine has highly perfumed aromatics of creme de cassis, tar, mocha and black cherry. The mid-palate mouthfeel is massive. The flavor range improves with time in the decanter. Creme de cassis, coffee grounds, black cherry and Hoisin sauce flavors show beautifully alongside moderate tannins. This is fleshy, intense and downright gorgeous wine. The 2013 Cardinale really needs another year to settle in the bottle. If enjoying young, give this beautiful wine at least a three hour decant. Drink 2018-2035- 95

Rasa Vineyards

Year after year, Rasa Vineyards continue to produce some of the best wines in Washington. The precision, depth, viscosity, mouthfeel and elegance of the wines made by superstar winemaker Billo Naravane is evident in his Rasa bottlings. If you had not had the chance to taste these wines at their Walla Walla winery, you are in for a sensual awakening. 

Head winemaker Billo Navarane is one of the best winemakers in Washington. He has nearly completed his masters of wine certification and he will tell you the textural, aromatic and flavor profile differences between classic Gruner Veltliner and Albarino. It is always a pleasure talking wine with Billo. HIs new wines were some of the best I have ever tried, as he utilizes a string of hot and pretty outstanding vintages in Washington. Look for the 2013 Rasa ‘Veritas Sequitur’ Syrah (WWB, 96) a very special Syrah sourced from the SJR Vineyard which shows insane rocky terroir and incredible flavor and aromatic range. This is one of the best wines that I have reviewed from the Walla Walla rocks region. Equally impressive is the completely insane 2013 Rasa ‘Fianchetto’ Red Wine (WWB, 96) sourced from the XL Vineyard in Walla Walla. Learn more about these amazing wines at http://rasavineyards.com Here are the great new wines by Rasa Vineyards

2013 Rasa Vineyards 'QED Convergence' Red Wine- This wine is primarily Syrah and has 4% Viognier blended in. This outstanding bottling begins with perfumed aromatics of rose petals, smoked brisket, black cherry and black olive. The mouthfeel is plush and elegant. There are deep flavors of black cherry compote, black olive, crushed mint and red currant.  The wine finishes exceedingly long with a slight astringency. The weight and balance is absolutely gorgeous. Drink 2017-2028- 94

2013 Rasa Vineyards 'Principia Reserve' Syrah- This dense colored wine has intense aromatics of black tea, black olive, smoked pork shoulder and creosote. This leads to dense flavors of wild blackberry jam, coffee grounds, orange rind, blueberry, and black tea with an impressive mineral streak. This has an old world feel while showing off massive fruit weight. The finish is very long and dark fruit driven. The aromatic and flavor range is nothing short of intoxicating. Try to drink this awesome wine within the decade. Drink 2017-2028- 95

2013 Rasa Vineyards 'Veritas Sequitur' Syrah- This outstanding Syrah wine was sourced from the famed SJR vineyard. The wine has utilized 100% whole cluster fermentation. The Syrah wine opens with a bouquet of umami, seaweed, black cherry, crushed mint and smoked short rib. The nose is simply intoxicating. This leads to rich flavors of black cherry, boysenberry liquor, manure, black tea, umami and suggestions of alllspice. The finish is extremely long and precise, as the wine rounds out beautifully. This wine is massive yet elegant, showing incredible tension, mouthfeel and viscosity. Hats off to winemaker Billo Naravane. Drink 2017-2027- 96

2013 Rasa Vineyards'Plus One' Cabernet- The wine is sourced from an old block in the Kiona Vineyard and was aged in 60% new French oak for 28 months. The wine begins with aromas of black cherry, eucalyptus, dried sage, and black tea. This leads to gorgeous and mouth-watering flavors of black cherry, mocha, black olive and crushed mint. The weight, texture and mouthfeel is lovely. Moderately tannic, try to give this another year to settle. Drink 2018-2030- 94

2013 Rasa Vineyards 'Creative Impulse' Red Wine- This wine is a scintillating blend of 69% Cabernet and 31% Merlot which was sourced from the famed DuBrul Vineyard, managed by the Sheils family. This wine opens with a deep bouquet of black tea, cassis, black raspberry, baking spices and suggestions of coffee grounds. This leads to dense flavors of black cherry, black tea, mocha, crushed as the finish continues to linger on the tongue. The wine has an incredible mouthfeel, texture, viscosity and minerality. It is a true stunner which will cellar gracefully for a decade or more. Drink 2017-2035- 95

2014 Rasa Vineyards 'Creative Impulse' Red Wine- This outstanding wine spent 30 months in French Oak puncheons. The oak profile is 60% new French oak (predominantly from Troncais and Alliers) and 40% neutral French oak. This year they have blended 56% Cabernet with 44% Merlot. This has massive aromatics of black tea, blackberry cobbler, and a lovely herbal quality, with red bell pepper. This leads to flavors of blackberry cobbler, black tea, boysenberry liquor, crushed mint and mocha. Massive tannins power the wine at this moment but the wine is currently empowered to showcase its scintillating, minute-long finish. Try to resist this beautiful wine for another year. Drink 2018-2035- 95

2013 Rasa Vineyards 'Fianchetto' Red Wine- This wine is the follow- up the stunning 2012 Rasa Vineyards’ Fianchetto’ Red Wine and is a massive blend of 56% Cabernet with the remainder Merlot and Cabernet Franc. The wine opens with a bouquet of black cherry, creme de Cassie, mocha, crushed gravel and Earl Grey tea. Dense and intense, there are ultra ripe flavors of mocha, creosote, coffee grounds, black olive and black tea with cherry cough syrup. The finish is exceedingly long. This is massive yet feminine as this really needs one more year to fully settle. The balance and mouthfeel is exquisite. Powerful and seductive, this is another heavyhitter of a wine crafted by the talented hands of Billo Naravane. Drink 2018-2035- 96

2013 Rasa Vineyards ‘In Order To Form A Perfect Union’ Red Wine- This Bordeaux style blend was aged in 70% new French oak puncheons (predominantly from Troncais and Alliers) and 30% neutral French oak prior to bottling. The red blend begins with aromatics of sagebrush, mint, red cherry, red bell pepper and wild blackberry. This leads to flavors of black cherry, black tea, coffee ground and black olive. This is blended beautifully and is chewy while showcasing a Bordelaise mineralityDrink 2017-2029- 94

2014 Rasa Vineyards 'Occams Razor' Red Wine- Forward, seductive and plush, this great value wine opens with a bouquet of blackberry jam, black tea, mint and boysenberry jam. This leads to ripe flavors of black cherry, eucalyptus, red raspberry and coffee grounds. This has the stuffing and structure to cellar well into the next decade as this is a truly outstanding value buy at this price point. Drink 2017-2026- 91

2015 Rasa Vineyards 'Primus Inter Pares' Grenache- This stunning Grenache wine was sourced from Monette's Vineyard in the Walla Walla Rocks region. Prior to bottling the wine was left on the lees for 18 months in neutral French oak barriques. This wine begins with aromatics of rose petals, white flowers, Mandarin orange rind and potpourri. This leads to flavors of red cherry, strawberry, orange zest and strawberry jam. This is pretty, feminine, sexy and absolutely irresistible at this juncture. While less acid-driven than the ’14 bottling, this outstanding wine is just as good and even more impossible to put down as the gorgeous aromatic and flavor range shows through. Only 103 cases made of this absolutely stunning Grenache wine which is one of the best of its kind in Washington state. Drink 2017-2029- 95

2015 Rasa Vineyards 'Tilting At Windmills' Red Wine- The 2015 ‘Tilting At Windmills’ by Rasa Vineyards is an inspiration by head winemaker Billo Naravane to make a Washington wine in the style of the profound red wines of Priorat. It is a sexy blend of Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah which was aged in 40% new French oak (predominantly from Troncais and Alliers) and 60% neutral French oak prior to bottling. This wine begins with aromatics of black tea, black olive, rose petals and suggestions of baking spices. This leads to dense flavors reminiscent of black tea, red cherry, raspberry jam and umami that sit alongside some moderate tannins. This wine is another stunner by superstar winemaker Billo Naravane. Drink 2017-2029- 94

2015 Rasa Vineyards ‘QED Axiom of Choice’ Cabernet Franc- This is an awesome Cabernet Franc wine that was primarily sourced from the Weinbau Vineyard. This has dense aromatics of black cherry, black olive, mint and violets. This leads to flavors of black tea, violets, black cherry and a core of coffee grounds. This is dense and absolutely lovely. Drink 2017-2028- 93

2015 Rasa Vineyards ‘Living In The Limelight’ Petit Verdot- The 2015 Rasa ‘Living in the Limelight’ Petit Verdot is one of the best of its kind that I have sampled in the past year. An only dark color opens to aromatics reminiscent of green olive, black peppercorn, mocha and creme de cassis. This leads to deep flavors of black cherry cough syrup, black tea, black olive tapenade and coffee grounds. This is a massive wine. Drink 2018-2033- 94

2014 Rasa Vineyards ‘En Passant’ Merlot- The 2014 ‘En Passant’ Merlot was primarily sourced from the DuBrul Vineyard and is only available in magnum format. The wine spent 30 months in 60% new French oak and 40% neutral French oak prior to bottling. This simply gorgeous Merlot wine opens with dense aromatics of black tea, black olive, cigar box, black cherry pie and Asian spices. The aroma range is just stunning. This leads to intense flavors of black cherry, cassis, Asian slices and coffee grounds. The mouthfeel is lovely and plush. This gorgeous Merlot wine really needs another year to settle but is impossible to resist right now. Drink 2018-2035- 95

2014 Rasa Vineyards ‘Plus One’ Cabernet- The 2014 ‘Plus One’ Cabernet was aged in 60% new French oak (predominantly from Troncais and Alliers) and 40% neutral French oak. The resultant wine is a stunner. This absolutely awesome Cabernet wine begins with aromas of baking spices, black cherry, sagebrush and creme de cassis. This leads to polished flavors of black tea, mocha, black cherry cough syrup and boysenberry preserves with coffee grounds. This is massive and has a polished mouthfeel. Try to give this gorgeous wine another year to settle. Drink 2018-2035- 95

2014 Rasa Vineyards 'For The Love Of The Game' Cabernet- A blockbuster wine and a complete stunner, this great Cabernet wine was sourced from the Wallula Gap Vineyard. This was aged in 70% new French oak (predominantly from Troncais and Alliers) and 30% neutral French oak prior to bottling. The Cabernet begins with simply intoxicating aromatics of creme de cassis, anise, red bell pepper and coffee grounds. The massive aromatic profile brings you constantly back to the glass for more. Crushed mint, Chinese black tea, black cherry cough syrup and sage flavors impress and add sexy layers. This is massive, structured and absolutely gorgeous as Billo Naravane has slugged a home run here with his new Cabernet. Only 62 cases produced of this heavy hitter of a Cabernet. Drink 2018-2035- 95

2014 Rasa Vineyards 'A Perfect Union' Red Wine- Rasa has crafted another wonderful red wine with their 2014 ‘A Perfect Union’ Red Wine. This wonderful blend begins with aromatics reminiscent of crushed mint, red bell pepper and red cherry with cigar box.  The plush mouthfeel and silky texture is lovely as this wine is soft and supple. The red wine has dense flavors of black tea, mocha, baking spices and blackberry pie. This lovely blend can benefit from another year of bottle age for the fruit to fully integrate. Drink 2018-2033- 93

2013 Rasa Vineyards 'The Composer' Riesling- The 2013 ‘The Composer’ Riesling was produced from Geisenheim 110, Geisenheim 198 and Neustadt 90 clones which were sourced from the Bacchus and Dionysus Vineyards. The Riesling weighs in at 10.9 g/L residual sugar, and the wine was aged in 60% neutral oak fermentation, and 40% stainless steel fermentation.Done in the Alsatian style, this rear Riesling wine begins with aromatics of Granny Smith apple, wet rock, petrol and cantaloupe. This lead to flavors of white flowers, Gravenstein apple and green papaya. This finishes extremely long as this wine is up there with the best Washington Rieslings out there. Drink 2017-2026-92

Corliss Estates

One of the standout Washington wineries, Corliss Estates focuses on premier red wines, sourced from some of the best vineyards in Washington state. A few days ago I had the great opportunity to taste at Corliss Estates. A stunning facility located in Walla Walla, Corliss focuses on Bordeaux varietals and they are currently showcasing the 2012 vintage, a textbook vintage. Corliss holds their wines considerably longer than most wineries. I met with head winemaker Alexander Trio and winemaking consultant Philippe Melka as they were doing some blending. They were both super happy with their 2012 wines — and I was equally impressed. Trio crafted some killer new wines including the 2012 Corliss Estates Malbec (WWB, 94), an insanely deep and intoxicating wine that shows wonderful dark fruits and herbaceous aspects. The mouthfeel of this wine is exquisite. Even better was the 2012 Corliss Syrah (WWB, 95) which is one of the best Syrah wines that I have sampled in the past year. This wine is deep, layered and simply intoxicating. Most of these wines are challenging to obtain and can be found in some online stores. Learn more about Corliss Estates at http://corlissestates.com Here are the great new release wines from Corliss Estates.

2012 Corliss Syrah-The 2012 Syrah has 3% Viognier blended in. This gorgeous, deep colored wine begins with aromatics of blackberry cobbler, coffee grounds, dark chocolate shavings and black cherry cough syrup. The aromatics are very intense and downright intoxicating. The mouthfeel is absolutely gorgeous. There are layered flavors of Black Forest cake, spicebox, mocha and black plum. This is plush and absolutely delicious as the minerality is dazzling. This is just an awesome wine crafted by superstar winemaker Andrew Trio and famed winemaking consultant Philippe Melka. Drink 2017-2030- 95

2012 Corliss Malbec- This wine is sourced from the Black Rock Vineyard in the Yakima Valley AVA. This has deep and layered aromatics of black tea, mint, violets and blackberry jam. These are dense aromas that bring you back to the glass for more. Milk chocolate, blackberry cobbler, black tea, roasted figs and mint flavors impress. This shows incredible intensity and minerality. I can see this cellaring brilliantly for a decade or more. Drink 2017-2030- 94

Interview with Aryn Morell, of A. Morell Wines

A Washington winemaker that needs no introduction, Aryn Morell is originally from Western Washington and was a top golfer growing up. He attended the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV), for their golf program and also studied Chemistry at the UNLV. Aryn felt inspired following a weekend trip to Napa Valley and realized that wine industry might be for him. He then had his start Napa Valley in late 2003. Aryn worked for some prestigious properties there including Golden State Vintners, Edgewood Estates, Silver Oak and also worked for a company that consulted for Joseph Phelps, Quintessa, Hartwell, Chimney Rock, Caldwell Vineyards, Vineyard 29, Chappellet, Rutherford Hill, Spring Mountain Winery, Stags Leap Winery, Turnbull, and many others. Following his four years in Napa, in 2007 Aryn moved back to his home state, working at Matthews Winery as winemaker. Since that time he has founded other winery projects including Alleromb, Morell-Pena and also consults for Tenor, Mullan Road, Gard and Ardor projects. HIs wines are focused, balanced and superb. I recently had the chance to sit down with him for a three hour tasting and chat wine. His vast knowledge of winemaking and the wine industry was apparent. He was a delight to converse with as I admired his candid and precise approach to making wine. Aryn is a superstar winemaker in Washington wine and I hope you enjoy my interview with him. 

WWB: What was it like starting your wine journey in the Napa Valley and working for storied properties like Silver Oak? How has your experiences in Napa made you a better winemaker?

WWB: At the time, I didn’t think much of whether starting in Napa or anywhere else made much difference. I was young (22) and wasn’t a huge wine person although I enjoyed wine it wasn’t a huge part of my daily routine. I went there because my brother was there and in visiting I enjoyed the vibe, the beauty of the valley and the general combination of science and art. I’ll admit at the time I was more interested in the science aspect as I’m wired to look at things critically. Over time you begin to see the art in it but that came much later. Working at Golden State Vintners and then Silver Oak was educational to say the least; I got to see the very large side of the industry at GSV and was actually there when The Wine Group bought them in 2003. When I went to work at Silver Oak it was a harvest/intern position and I started out taking vineyard samples and then transitioned into the cellar as harvest came closer and filled in literally everywhere as I was given the freedom to go wherever they needed me. I stayed on after harvest and went and did what they asked which was a little bit of everything. I’m not sure that Napa by itself made me a better winemaker, but it certainly gives you perspective on how a very established region operates. Getting to see so many wineries and operations you get the sense of how much money and time is involved and how many people are actually involved in making wine. Coming to a region like Washington was eye opening after being in Napa, it was like stepping back in time. Small wineries, small budgets and an apparent lack of inter-winery competition. On my first trip to Washington I was told about a late night by winery X, because they had gone to help another winery finish harvest, it was something I couldn’t comprehend at the time. I grew up as an athlete and find a way to compete at everything I do (including winemaking) so the passiveness was certainly something new for me as I found Napa to be far more competitive. Another thing in hindsight that drives the way I operate now is that the correlation to how many people are involved in making decisions at a given property dramatically affects the resulting quality. And that relationship is generally the opposite of what you may think. The places that had fewer voices involved tended to make wines that saw higher highs and more distinction as far as quality and places with more people made wines consistently but not necessarily great wines and also without much of a signature. There are certainly larger wineries that make great wine, but those places are seeing direction being dictated from only one or two people. There is certainly a conscious decision at many wineries to go one way or the other. The bigger brands erred on the side of consistency while sacrificing some quality and individuality and the smaller guys by size not budget...erred on the side of letting fewer people be involved so as to allow a more singular focus and style to define the wines. That concept drives the way we interact with our clients every day.

WWB: Your winemaking talents touch everything from Sauvignon Blanc to Merlot to Malbec. Do you have any varietals in particular that you most enjoy working with? What new Washington grapes or regions make you the most excited?

AM: Sadly my answer is pretty generic, I love working with everything (except maybe Roussanne…) and for me the challenge is to understand what each varietal is good and bad at and create a plan to maximize its chance for success. Every vineyard, varietal and clone have unique properties so it’s trying to gather enough knowledge to make decisions about what needs to be done to get from A to B. Each winery we work with has a unique style so making the same varietal for each winery entails dramatically different protocol to achieve their distinct signature. Too many consultants make the same wines for every winery they work with, some times intentionally (because they feel you hired them for their style) and other times because there is no desire or capacity to make unique wines for everyone you work with as its time consuming and very detail oriented. Right now I’m most excited about Pinot Noir because we’ve never had it in the winery and we planted a vineyard a few years ago after years of weather mapping and choosing the right location. It’s also the newest project so it’s like having a new child and everyone is interested in seeing what it’s going to look like, be like etc… I’m not good at staying still so there is always some new “side” project that we just can’t resist trying. Can you say sparkling wine…;)

WWB: Last year your wines from Tenor were hugely impressive, including the stunning 2013 Tenor Sauvignon Blanc (WWB, 92), which was one of the best new world Sauvignon Blanc wines that I reviewed last year. Can you talk about this fantastic wine and also about some of the challenges with making Sauvignon Blanc in Washington?

AM: I think that wine specifically is one of the more unique wines we make. Its Sauvignon Blanc that is macerated on the skins for 12-36 hours depending on the vintage, then pressed, settled and racked to barrel for fermentation. We have been using more new oak than most would expect in Sav Blanc but in larger formats, tighter grain and lighter toasts. This year we will be going to 600L’s after a few years in 300’s. It’s certainly not a shy wine, but as most Tenor wines it’s meant to showcase a single varietal in a ripe and opulent style but still with good freshness, which is key to maintaining some sense of balance. It’s ok for wines to be big and ripe but they still need to be drinkable and that comes with balance and for me balance has nothing to do with alcohol solely, it’s the sum of the parts and how they work with each other. I think the 2016 version will be the pinnacle of what we are trying to achieve in that style. Sauvignon Blanc is perfectly suited for the Columbia Valley as long as wineries control yields and exposure. The biggest issue with all whites in WA is exposure, we have such long exposure times on the west side of the plant so it forces many growers who didn’t plant off axis to heavily shade the west side and leaf the east. The problem then is the ripening is uneven which can have some complexity benefits (as long as the burn and sun degraded fruit is dropped) but it’s always easier to grow more uniformly and change your picking times to create complexity in your wines.

WWB: One of the best wines from the Walla Walla Rocks region that I sampled last year was your gorgeous 2014 Ardor Cellars ‘Stoney Vine Vineyard’ Syrah (WWB, 94) which was a sexy Syrah that showed massive range and Rocks character. Can you tell us more about this fantastic wine.

AM: I’ll be the first to admit, I’m not a huge fan of the “Rocks” so this is the only fruit we pull from there and it’s because the Kubrocks who own Ardor love it. My goal in making any wine for a client is to give them what they want but to also maintain some sense of restraint when it comes to areas that tend to skew out of my own personal taste. There tends to be the desire to take what is already a unique area, with its own unique growing conditions and try and magnify what it’s already going to do naturally. The amount of complex sulfides, high pH and green notes from the long vegetative cycle that are generally created from those growing conditions and then winemaking to amplify them seems counter intuitive. I chose to allow the wine to show the classic Rocks profile but in a more understated way. Our winemaking style is clean, pure and delineated regardless of the brand and we try and allow what the site wants to do naturally to take over after that. That wine was one of the more feminine rocks wines in its youth that I’ve had the chance of trying and in my opinion is what I would hope more vintners in the area would attempt. The “Rocksiness” is still going to come out with time and air but the wines would show so much more range and development in their youth rather than going right for show from the start.

WWB: The releases from your winery, Alleromb, were hugely impressive across the board. What are some of the challenges with running your own winery and also doing a great deal of consulting winemaking? What were some of your favorite recent Alleromb releases? 

AM: The easy answer is capital; obviously wine is not an inexpensive hobby so it’s making sure you plan well and budget, especially if you’re on a more limited budget. The second thing is setting aside the time to go sell it. The easy part is we make all the wines in the same facility so I’m not going from place to place wasting time and energy with travel and having different staffs at each place. Our staff knows what we’re trying to achieve for each wine and every year that goes by we all get better at each aspect of the process. The problem is we make almost 70 different wines and nearly 40,000 cases at this point so having extra time is relative. The new Grenache’s are my favorites at the moment, the first few years we blended Syrah into our Grenache to put some weight on it while the vineyard was getting older. Now I love the expressiveness we’ve seen in the last few vintages as we’ve transitioned into a pure Grenache and have removed the barrel fermentation in favor of concrete and stainless steel. The wines are fresher and move better across your palate and as a result are just insanely drinkable.

Interview with Kerry Shiels, Winemaker of Cote Bonneville

Today we have a very exciting interview with a rockstar woman in wine. One of the great winemakers in Washington, Kerry Shiels, is the daughter of Kathy and Dr. Hugh Shiels, who founded Côte Bonneville and planted their famed DuBrul Vineyard. Kerry received her Masters degree in Viticulture and Enology from U.C. Davis, then assumed the winemaker title in August, 2009. She has been immersed in DuBrul Vineyard and Côte Bonneville since 2005, under Stan Clarke’s tutelage and Co Dinn’s mentorship. 

Kerry is not only a superstar winemaker but she is a downright awesome person to talk wine with. I recently had the chance to sit down with her and talk about her background, as well as her recent great releases. I think you will very much enjoy hearing more about her. Here is my interview with Kerry Shiels, Winemaker of Côte Bonneville.

WWB: How did you first become interested in winemaking? What was it like learning from some of the best wine educators in the world at the UC Davis school of viticulture and enology?

KS: I grew up around the wine industry, knowing growers and winemakers from a young age. When I was looking for a science project in 7th grade, making wine seemed like a fun one! I’ve always been interested in learning how the world works and creating something. I have been lucky to have amazing teachers and mentors from middle school, through college at Northwestern University and grad school at UC Davis, up to today. They have always encouraged me seek out the best education and experiences, and helped me apply what I’ve learned with critical thinking to whatever I’m currently trying to do.

When I changed careers from engineering to winemaking, it was thanks to many of those middle and high school mentors that I knew I needed to go to UC Davis. It was pretty amazing to be in class with professors who helped establish the California wine industry as a quality region. Every single instructor was at the top of his or her field globally. The depth and breadth of knowledge in Davis is phenomenal. I also made a lot of great friends, both fellow students and in the faculty. The people I worked with during my harvest experiences were also wonderful teachers. Each winery has a unique philosophy, which means different ways of doing things, and different reasons for why they do them. It is important to understand distinct decision-making styles, especially when coupled with different vineyards, vintages, and regions (I’ve made wine on 3 continents). The combination of academic understanding and experience is how one learns good judgment. I am excited to see the WSU program growing. It bodes well for our industry to have more trained professionals to continue to improve quality of Washington Wines. Our region is young, and there is so much potential to discover.

WWB: What are some of the challenges with growing a range of varietals in the DuBrul Vineyard, from Riesling to Merlot to Syrah?

KS: We view the diversity as an advantage, not a challenge. When we planted DuBrul, we dug big pits all around the vineyard to study the soils and aspects. We laid out the vineyard to take advantage of the natural variation inherent in the site. The Cabernet, for example, is on the steep south facing slope for the most heat accumulation and rockiest soils. Chardonnay is planted on a north westerly facing aspect, where there is more loess. This block is cooler, and the increased water holding capacity helps the vines develop the canopy needed for this varietal. If the vineyard were uniform, we couldn’t grow the range of grapes all at the high quality point that we do. The hillside Cab planting would be too hot and rocky for Chard, for example. Another great attribute of the diversity of grapes is that it helps us to keep our all female crew working consistently. Timing of work in the vineyard is important. With the different varietals, it ensures that the vines are not all at the same point of development at exactly the same time. So just as we finish work in one block it is time to start work in the next. The ladies can work steadily, not rushed one week and bored the next. It is important to us to take care of the people who work in the vineyard, along with the vines and fruit. In the winery, the fun part of growing all these different grapes is that we get to make such a diverse set of wines. As an estate winery, it is really cool to be able to make Riesling and Syrah. We have something for everyone, and almost every occasion, from refreshing whites to full bodied reds.

WWB: Do you feel that some varietals grow best depending on vintages? What were some of your favorite varietals from the hot vintages of 2014 and 2015?

KS: The Yakima Valley is a moderate growing region. In cool years, we approximate more elegant Bordeaux style wines; in warm years, we tend more towards rich California-esque fruit. I truly believe there is no such thing as a bad vintage in a great site like DuBrul Vineyard, but we do have to adapt to the year we’re given.

This year is the 25th anniversary of DuBrul Vineyard, and we know our vines well. We can use various viticultural and irrigation practices to optimize each vine. This helps us achieve even ripening, no matter what type of season Mother Nature has given us. Our winemakers (not only myself, but all those who source fruit from DuBrul) then have the flexibility to make harvest decisions that best fit their style and goals. I really like the 2014 Chardonnay, which has lovely lemon pie notes. Our 2014 Syrah combines boysenberry and cherry with violets and spice. For the Cabernet blends, I think the 2014s are too young, so they are still waiting in my cellar. Our wines are intended to age, so I’m currently enjoying the 2010 Carriage House or 2007 Côte Bonneville.

WWB: You made one of my favorite Rose wines in Washington, which landed on my Top 100 Wines of North America last year. Can you talk about your special 2015 Rose and the upcoming release of your 2016 Rose? 

KS: I love Rosé! Ours is special, in that we grow the grapes specifically for rosé. So much of the viticulture and winemaking around rosé isn’t serious, as producers just don’t spend the time and energy here. Not only are whites and rosé wonderful wines, but attention to detail is so important for quality, flavor, and balance in these wines.

We take the designated rows of Cabernet Franc in the vineyard, and farm for the desired flavors, brightness, and intensity. The grapes are harvested and cared for in the winery to highlight the complexity, aromatics, and elegance that our wines are known for. It’s completely dry, and pairs well with a wide range of food. The pale copper color is gorgeous in the glass. At home, my back patio faces northwest, overlooking the Yakima Valley towards DuBrul Vineyard. My favorite place to enjoy is a glass of rosé is on the patio, watching the sun set behind Mt Rainier. The colors evolve across the evening sky and the desert hills like the flavors in the wine. It’s a perfect way to end a summer day.

WWB: When you are not enjoying your delicious Cote Bonneville wines, what are some of your favorite wines of the world? What is your personal cellar like?

KS: I enjoy wines from all over the world, and believe it’s important to continue to explore what’s out there in the greater world of wine. Call it competitive analysis, or not getting a house palate, but it is part of the job to taste and drink other wines! Having lived in Italy for a few years, Piemontese wines are my enological home away from home. I love Arneis, Barbera, and of course, Nebbiolo. Champagne is always fun, and has become more interesting, with the explosion of grower producers that are focused on a sense of place. Our philosophy is very Burgundian, and I feel a kinship with those wines. I appreciate the meticulous attention to site, farming, and winemaking. And the Chardonnay is amazing. It’s important to continually benchmark Bordeaux blends and Syrah from other areas, so I seek those out from important regions. It’s tough work, but someone has to do it, right? ;) My cellar is divided by variety/ type, but also by ageability. In the section I’m trying to be patient and lay down for a long time, I am really excited about the Rieslings. Aged Riesling is so spectacular, so in 10 or 20 years, that is going to be fun!!

Upsidedown Wine

A winery that focuses on giving back, Upsidedown Wine, founded by Seth Kizke, has crafted some great new releases. Upsidedown Wine donates to charity for each bottle of their wine sold.  When you order their wine direct or join their wine club, 20% of the proceeds go to support these non-profit charity organizations including the You and the Brave Foundation.

The wines in their Gold Drop Collection are sourced from the Kizke Family Vineyard located on Candy Mountain in Richland, next to Red Mountain. Head winemaker Seth Kizke chooses to use indigenous yeasts as well as minimal intervention in his great new wines. Look for the 2013 Upsidedown Wine ‘GSM’ Red Wine (WWB, 91), which is an outstanding release that shows wonderful flavor and aromatic range. Learn more about this cool new winery at http://drinkupsidedownwine.com Here are the new wine releases by Upsidedown Wine. 

2016 Upsidedown Wine Rose- Nebbiolo sourced from the Horse Heaven Hills. This wine begins with aromatics of strawberry, guava, red cherry, and white peach. There are flavors of strawberry, red cherry, nectarine and starfruit. Lovely and lithe this is refreshing. Drink 2017-2021- 89

2014 Upsidedown Wine Merlot- This soft Merlot wine opens with aromatics of black cherry, black tea, and nutmeg accents. There are rich flavors of black cherry, black olive and blackberry. Drink 2017-2025- 90

2013 Upsidedown Wine 'GSM' Red Wine- A blend of equal parts Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre this opens with aromatics of smoked meats, bacon fat, creosote and hunts if salted pomegranate. Feminine and sexy, there are flavors of pomegranate, red cherry and bacon fat. This is an outstanding effort by head winemaker Seth Kizke. Drink 2017-2026- 91

2014 Upsidedown Wine Cabernet- This dense wine opens with rich aromatics of smoke, black cherry and anise with cassis. There are lively flavors of black cherry, black tea, blackberry cobbler and mint. This has lovely structure and can cellar well into the next decade. Drink 2017-2027- 90

Panther Creek

One of the oldest wineries in the Willamette Valley, Panther Creek was founded in 1986 by Ken Wright. The winery focuses on signature blends as well as single vineyard designate wines. Panther Creek utilizes the talents of superstar winemaker, Tony Rynders, who leads Tendril and is a former winemaker at Domaine Serene. Tony has spent over 20 harvests spanning the globe, from France to Australia. He is truly one of the best Oregon winemakers out there.

We had a great visit to Panther Creek a few weeks back.

I recently visited this winery to check out their new release wines and was very impressed, particularly how their Pinot Noir wines turned out in the challenging 2013 vintage. I really liked their 2013 Panther Creek ‘Winemaker’s Cuvee’ Pinot Noir (WWB, 90) which was earthy, mineral driven and showed a wonderful Burgundian feel. Even better was their 2014 Panther Creek ‘Winemaker’s Cuvee’ Pinot Noir (WWB, 91) which had deeper concentration and more dark fruits while maintaining a great acid streak. Learn more about these excellent wines at http://www.panthercreekcellars.com Here are the new release wines by Panther Creek

2015 Panther Creek Pinot Gris- This bright colored Pinot Gris was sourced from three Vineyards in the Eola Amity Hills. The wine begins with aromatics of starfruit, citrus blossom and lychee leading to flavors of white peach, white flowers and Gala apple. Drink 2017-2021- 89

2013 Panther Creek ‘Winemakers Cuvée’ Pinot Noir- This wine begins with aromas of red currant, black cherry and forest floor. This leads to flavors of pomegranate, cranberry and red cherry with orange rind. This has wonderful structure and a lithe minerality. Drink 2017-2026- 90

2014 Panther Creek ‘Winemakers Cuvée’ Pinot Noir-This deep colored Pinot Noir wine opens with dense aromatics of black cherry, black olive and forest floor with shiitake mushroom. The earthy tones really accentuate this wine well. This leads to flavors of black cherry, black tea and wet stone with black truffle. Drink 2017-2027- 91

2013 Panther Creek ‘Kalita Vineyard’ Pinot Noir-This translucent colored Pinot Noir wine begins with aromas of red currant, red cherry and cranberry leading to flavors of cranberry, red currant, and pomegranate seed with light tannins. Drink 2017-2026- 90

2014 Panther Creek ‘Kalita Vineyard’ Pinot Noir-This excellent wine is currently showing a darker profile than the 2013 ‘Kalita’ bottling, this excellent Pinot Noir wine begins with aromatics of forest floor, black truffle and pomegranate. The mouthfeel is dense, which is leading to ripe flavors reminiscent of black tea, black cherry and pomegranate seed with forest floor accents. Drink 2017-2028- 91

Continuum

A standout Napa producer, Continuum was founded in 2005 by Tim Mondavi (a visionary in starting Opus One) and Marcia Mondavi Borger. The winery focuses on a red wine, their Continuum which is a silky blend of Cabernet, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Merlot. Fruit is hand-harvested, sorted before and after de-stemming, then gravity fed into a combination of specially designed small French oak and cement tanks, with a small amount going to French oak barrels for fermentation. Each lot has a lengthy maceration time, ranging from 21-43 days. During this time, pump overs and below the cap lees stirring are enacted daily. The wine is then stored in 85% new small French oak barrels for 19-20 months. Tim Mondavi who for 30 years ran Robert Mondavi’s premium wine program and was involved in the winemaking for Opus One, is the winemaker for Continuum.

I recently had the chance to try their 2012 Continuum Red Wine (WWB, 95) which was an excellent aged effort that comes from a highly compelling vintage. This wine had incredible intensity, fruit weight and lovely minerality. It is a memorable wine that will cellar well for 20 years. Learn more about this great winery at http://www.continuumestate.com

2012 Continuum Red Wine- The 2012 Continuum Red Wine is an intense blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Cabernet Franc, 6% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot. You are immediately drawn to the uber-dense aromatics of sweet pipe tobacco, creme de cassis, anise and spicebox with black cherry pie. The plush texture is sumptuous. Flavors of hoisin sauce, black cherry compote, creme de cassis and mocha complete this majestic drinking experience. The fruit weight is gorgeous as is the silky mouthfeel. Enjoy this wine over the next two decades or possibly more. Drink 2017-2035- 95

Dunham Cellars

A fantastic Walla Walla mainstay, Dunham Cellars is a must visit when you are in the Walla Walla area. Located in the airport district and founded by the Dunham family in 1995, Dunham relies on the talented hands of winemaker Tyler Tennyson. Dunham produces a wide range of wines including Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Trutina (Bordeaux style blend), Three Legged Red (red table wine) and the "Shirley Mays" Chardonnay, a dedication to Eric's grandmother. 

Having tasted at Dunham for more than 15 years, their new wines impressed. Look for their 2013 Dunham Cabernet (WWB, 92), a rich wine that showed beautifully straight out of the bottle, not needing a decant. this rich wine shows wonderful richness and poise. Another gorgeous new release was the 2014 Dunham ‘Lewis Vineyard’ Riesling (WWB, 92), that showed awesome secondary characteristics as well as minerality in this hot vintage. An awesome new Cabernet release is the massive 2013 Dunham ‘Artist Series Lewis Vineyard’ Cabernet (WWB, 94) that showed powerful fruit flavors and wonderful, earthy terroir from the famed Lewis Vineyard. Look for these awesome wines at great wine shops like Met Market, Esquin, and Total Wines, as well as some area grocery stores like QFC. Some Costcos also carry their Trutina wines. Learn more about Dunham at dunhamcellars.com. Here are the great new release wines from Dunham Cellars.

2016 Dunham Rose- The 2016 Dunham Rosé is another gorgeous release by Dunham and their talented winemaker, Tyler Tennyson. This pretty pale-colored Rose wine made from Cabernet Franc begins with aromatics of rose petals, red cherry, and cranberry. There are light and delicate flavors of gooseberry, red cherry, pomegranate seed and orange rind. This has wonderful poise and is done in the refreshing style. Drink 2017-2021- 91

2015 Dunham 'Shirley Mays' Chardonnay- Sourced from the Lewis Vineyard, this great Chardonnay release opens with a bouquet of creme beulee, roasted pineapple, Golden Delicious apple and toasted hazelnuts. This leads to ripe flavors of vanilla cream, pineapple upside down cake, Pazzaz apple and brioche. This wine impresses in a very hot vintage. Drink 2017-2025- 92

2014 Dunham 'Lewis Vineyard' Riesling-2014 was a considerably hot vintage, so this Riesling wine shows impressive mineral components considering the heat of the vintage.  Made with 1.4% residual sugar, this Riesling wine begins with petrol, white flowers, wet stone and green apple. This leads to bright flavors of Gala apple, wet stone, cut grass, and green papaya. I can see this cellaring well in the the next decade. Light on its feet, the wine is a beautiful compliment to sushi or shellfish. Drink 2017-2025- 92

2013 Dunham Cabernet- The 2013 Cabernet by Dunham is an awesome new wine that showcases the classic Dunham character of terroir and earthy components. An inky color, this begins with intoxicating aromatics of sage, blackberry cobbler, black olive and coffee grounds. This leads to dense flavors of black tea, mint, bulls blood and cigar box with coffee grounds. This has wonderful structure and mid-palate weight, beautifully balancing elegance and richness. Drink 2017-2030- 93

2014 Dunham Syrah- Dunham has developed a sterling reputation for their Syrah wine and this new release is absolutely no exception. Rich, earthy and meaty, this great Syrah wine opens with ripe aromatics of sagebrush, milk chocolate, black cherry compote and blackberry jam. This leads to intense flavors of blackberry cobbler, milk chocolate and creme de cassis with sage. There is intense weight to this wine. This Syrah has a lovely texture and a rich mouthfeel making this a pretty serious value out of Washington. Drink 2017-2028- 93

2013 Dunham 'Lewis Vineyard' Cabernet- The 2013 ‘Lewis Vineyard’ is a dense and massive Cabernet wine by Dunham. The Cabernet wine is currently showcasing a beautiful nose with aromas of black tea, mocha, creme de csssis and black olive. This has wonderful balance and weight as the wine shows dense flavors of black cherry, coffee grounds, sage and milk chocolate. This is polished and sensuous wine that is drinking beautifully right now but will also cellar well for a decade or more. Drink 2017-2030- 94

Interview with Dr. Kit Singh, Co-Owner and Head Winemaker of Lauren Ashton Cellars

Today we have a very special interview for you from a great name in Washington wine. Dr. Kit Singh is a highly talented winemaker and his wines are gaining more and more national recognition. Dr. Singh first became introduced into the wine world in college and he learned more throughout his travels to Napa and Sonoma. Dr. Singh had a thirst for knowledge and began taking viticulture and enology education at South Seattle Community College and then furthered his education from the illustrious University of California at Davis enology program. He then interned at South Seattle Community College, Seattle and spent two years interning at DeLille Cellars in Woodinville, one of Woodinville’s finest. These internships greatly helped in his education as winemaker. Like many winemakers, he began his winemaking journey making wine in his garage, but he knew that would lead to something much bigger. With his background in science, he has an upper hand in the winemaking process, as he is constantly measuring the wine and tasting for variances. In 2009 Dr. Singh made everything official by founding Lauren Aston Cellars, naming the winery after the names of his two children, Ashley Lauren and Ashton Troy. I think you will really enjoy hearing more about his story. Here is my interview with Dr. Kit Singh of Lauren Ashton Cellars.

WWB: How were you first interested in winemaking?

KS: I think both tasting wine and making wine go hand in hand. My college friends were into wine. I attended undergrad at the University of Washington and I grew up in Trinidad, which doesn’t have much of a wine culture. I wasn’t initially involved in wine but the college friends got me into wine. They were all sort of coming from backgrounds where their parents liked wines and so they were exposed to wine growing up. The interest in making wine started when my wife and I did a trip to Napa in 1987. The first love was really the vineyards and looking at the vineyards and I enjoyed straight things and orderly things, which is probably why I am a dentist. The vineyard repents this. That was something that looked fun and I came back and was still trying to get into dental school. I went to dental school at UW and so you are trying to keep your head above water. I graduated and had all this debt so had to get my practice going. I focused on building my practice but my interest in wine never waned. I was looking at Washington and our wine scene was starting to grow. I think that I had the interest and I didn't want this time to go. 

I wanted to succeed in my wine career so I decided to take classes at UC Davis and also at South Seattle Community College. During the classes I learned as much as I could. I was in a wine tasting group too and in dental school a lot of the students were into wines. You run into a lot of people that have great wine collections. I ended up teaching the wine science class at South Seattle Community College. I did the wine science for DeLille Cellars for two and a half years. It was at DeLille that I learned the theory and the theoretical work in winemaking. I learned how to press grapes and hoses to tanks. At DeLille I learned how to run and operate a winery at some kind of scale. At that point in time I felt I was ready. Our first vintage for Lauren Ashton Cellars was 2009 and the first release was in 2011. I had those reds in barrel for two years and then the 2011 vintage I made white wines and red wines. Then I was able to start the winery with a combination of whites and reds.

WWB: How does your career as a dentist give you an advantage as a winemaker?

KS: I think this gives me a huge advantage. There are several things that help with my undergraduate work in chemistry. To get this degree you need at least as year of biology and physics and several years of math. I had a good understanding of the sciences which is basically the same for an enology degree. You have to learn about fermentation and have an understanding the PH and keeping your wines healthy. Food safety is key. The wine science and how to do a titration and understanding the acidity and measuring the alcohol in the wines. The math part is important, so that gave me a good grounding to be able to do this. I also have an artistic part in me and I feel like I am able to express that in wine. My dad is a writer and I think probably some of his genes passed on. I express my passion through the wines. I also have their business background from my practice and I am somewhat of a risk taker. It is a huge risk and wine is a crowded market. I could have done something else with my time but my love for wine is what made me do it and applying the business aspects of what I had learned before. I wanted to do this and do it well. 

WWB: I recently had the chance to try your 2013 Lauren Ashton ‘Proprietor’s Cuvee’ Red Wine (WWB, 93), which was a dense and intense wine that showed beautiful poise in this warm vintage. Can you talk about this great new release?

KS:  Washington State gives us some of the best grapes to work with. I really like flavors that we get in Washington compared to other places like California. Part of what I did with this wine is trying to establish my style. I worked with DeLille and I know their wine style and how they make their wines. When I was done I had to ask myself what kind of style are you going to do? Are you going to make something similar to DeLille? I felt like I wanted to have my own style. I wanted to have something a little different and I wanted to think about what would work. One of the things that I learned from Chris Upchurch is that blending was a challenge. He told me that when you make wines like that it is like making wines by committee and you make the most boring wines. He said that it was best to do the blending himself. That is one of the big lightbulbs that went off for me and I had to do the blending by myself. I thought about it more and really what that translates to is making wines that you like and you are proud of. This wine represents what I am and hopefully you have an audience that likes that style of wine. Going back to your question about the 2013 ‘Proprietor’s Cuvee’ I get a lot of my fruit from Red Mountain and then I blend it back from other areas in the Columbia Valley that add to the flavors. This might not be the biggest and boldest wine but blending with cooler areas I get more acidity in the wines and lean it out vs being too big. The 2013 vintage I employed that strategy.

WWB: I personally think that your winemaking style is improving, as you are developing a signature textural style. Can you talk about your signature style of winemaking?

KS: Sometimes people come out to the tasting room and will say ‘I don't drink whites’ and you tell them that its might be different. They try it and they like it. I think what is different with the whites is there is a textural mouthfeel that I am able to create with these wines. How I accomplish that is doing a combination of barrel fermenting the fruit and then tank fermenting some of the same fruit. I add layers and I add some that are leaner and then have some that are stirred on the lees. I have a little bit of an oak component. I put the components to gather just as you would with blending the red wine. Here I have at least three or four components from the same grapes picked on the same day from the same vineyard. I do my blending trials and get the best wine out of that.

WWB: What is in your cellar and what are some of your favorite producers and wines of the world?

KS: I do not have a wine cellar right now and I have a good reason for that. Over the past few years I have moved several times. I was collecting wines and having a cellar and I found that I was moving the wine and herding the wine all of the time. Finally on one of my last moves I would drink what I had and then give away some of it. I do spend a lot of time at tasting groups. There are various tasting groups that do high end wines. Some do wines that are really old Bordeaux and high end wines. I spend time with wine and learn about wine that way. I think I get more about that and i have my own thought about the wines and then other people at the table. I also have groups that I attend and get involved in and we get a different perspective with that. That will give me exposure to the other wines. I really only need a little of the wine to do something different. Eventually I will have a larger cellar. My favorite wines are Burgundy and I think this year I might consider doing a Pinot Noir from Oregon which might start in the fall. I have always wanted to make Pinot Noir from Oregon as there are some great producers out there.

King Estate

King Estate

One of the most spectacular settings in Oregon, King Estate not only has a beautiful backdrop but some absolutely stunning new release wines. I recently had the chance to visit the estate and enjoy a fantastic dinner at their restaurant as well as barrel taste with their winemaker, Brent Stone. Founded in 1990, King Estate has gained a worldwide reputation for great Pinot Gris. The massive estate is located just southwest of Eugene, Oregon and their production has grown to 350,000 cases anually.  King Estate had a massive 314 acres devoted to Pinot Gris and has 143 planted to Pinot Noir. Brent came to King Estate in 2011 as Lab Manager and has a degree in environmental science from Utah State University. He has also completed the two year program at Washington State University in enology and viticulture.

Their last years set of releases were gorgeous and the new release wines, focusing largely on the 2014 vintage for Pinot Noir and the 2015 vintage for white wines were hugely impressive.  A really intriguing white wine out of the Croft Vineyard was the 2014 King Estate ‘Croft Vineyard’ Sauvignon Blanc (WWB, 90) which is probably the best Sauvignon Blanc I have sampled out of Oregon in quite some time. They also make a really nice Rhone style white wine, their 2015 King Estate Marsanne/Roussanne (WWB, 90) which was sourced from the Rogue valley and shows a surprisingly large amount of minerality alongside a silky mouthfeel. Their Pinot Noir releases were gorgeous, none more so than the 2013 King Estate ‘Backbone’ Pinot Noir (WWB, 93) which shows a huge amount of structure and dark fruit flavors that surprise you considering the challenges of the vintage. Even better was the silky and feminine 2013 King Estate ‘Roserock Vineyard’ Pinot Noir (WWB, 94) which is red fruit and structure driven. This wine beautifully showcases this marvelous vineyard. Learn more about this great Oregon winery at www.kingestate.com Here are the great new releases by King Estate. 

2015 King Estate Marsanne/Roussanne- The white blend was sourced from the Rogue Valley and has 12% Viognier blended in. This begins with aromatics of white peach, pink grapefruit and vanilla cream. This leads to flavors of white peach, vanilla cream, and cantaloupe. This has lovely texture and a voluptuous mouthfeel. Drink 2017-2022-90

2014 King Estate Viognier- This wine opens with a bouquet of lemongrass, nectarine and green apple. There are flavors of green papaya, starfruit, and banana with a touch of sweetness towards the end. This is a lovely wine made by the talented hands of Brent Stone. Drink 2017-2022- 90

2014 King Estate 'Croft Vineyard' Sauvignon Blanc- This opens with aromatics of white peach, gooseberry and Pazzaz apple with jalapeño pepper. This leads to flavors of vanilla, Granny Smith apple and cut grass with nutmeg accents. This has a lovely texture from the barrel aging. Drink 2017-2022- 90

2016 King Estate 'Mountain Blocks' Rose- This was pressed for 12 hours and is a wine club only bottling using Pommard and 777 clones. This wine begins with aromatics of jolly rancher watermelon candy, starfruit, and guava. There are ripe flavors of guava, watermelon and Bing cherry. This shows wonderful poise. Drink 2017-2022- 90

2014 King Estate 'Hyland Vineyard' Pinot Noir- This excellent Pinot Noir wine was sourced from a block in the lower end of the northwest portion of the King Estate vineyard. The wine has aromatics of red cherry, dill, orange zest and pomegranate seed. This leads to flavors of black cherry, red currant, forest floor and suggestions of baking spices. This has marvelous structure. Drink 2017-2027- 92

2013 King Estate 'Backbone' Pinot Noir- This wine begins with aromatics of black cherry, wild blackberry and black truffle. This leads to flavors of black cherry, black olive, black truffle, red currant and orange rind. This shows wonderful flavor range. The finish is exceedingly long. Drink 2017-2029- 93

2014 King Estate 'Bradshaw Vineyard' Pinot Noir- This wonderful Pinot Noir wine was sourced from 777 clone and then was aged in 35% new oak prior to bottling. This wine opens with black cherry, black olive, wild blackberry and forest floor. This leads to flavors black cherry, loganberry jam, white truffle and hints of peat moss. This has a rich mouthfeel. Drink 2017-2029- 93

2013 King Estate 'Roserock Vineyard' Pinot Noir- The Roserock Vineyard is a highly sought after vineyard in the Eola-Amity Hills which is currently owned by Domaine Drouhin. This Pinot Noir wine has pretty feminine aromatics of rose petals, red cherry, red raspberry and hints of white pepper. This leads to bright flavors of red cherry, red raspberry, guava, red currant and orange rind. This is silky smooth and sexy wine. Drink 2017-2029- 94

2015 King Estate 'GSM' Red Wine- This intriguing wine was sourced from the Rogue Valley (Crater View and Carpenter Hill Vineyards), this wine opens with aromas of smoke, bacon fat and red cherry. This leads to ripe flavors of red cherry, red raspberry and teaberry with bacon accents. Drink 2017-2026- 90

Long Shadows

Having tasted at Long Shadows for more than a decade, I can say with confidence that this winery produces some of the most consistent premium red and white wine in Washington. When a winery excels in the 2010 and 2011 vintage, you know that the winemaking is special. Choosing some of the best fruit in Washington while utilizing the winemaking talents of Michel Rolland, John Duval and many others, Long Shadows is one of those special wineries that shows incredible commitment to producing the best wine possible. Similar to the past 2013 wine releases, their 2014 releases were stunning as the 2014 vintage showed similar warmth, richness and depth of fruit.

Look for the 2016 Long Shadows ‘Julia’s Dazzle’ Rose (WWB, 92) at local supermarkets and Costco stores, as this is a wine to buy by the case. It is truly one of the best Rose wines that I have sampled in the past year out of Washington. The red wine releases by Long Shadows were spectacular. The 2014 Long Shadows ‘Feather’ Cabernet (WWB, 94) was a stunner that showed intense, unctuous and massive dark fruits. Also check out the stunning 2014 Long Shadows ‘Sequel’ Syrah (WWB, 95) which is one of the highest rated Syrah wines from Washington that I have sampled in the past year. This gorgeous wine made by John Duval (former winemaker of Grange and Penfolds), shows gorgeous black fruits and terroir and is up there with the 2012 Sequel as the best bottling of Sequel that have sampled in ten plus years. Learn more about this amazing winery at http://www.longshadows.com/ Here are the amazing new release wines from Long Shadows.

2016 Long Shadows ‘Julia’s Dazzle’ Rose- The 2016 'Julia's Dazzle' Rose is a 100% Pinot Gris wine which is named after the founder's granddaughter, Julia. This Rose is sourced from a unique block from The Benches Vineyard at Wallula in Horse Heaven Hills. This exciting Rose wine opens with aromatics of rose petals, red cherry starburst, guava and lemon blossom. There is lovely texture and mid-palate weight with flavors of guava, pomegranate, ripe strawberry and honeydew melon. This has wonderful poise and intensity, as Long Shadows continues to impress with another gorgeous release of the Dazzle by the skilled hands of Giles Nicault. Drink 2017-2022-92

2016 Long Shadows ‘Poet’s Leap’ Riesling- Made by Armin Diel of Schlossgut Diel, this off-dry wine opens with aromatics of nectarine, wet stone, Granny Smith apple and suggestions of nutmeg. Showing wonderful poise and minerality, the wine glides through the mid-palate onto a mineral and wet stone laced finish. Flavors of Pazzaz apple, mulberry, kumquat and cantaloupe persist. While this shows wonderful elegance and fruit at this juncture, this will cellar gracefully for a decade. This is just an outstanding value wine from Long Shadows. Drink 2017-2026 -93

2014 Long Shadows 'Pedestal' Merlot- The 2014 Long Shadows 'Pedestal' is a stunning effort from this incredible winery who teamed up with world renown oenologist and consultant Michel Rolland to make this wonderful blend of 81% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Cabernet, with the remainder Malbec and Petit Verdot. The wine was aged in 85% new French oak for 22 months prior to bottling and was primarily sourced from the Conner Lee Vineyard, while the Cabernet is sourced from the Tapteil Vineyard. It opens with aromatics of black tea, coffee grounds, milk chocolate and suggestions of candied red cherries. There are dense, concentrated flavors of black cherries, blackberry cobbler, black tea, anise and crème de cassis. The texture is absolutely gorgeous as the flavors continue to linger on and on. If approaching this young, it would be best to allow for least an hour of air contact. Drink 2017-2035- 94

2014 Long Shadows ‘Feather’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2014 Long Shadows 'Feather' is another profound wine from this estate. The wine is made by esteemed Napa Valley winemaker Randy Dunn, who only has this outside project in wine other than his Dunn Vineyards wines. In this Cabernet, Randy Dunn uses the same oak treatment as he does in his Dunn wines, utilizing Vicard oak barrels where it spent 22 months prior to bottling. The Cabernet Sauvignon was sourced from The Benches Vineyard, Dionysus Vineyard (72 Block) and Pepper Bridge Vineyard. As it begins to unwind the aromatics of red bell pepper, anise, crème de cassis, violets, black cherries and blackberry preserves all begin to come together. On the palate flavors of black cherry reduction, black olive, mocha and sandalwood all continue to weave their way though the wine. This has an exceedingly long finish that sits alongside moderate tannins. This is dense and polished, showing wonderful poise and minerality considering the vintage. Drink 2017-2035- 94

2014 Long Shadows 'Pirouette' Red Wine- The 2014 'Pirouette' by Long Shadows is a stunning release from this Walla Walla property. This blend of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Petit Verdot, 17% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 1% Malbec, was aged in 75% new oak for 22 months prior to bottling. Made by Phillipe Melka, the Cabernet Sauvignon from Red Mountain is hand rolled in the barrel four times per day which disturbs the fruit and integrates the tannins. As this sensational wine begins to open it releases exotic aromas of graphite, blackberry pie, milk chocolate, cassis and roasted coffee. There are rich flavors of black cherries, mocha, black olive, crème de cassis, Asian spices, sagebrush and mint that sit alongside moderate tannins. Dense, chewy and backwards, this is gorgeous fruit driven red wine which is delicious now, but shoud also cellar well over the course of the next decade. Drink 2017-2032- 94

2014 Long Shadows ‘Sequel’ Syrah- The 2014 'Sequel' Syrah is a stunning release from Long Shadows. This gorgeous Syrah is made by eminent Aussie winemaker John Duval, the former winemaker on the Penfolds Grange project. The Syrah wine opens with dense aromatics of smoked brisket, white pepper, black olive and hints of mocha and blackberry jam. There are layered flavors of black cherry, mocha, anise, crème de cassis and blackberry cobbler. This is intense, extracted and remains balanced from start to finish. This is one the best Sequel wines I've tasted in the past ten years. Drink 2016-2027-95

14 Hands

One of the great value Washington wineries, 14 Hands has impressed with their latest releases. Originally started in 2005, 14 Hands wines were first only available in restaurants. That soon changed when demand for the wines increased.14 Hands has risen to national prominence as it is currently among the top 10 premium wine brands in the U.S. These wines are extremely easy to find at nearly all grocery stores, as well as many Costco stores.

Look for their NV 14 Hands Brut (WWB, 89) which is a very serious value sparkling wine that delivers quality that could easily cost double or triple its price. The 2014 14 Hands Chardonnay (WWB, 89) was also excellent, showing wonderful tree fruit flavors and nice weight. Finally, the 2014 14 Hands ‘Kentucky Derby’ Red Wine (WWB, 89) is a seriously delicious red blend that has wonderful texture and dark fruit flavors. Learn more about 14 Hands at https://www.14hands.com Here are the new wines releases by 14 Hands

NV 14 Hands Brut Rose- Opening with citrus blossom, red cherry and red raspberry with rose petal accents, this leads to flavors of candied red raspberry, guava, ripe strawberry and suggestions of baking spices. This is another outstanding value from this estate. Drink 2017-2021-88

NV 14 Hands Brut- This wine begins with aromatics of baking spices, kumquat and sourdough bread. The palate has wonderful poise and minerality with flavorsof poached pear, Pazzaz apple and minerals. This shows beautifully right now. Drink 2017-2021- 89

2016 14 Hands Rose- Floral, pretty and having bubblegum and rose petal aromatics accents this wine yields flavors of red currant, cranberry, orange blossom and ginger. This has wonderful poise and is an outstanding effort considering the price point. Drink 2017-2021- 89

2015 14 Hands Sauvignon Blanc- This wine shows aromatic elements of gooseberry, red delicious apple and pink grapefruit blossom. This leads to flavors of Gravenstein apple, orange rind, cut grass and green papaya. Drink 2017-2021- 89

2014 14 Hands Chardonnay- Showing a bouquet of baking spices, ripe pear, melon and spicebox, this leads to flavors of vanilla cream, poached pear, Red Delicious apple and baking spices. This has lovely weight from this warm vintage. Drink 2017-2022- 89

2014 14 Hands 'Kentucky Derby' Red Blend- Having a highly perfumed bouquet of sweet pipe tobacco, black cherry, black olive and suggestions of prune, this wine displays rich flavors of milk chocolate, black cherry cough syrup and black plum with baking spices. This has outstanding mid palate weight. Drink 2017-2022-89

2014 14 Hands Merlot-This wine begins with aromatics of ripe cherry, blackberry, baking spices and strawberry preserves. This leads to flavors of red cherry, loganberry preserves and cassis with black olive tapenade accents. Drink 2017-2022- 89

2014 14 Hands 'Stampede' Red Wine-This impressive wine begins with aromatics of red cherry, cola, bittersweet chocolate and stewed strawberry. This has impressive structure with red berry flavors, light tannins and black plum. Drink 2017-2022- 89

2014 14 Hands Cabernet- This wine begins with creme de cassis, anise, tar and mocha aromatics. The palate shows nice weight giving way to crushed mint, milk chocolate and cassis flavors. This wine has some impressive mid-palate weight. Drink 2017-2022- 88