Structure Cellars

A great winery founded by two of the nicest people in Washington wine, Structure Cellars focuses their program on high quality red wine that doesn’t break the bank. Headed by Brian and Brandee Grasso, Structure is located in the SoDo district and a nice buzz has been slowly growing over the past few years. I’ve noticed that the winemaking continues to improve, as Brian is a relatively new winemaker, whose wine story began in the restaurant industry where he was previously working as a somm. Eventually he internet at Baer and then followed by training under Chris Sparkman of Sparkman Cellars before starting his own winery. Brian is a really easy-going, down to earth guy. He’s passionate and dedicated to making high quality, good value wines.

Last week I stopped by their SoDo district winery. His new wines are some of the most recent releases from the 2016 vintage, which was another warm vintage that did not possess the heat spikes of the 2015 vintage. Brian is very optimistic about this vintage for red wines and I thought that the new releases were very good across the board. One of my favorite wines that I tried was the 2016 Structure Cellars ‘Bauhaus’ Syrah (WWB, 91) which had a wonderful range of red and dark fruits and was difficult to put down. herbaceous edge and shows a lovely texture and feminine quality. Even better was the 2015 Structure Cellars ‘Foundation’ Cabernet Sauvignon (WWB, 92) which has really good richness and tension, as this wine will cellar marvelously over the next decade. Learn more about these excellent wines at structurecellars.com Here are the great new wines by Structure Cellars.

2017 Structure Cellars Roussanne- This was sourced from the Olsen Vineyard. The nose \shows nice melon and gooseberry on the nose. The palate shows really good tension and weight on the mid-palate showcasing green apple and cantaloupe flavors. Drink 2018-2022- 90

2016 Structure Cellars ‘The Newel’ Red Wine- The wines is a blend of 60% Cabernet Franc and 40% Syrah sourced from the Destiny Ridge, Stillwater Creek and Red Willow Vineyards. The dill on the nose really drives this wine as does the pretty rose petals and red fruits. The palate shows a wonderful tension and viscosity. Red fruits dominate the palate alongside some nice mineral and earthy tones. Drink 2018-2024- 90

2016 Structure Cellars ‘Spire’ Merlot- This 100% Merlot wine begins with aromas of toasty oajk, red currant and red cherry preserves. The palate has really good tension and medium weight with red cherry and milk chocolate flavors with roasted fig. Drink 2018-2028- 90

2016 Structure Cellars ‘Bauhaus’ Syrah- The wine begins with aromas of red currant with red cherry and mocha. The palate is downright delicious showing a nice range of red and dark fruits with chocolate fudge. Drink 2018-2024- 91

2016 Structure Cellars ‘Foundation’ Cabernet Franc- This shows a really good herbaceousness on the nose with red and dark fruits dancing in the glass. The palate shows good tension and weight The wine shows off a wonderful dark and red fruits that mmic the nose. Drink 2018-2026- 91

2016 Structure Cellars ‘Foundation’ Cabernet Sauvignon- Sourced from the Stillwater Creek Vineyard and Upland Vineyard this has a wonderfully herbal edge on the nose. The palate shows some wonderful richness an tension, showing copious dark fruits and a touch of dried sage and chocolate. Downright delicious, this will cellar well for a decade or more. Drink 2018-2028- 92

2016 Structure Cellars ‘Foundation’ Malbec- This deeply colored Malbec this is largely sourced from the Olsen Vineyard. The wine begins with aromas of mocha, black tea and anise. The palate reveals juicy flavors of blueberry compote, blackberry and black tea with cassis. Downright delicious, this will cellar marvelously for a decade. Drink 2018-2028- 92

Southern Oregon AVA Report

It was a smoke filled voyage down to Medford during our dive into Southern Oregon wines. A region that continues to build momentum, Southern Oregon is divided into two sub AVAs, the Rogue Valley AVA and the Umpqua Valley AVA. Within each sub-AVA there is an exceedingly large range of microclimates where vineyards only a few minutes from each other can have remarkable changes in daytime and nighttime temperatures and soil types. There is essentially no typical soil type in the region, which ranges from red clay to blue clay to gravel and sand. Diurnal shifts in this region can be quite extreme. While some vineyards lie only 60-70 miles from the coast, the rainfall in this large AVA varies quite considerably which impacts the vineyards. Klamath Falls has only nine inches of rain each year, while closer to the coast has 109 inches of rain each year. 

This map is a great resource for breaking down the locations of the exceedingly large Southern Oregon AVA.

There are over 30 different varietals grown here which is quite remarkable. The range of wines is quite astonishing as everything from Pinot Noir to Chardonnay to Syrah is planted. I found that the wines showed a great amount of heterogeneity in terms of quality and flavor/aromatic profiles. For instance, the Syrahs typically did not seem particularly similar in terms of aromatic and flavor profiles. Pinot Noir grown in this region tends to be a bit less structured, offering ripe fruits and wines that are sometimes out of balance. The concern is that when these wines are made with less acidity, they become a bit simplistic and reductive. Similarly, I noticed concerns with having fresh acidity in the wines, yet having the wines hollow out in the mid-palate. That was a theme with many of the thicker skinned red grape varietals in this region — while some wines might have been some good acidity, many of the those wines were lacking in mid-palate richness.

In terms of producers, standing tall is Abacela, who produces an outstanding Rose, their 2017 Abacela Rose (WWB, 90) which is one of the top wines that I sampled from this region, showing wonderful tension and bright red fruits. Look to the 2014 Abacela ‘Reserve’ Tempranillo (WWB, 91) the best wine I have sampled from this region, which shows wonderful viscosity and tension, with dark fruit and earthy tones. Another standout Tempranillo was the 2015 Reustle ‘Reserve’ Tempranillo (WWB, 90) which has wonderful richness and good acidity which makes it difficult to resist right now. Look to Ryan Rose, a Southern Oregon winery that produces an excellent Cabernet Franc wine, the 2015 Ryan Rose Cabernet Franc (WWB, 90) which shows a wonderful rich mouthfeel and deep dark fruit flavors. One of the more intriguing wines that I tried, the 2012 Dancin Vineyards Port (WWB, 90) is made from Pinot Noir grapes and yields copious dark and red fruits with wonderful mouth-watering acidity. Here is a sampling of the recent red and white wines out of Southern Oregon.

Augustino Estate

2015 Augustio Estate ‘Reserve’ Chardonnay- The Augustino Estate was started 18 years ago. The wine was aged in neutral oak for 24 months prior to bottling. This begins with aromas of bright pear and starfruit with a touch of white peach. The palate shows good weight and texture with pear, vanilla cream and a lingering cream driven finish. Drink 2018-2024- 89

2014 Augustino Estate ‘Reserve’ Pinot Noir- Sourced from the Illini Valley, this wine was aged for 24 months in natural oak prior to bottling. Vines for this wine are set on gravel. This shows prune and candied red fruit on the nose. Copious red fruits mark the palate with laugher citrus tones. Drink 2018-2024- 89

Abacela

2017 Abacela Albarino- Goosberry and unripe melon mark the nose with light green apple tones. The palate shows green apple, kumquat and bright acidity, leading to the acid driven finish. Drink 2018-2022- 89

2017 Abacela Rose- Made from Grenache grapes this has watermelon and starfruit that mark the nose. The palate shows a good minerality with a good texture. Mouth watering acidity and red fruits drive the palate. This is extremely refreshing. Drink 2018-2022- 90

2015 Abacela ‘Fiesta’ Tempranillo- Toasty oak and red fruits dominate the nose. There is a soft mouthfeel with blackberry cobbler, mocha and crushed mint flavors that sit alongside some good minerality. Drink 2018-2022- 89

2014 Abacela ‘Reserve’ Tempranillo- Showing a darker hue than the ‘Fiesta’ bottling, this wine begins with lovely herbal and smoky overtones on the nose with dill pickle. The palate has a wonderful motuhfeel, showcasing black tea, blueberry compote, blackberry pie and dark chocolate shavings. Deep and seductive, this is an outstanding effort by Abacela. Drink 2018-2024- 91

Belle Fiore

2017 Belle Fiore Sauvignon Blanc- Right away you notice the citrus elements on the nose with gooseberry and ripe melon. The palate shows good astringency with green apple, kiwi and kumquat flavors that nicely combine. Drink 2018-2022- 86

2016 Belle Fiore ‘Icon’ Pinot Noir- Sourced from the Ashland area this was aged in 50% new French oak prior to bottling. This begins with aromas reminiscent of black tea and black cherry comoote. The palate mimics the nose with black fruits playing a strong role. This has good weight. Drink 2018-2024- 86

Cooper Ridge

2015 Cooper Ridge Tempranillo- This wine was aged for 23 months in French, American and Hungarian oak prior to bottling. Three is a touch of Merlot and Syrah blended in. The wine starts off with bright aromas of toasty oak and red fruits with a touch of smoke. The palate shows good astringency and texture with red cherry candy, guava, smoke and tobacco leaf flavors that sit alongside some moderate tannins.This is an excellent effort.  Drink 2018-2024- 90

2015 Cooper Ridge ‘Reserve’ Tempranillo- The wine is sourced from rather fertile soils on the north part of the Umpqua Valley. This begins with a darker fruit profile than the entry level bottling.  This Tempranillo shows a silky texture with moderate tannins and dark fruits with roasted figs. Drink 2018-2024- 90

Dancin Vineyards

2017 Dancin Vineyards ‘Capriccio’ Chardonnay- This wine isa blend of Robert Young 17, Dijon 76 and Went 72 clones which was aged in largely neutral oak prior to bottling. This shows toasty brioche and Pink Lady apple on the nose. The palate shows a nice rich mouthfeel with orange blossom, Gala apple and vanilla cream flavors that sit alongside some good minerality. Drink 2012-2022- 89

2016 Dancin Vineyards Barbera- The nose is reminiscent of blue fruits with a touch of smoke. The palate shows good acidity and bright red fruits with lighter citrus under tones. Drink 2018-2024- 89

2016 Dancin Vineyards ‘Septette’ Pinot Noir- This wine wasted in 29%new French oak for 11 months prior to bottling. Showing a nice translucence this begins with forest floor, wild mushroom and dark raspberry aromatics. The palate is a bit lean showing light to medium bodied red and dark fruits with lighter earthy undertones. Drink 2018-2024- 89

2012 Dancin Vineyards Pinot Noir Port-  This wine saw extended barrel age after the neutral spirit was added. Smoky and stewed fruit tones dominate the nose. The palate shows good balance and acidity with a nice combination of dark and red fruits with toffee and cigar ash.Drink 2018-2024- 90

Del Rio Vineyards

2017 Del Rio Vineyards Rose- Made from Grenache grapes, this shows a good acidity with gentle red fruits and a touch of citrus on the palate. This is well-made and comes in a touch sweet towards the back end. Drink 2018-2022- 87

2015 Del Rio Vineyards Syrah- This 100% Syrah bottling shows off an inky color and begins with aromas of smoke and blue fruit on the nose. The palate shows nice blue fruit and good dusty terroir. This forward style Syrah is best enjoyed in the next five to seven years. Drink 2018-2024- 89

Delfino

2017 Delfino Rose- The nose is delicate with white peach and red fruits. This Tempranillo wine shows good astringency and grip on the mid-palate with light red cherry, strawberry and guava flavors. Drink 2018-2022- 89

2016 Delfino Tempranillo- This shows a deep hue with nice red fruits and smoky accents with pork shoulder and sweet pipe tobacco. Weighing in at 14% alcohol this shows a nice viscosity as this forward wine showcases copious dark fruits with milk chcolate. Drink 2018-2024- 88

Giradet

2012 Giradet Tempranillo- The wine was aged for 9 months in barrel. The wine is sourced from Abacela Tempranillo starts that were planted in the 1990s. Smoke, blueberry compote and black tea with Asian spice mark the nose. The earthy tones and acidity guides this wine. Black tea, blackberry cobbler and crushed mint flavors show good range, as the wine finishes with a nice comnbiatinon of minerality and dark fruits. Drink 2018-2024- 90

2013 Giradet Tempranillo- Aged for 30 months in largely neutral French oak, this wine is sourced from vines set on gravely loam soils. The nose takes on more oaky character with mulberry and wild blackberry aromas. The mouthfeel has wonderful softness as the wine reveals black tea, blackberry and coffee ground flavors. While light tannins finish off this wine, it can be cellared for the next five plus years. Drink 2018-2024- 90

Jaxson

2017 Jaxson Viognier- This Rogue River Valley Viognier begins with aromas of tropical fruits with kiwi and lighter melon tones. The palate shows good mid-palate richness with vanilla cream, oranger zest and roasted pineapple that comes in a touch cloying on the mid-palate. Drink 2018-2022- 87

2013 Jaxson Tempranillo- The wine shows some over-ripe red fruits on the nose with earthy and oaky tones. Medium to full bodied, the wine shows gobs of ripe fruits on the palate. Drink 2018-2024- 86

Ledger David

2017 Ledger David Rose- Made from Sangiovese grapes, this begins with lighter aromas of red fruits with a touch of citrus. The palate shows good astringency but the wine struggles with some balance. Drink 2018-2020- 86                   

2015 Ledger David Cabernet Franc- This deep colored wine begins with aromas of green bell pepper, blackberry compote and black tea. The palate shows. Good acidity and a smooth mouthfeel, revealing dark fruits with a touch of dried herbs and chocolate. This shows good acidity and weight. Drink 2018-2024- 88

Plaisance Ranch

2015 Plaisance Ranch Mourvedre- This begins with aromas of rose water, smoke and black fruits. The palate shows good acidity and elegance with bright red fruits and a touch of smoke. This is a bit lean through the middle but the bright acidity really drives this wine. Drink 2018-2022- 88

2015 Plaisance Ranch Mondeuse-  The varietal from Savoire in France, and is in the Syrah family. Dark in the glass, this begins with aromas of smoke and prune that are quite primary. The palate shows bright acidity and medium weight with light tannins towards the back end. Drink 2018-2024- 88

2015 Plaisance Ranch Carmenere- This wine was a challenge for the winemaker to grow properly. This starts off with lighter spicebox aromas with red fruits and an herbal edge. Light to medium bodied, this shows good astringency and tension with dark fruits and a touch of chocolate flavors. Drink 2018-2024- 88

Quady North

2017 Quady North Rose- The Rose is largely Grenache and Syrah, as the wine starts off with aromas of white peach and delicate red fruits on the nose. The palate shows very delicate red fruit flavors with a touch of orange zest. Drink 2018-2020- 85

2017 Quady North ‘Pistoletta’ White Wine- Largely Viognier and Grenache Blanc, this starts off with aromas of citrus blossom and unripe melon. There are delicate tree fruit flavors with a touch of gooseberry. I would prefer a bit more acidity here. Drink 2018-2020- 85

2015 Quady North ‘GSM’ Red Wine- The wine is a blend of 43% Mourvedre with 31% Grenache and 26% Syrah. The wine begins with aromas of smoke and blue fruit with wild blackberry on the nose. The palate shows good acidity and the wine reveals red fruits on the palate with a touch of smoke. Drink 2018-2022- 88

Reustle

2016 Reustle Grenache- This dark colored Grenache has red fruits and rose petals on the nose. The palate shows medium weight with red fruits and prune coming out hot right away. Drink 2018-20922- 88

2015 Reustle Tempranillo- Coming from a warm vintage this wine was aged in both French and American oak prior to bottling. The toasty oak elements are showing nicely with a good combination of red and dark fruits intermingling. The palate shows good tension and viscosity with a really nice mouthfeel. Drink 2018-2024- 89

2015 Reustle ‘Reserve’ Tempranillo- The nose is even more perfumed than the entry level Tempranillo bottling. Prune, toasty oak and black fruits with milk chocolate come together in the lass aromatically. The wine shows a good tension and weigh on the mid-palate with black tea, blackberry pie and mocha flavors that show marvelously. Moderately tannic now, this will cellar well for the next decade. Drink 2018-2028- 90

Ryan Rose

2016 Ryan Rose Chardonnay- Sourced from the Chehalem Mountain Vineyard in the Willamette Valley, the wine was aged for 11 months in a combination of new and used oak prior bottling. this starts off with aromas of brioche, roasted hazelnut and vanilla cream. The palate shows nice mid-palate weight. The wine yields bright banana, creme brûlée and vanilla cream flavors. Drink 2018-2024- 90

2015 Ryan Rose Cabernet Franc- Sourced from the Sarah Vineyard in the Applegate Valley the wine was aged in 50% new French oak for 20 months prior to bottling. Dark fruits dominate the nose with lighter damp earth and cigar ash tones coming in. The palate shows good richness and intensity with blackberry jam, cigar box, and blueberry compote. This shows pretty bright acidity considering the obvious heat of the vintage. Drink 2018-2024- 90

Schultz

2016 Schultz ‘Homeward’ Chardonnay- This wine is founded by two Louisiana natives who first planted a small vineyard in the Rogue Valley in 2010. The wine saw native yeast fermentation and was aged in natural oak prior to bottling. This starts off with aromas of pineapple, vanilla creme brûlée and apricot. The palate shows a good tenson and mid-palate weight with vanilla bean, Meyer lemon creme bruulee and Brandy soaked pear flavors. This will cellar well for the next five plus years. Drink 2018-2024- 89

2014 Schultz Merlot- This Applegate Valley AVA wine opens with a bouquet of red cherry, tomato leaf and red bell pepper. The palate shows good poise and medium weight. There is a really nice sense of place and balance to this wine. Drink 2018-2024- 88

Schmidt Family Vineyards

2016 Schmidt Family Vineyards Viognier- This was aged for roughly four months in stainless steel. The wine begins with aromas of gardenia and lychee with roasted pineapple. The palate shows nice brightness with banana, lychee and creme brûlée. Drink 2018-2022- 88

2014 Schmidt Family Syrah- This comes off with lighter smoky and earthy tones with red cherry on the nose. The palate shows good balance as this medium weight wine shows a nice combination of red cherry, wild blackberry and huckleberry. Drink 2018-2022- 88

South Stage

2014 South Stage Pinotage- The nose takes on pruny character with stewed strawberry and figs. The acidity and weight of the wine is really nice, as the wine moves into forward red fruits, particularly guava and strawberry shining the most brightly. Drink 2018-2022- 88

2013 South Stage Cabernet Franc- Dark fruits dominate the nose with lighter earthy aromatics coming in. The palate shows medium concentration with some ripeness issues. Drink 2018-2022- 87

Triple Oak

2015 Triple Oak Tempranillo- This wine, sourced from Tempranillo clone 5, was aged for 12 months in French oak prior to bottling. Oaky on the nose with lighter red fruits, the palate delivers a nice richness and intensity, showing off red fruits that dance with dark fruits and a touch of mill chocolate. Drink 2018-2024- 89

Troon Vineyard

2017 Troon Vineyard ‘Kubli Bench Blanc’ White Wine- This is a blend of Marsanne and Viognier. The wine shows some nice lychee and exotic fruit. The palate shows a good astringency with tree fruits and a touch of bitterness towards the back end. Drink 2018-2022- 88

2017 Troon Vineyard Riesling- This orange wine, sourced from 17 year old Riesling vines, starts off with aromas of gardenia, white peach and white rose. The palate. Shows good weight and astringency revealing a nice combination of tree fruits and citrus rind. Drink 2018-2022- 88

2016 Troon Vineyard ‘Cuvee Cot’ Malbec- The wine has a small amount of Tannat blended in. The wine was aged for 15 months in used oak prior to bottling. Smoke and blue fruits mark the nose with lighter earthy tones. The palate has bight acidity but is quite hollow through the middle. Drink 2018-2022- 87

Warwick

2015 Warwick ‘Reserve’ White Wine- This is a blend of Chardonnay and Viognier which was occasionally stirred the lees. The wine was not racked for one year. The wine shows lychee and apple aromas on the nose. The palate shows a nice mouthfeel and a soft texture. Lychee, lemon creme brûlée and Pink Lady apple flavors mingle with some good acidity. Drink 2018-2022- 89

Weisinger

2015 Weisinger Gewurtztraminer- Weighing in at 7g/l residual, this shows nectarine and Pink Lady apple aromatics once in the glass. The palate has a touch of sweetness but needs acidity to drive through. Drink 2018-2022- 85

2017 Weisinger Sauvignon Blanc- Aged on the lees in neutral oak (60%, the remainder stainless) this begins with toasty oak and tree fruit aromas that build in the glass. The palate shows some delicate tree fruit flavors with a light astringency. Drink 2018-2022- 87 

2015 Weisinger Tempranillo- You are greeted with a whiff of American oak on the nose with lighter red fruits. The palate shows good texture but lacks fruit in the mid-palate. Drink 2018-2022- 86

Woolridge Creek

2014 Woolridge Creek Tempranillo- The wine was aged in natural French oak for 18 months (no American oak) prior to bottling. This shows nice smoky and earthy tones on the nose with lighter red fruits. The palate is lithe showing good acidity and intriguing blue fruit undertones on the palate. This finishes with some light tannins. Drink 2018-2022- 88

The Eyrie Vineyards

One of Oregon’s historic wineries, The Eyrie Vineyards was planted to 60 acres in five different vineyards in the Dundee Hills AVA of the Willamette Valley.  David Lett is known for making the first Pinot Gris wines in North America. In 1965 he and his wife left California for Oregon and he began making wines I970. Lett sadly passed away in 2008 and his son, Jason, serves as head winemaker for the winery. The tasting room boasts many very cool older wines that they have cellared remarkably from the 1980s and 90s. They have been on a huge run of successful vintages and this years releases are no exception.

Jason’s current releases were fantastic across the board. One of the best Pinot Gris bottlings that you will find in North America is the absolutely stunning 2015 The Eyrie Vineyards ‘Original Vines’ Pinot Gris (WWB, 93) which is showing marvelously right now. This can’t miss effort is truly one of the best of its kind. Their new Pinot Noir release, the 2015 The Eyrie Vineyards ‘Original Vines’ Pinot Noir (WWB, 92) has marvelous weight and tension which makes it nearly impossible to resist right now. Learn more about this fantastic and historic winery and their wines at http://www.eyrievineyards.com Here are the outstanding wines by The Eyrie Vineyards. 

2015 The Eyrie Vineyards ‘Original Vines’ Pinot Gris- The 2015 The Eyrie Vineyards ‘Original Vines’ Pinot Gris is a stunning example of the varietal. Ripe peach, lychee, starfruit and wet stone flavors come in, as does the wonderful tension in the wine. The texture and weight to this wine is simply marvelous. This will age gracefully for a decade or more. Drink 2018-2028- 93

2016 The Eyrie Vineyards ‘Original Vines’ Chardonnay- Intensely perfumed and showing a wonderful opulence, the ‘Original Vines’ Chardonnay opens with bright nectarine, vanilla cream and macadamia nut on the nose. The palate is both rich and lithe, showing wonderful richness and intensity. Meyer lemon creme brûlée and ripe pineapple flavors come to mind. This will have an exceedingly long life in the cellar. Drink 2018-2028- 92

2015 The Eyrie Vineyards ‘Original Vines’ Pinot Noir- Showing some heat of the vintage there are wonderful dark fruits on the nose that connect with lighter citrus and earthy tones. The palate shows a good combination of weight and balance with bright red fruits with a touch of blood orange rind and wild mushroom. Bright and intense, this fantastic wine will cellar marvelously over the next decade or more. Drink 2018-2030- 92

Andrew Rich

One of the great lineups that you might not have recently tasted, Andrew Rich is crafting some seriously good under the radar wines from Oregon. Located in the Carlton Winemakers Studio, Andrew Rich started out as magazine editor in NYC. Wanting a more hand-on job in wine, he elected to attend winemaking school in Burgundy. Back in the states after his education Anderew landed at Bonny Doon Vineyard in Santa Cruz, working with California iconic winemaker, Randall Grahm for five years. Andrew then got the nerve to start his own winery in Oregon. He makes a huge range of wines from Sauvignon Blanc to Cabernet Sauvignon. 

One of the best Sauvignon Blanc wines that I have sampled in the past year out of Oregon is the 2016 Andrew Rich ‘Croft Vineyard’ Sauvignon Blanc (WWB, 90) which has marvelous ‘richness’ and poise. This is one not to be missed. A downright delicious bottling, the 2014 Andrew Rich ‘Willamette Valley’ Pinot Noir (WWB, 91) which shows marvelous earthy tones and a wonderful mouthfeel. Learn more about these awesome wines at www.andrewrichwines.com Here are the great new wines by Andrew Rich.

2014 Andrew Rich Roussanne- This begins with a bouquet of lemongrass and honeydew melopn. Think and rich, this takes on almost an unctuous character with lychee, Meyer lemon and cantaloupe flavors that sit alongside some good minerality. Finishing with vanilla cream, enjoy this great Roussanne in the short-term. Drink 2018-2022- 91

2016 Andrew Rich ‘Croft Vineyard’ Sauvignon Blanc- One of the few sites for Sauvignon Blanc in the Willamette Valley, this pale colored wine begins with aromas of lemon zest and kumquat with a touch of petrol. Round and rich, this has a wonderful mouthfeel, showing off lemon zest, green apple and kumquat flavors with good acidity. Drink 2018-2022- 90

2015 Andrew Rich ‘Prelude’ Pinot Noir- This earthy wine begins with aromas of black tea, forest floor and black cherry syrup. Rich and forward, with good acidity, the palate delights with red and dark fruit flavors. The mouthfeel here is outstanding. Drink 2018-2026- 91

2014 Andrew Rich ‘Eola-Amity Hills’ Pinot Noir- The nose shows nice red and dark fruits with earthy undertones. There is a good sense of place and elegance to this medium bodied, red fruit driven, Pinot Noir. Drink 2018-2025- 90

2014 Andrew Rich ‘Marine Sedimentary’ Pinot Noir- This earthy wine begins with aromatics of wild thyme, forest floor and peat moss with a touch of orange rind. Lithe and elegant, this has a wonderfully smooth mouthfeel, revealing cran-raspberry and forest floor flavors. Drink 2018-2025- 91

2016 Andrew Rich ‘Rich Table’ Cabernet Sauvignon- Inky colored, this starts off with mocha, crushed mint and black raspberry aromas. Dense and plush, dark fruits mingle with dark chocolate flavors. This is an outstanding wine that will cellar well over the next eight plus years. Drink 2018-2026- 90

2014 Andrew Rich ‘Glacial’ Red Wine- A blend of Syrah, Mourvedre and Grenache from the Columbia Valley, this begins with aromas of white pepper and smoked meats. Generous, with a rich mouthfeel, the wine shows blackberry jam, smoke and peppercorn flavors that connect with a good minerality. Drink 2018-2025- 91

2018 Oregon Report

Dear Friends,

As International Wine Report senior editor, I have been working hard over the past six months tasting roughly 500 wines from Oregon. The region has been blessed with a wonderful run of compelling vintages. The 2014 vintage saw warm, near perfect conditions which was backed by another sensational vintage in 2015, which despite a few heat spikes during summer, the crop ended up in marvelous condition. The 2016 vintage shows great promise as well, with potentially even more tension in the wines from the slightly cooler growing season. This reports covers the latest releases from primarily from 2014-2016 and highlights the exceptional wines from these vintages which earned 90 points or higher.

With a number of fantastic wines from these outstanding vintages, few stand out more than Big Table Farm, who has cemented their place at the high table. Big Table Farm's talented Brian Marcy has crafted an incredible portfolio, which includes an impresive range from the stunning 2017 'The Laughing Pig' Rosé to the gorgeous 2016 'Earth' Pinot Noir. Another stellar lineup comes from Mo Ayoub, who is crafting some absolutely scintillating Pinot Noir and Chardonnay at his Vineyard and Winery in the Dundee Hills. Do not miss out on the 2016 Ayoub Chardonnay or the 2016 Ayob 'Estate Vineyard' Pinot Noir, both possessing a sterling minerality and wonderful range.

A perennial standout is Domaine Serene, who consistantly earns its spot amongst the apex of Oregon wine. Do not miss out on the 2015 Domaine Serene 'Evenstad Reserve' Pinot Noir, which is absolutely one of the most impressive wines from group. Just as compelling is their 2014 Domaine Serene 'Recolte Grand Cru' Chardonnay which is simply captivating with its intensity and minerality.

Other wineries that performed remarkably were lineups from Evening Land Vineyards, Toil, Willakenzie Estate, Argyle, Stag Hollow, Alexana, St. Innocent, Tendril, Cristom, Trisaetum, Lingua Franca, Gran Moraine and Brittan Vineyards.

Some of the worlds finest wines come from Oregon and its diverse AVA's, you will find everything from fantastic value wines to wines that are amongst the highest quality in the world. This has never been more evident with nearly 300 wines which have scored 90 Points or more in our recent tasting. Here is the link to our Oregon Report. 

Tenet Wines

One of the great minds in modern wine, Philippe Cambie has a background in microbiology, and boasts a masters in oenology from the University of Montpelier. More recently he has gained prominence with his consulting for outstanding Rhone wineries such as Domaine Grand Tinel, Bosquet des Papes, Jean Royer and many others. The knowledge of Cambie and Chateau St. Michelle head winemaker Bob Berthau make the 'Pundit' and the 'Tenet'  truly outstanding.

Look to the 2015 Tenet Wines ‘The Pundit’ Syrah (WWB, 91) shows wonderful richness and depth for the price. This is one of the great values in Washington wine. The 2015 Tenet Wines ‘Tenet’ Syrah (WWB, 93) is a dense beast that needs some time to age. This gorgeous wine will cellar well for a decade or more. Learn more about these great wines at tenetwines.com Here are the new releasees by Tenet Wines.

2015 Tenet Wines ‘Tenet’ Red Wine- This deep colored wine needs more than an hour decent to fully develop. After the long decant the 2015 ‘Tenet’ starts off with black olive tapenade, black cherry syrup and blackberry cobbler with milk chocolate shavings on the nose. The viscosity and plush mouthfeel entices and glides across the mid-palate. Black tea, black cherry cordial and mocha flavors beautifully connect with some solid tension. Enjoy this great wine over the next ten to fifteen years. Drink 2018-2030- 93

2015 Tenet Wines ‘The Pundit’ Syrah- The nose here is gorgeous with bacon fat, roasted dates and milk chocolate. Plush and downright decadent this delivers dark cherry, prune, and coffee ground flavors that connect with a nice tension. This is just an awesome value Syrah out of Washington that is nearly impossible to put down right now, as this overdelivers both richness and minerality in a hot vintage. Drink 2018-2025- 91

Avennia New Releases and 'Sestina' Vertical Tasting

One of the top Woodinville wineries, Avennia is the partnership between superstar winemaker, Chris Peterson, formerly of DeLille fame, and former Microsoft exec, Marty Taucher. Both are downright awesome guys to chat wine with. The initial idea behind Avennia was based on a meeting between the two in 2009 at North Seattle’s Fiddlers Inn, where they connected their respective strengths and experiences to create their partnership. By the end of 2010, 16 tons of fruit were transformed to wine and the first releases were met with resounding acclaim. Avennia sources from some of the top vineyards in the state, including Boushey and Champoux.

Winemaker Chris Peterson is a hugely talented guy. Soft-spoken and thoughtful, Chris crafts some of the state’s best Rose, a downright killer Sauvignon Blanc and a truly outstanding range of red wines. While tasting with he and Marty we had the great opportunity to try some of the older bottles of their acclaimed ‘Sestina’ Red Wine, which is their left bank style (Cabernet based) red wine. I was absolutely blown away with how the 2012 Avennia ‘Sestina’ Red Wine (WWB, 95) was currently showing. The range of this wine was simply dazzling as the wine embodied everything from green peppercorn to coffee grounds to dark fruits. The current releases were highly impressive across the board, including the gorgeous 2017 Avennia Rose (WWB, 92) which had marvelous weight, tension and texture. Even better was the 2015 Avennia ‘Valery’ Red Wine (WWB, 94) which showed very pretty aromatics and a wonderful purity of fruit. Learn more about these gorgeous wines at avennia.com Here are the great wines of Avennia. 

2017 Avennia Rose- The 2017 Rose by Avennia is a captivating blend of 70% Grenache and 30% Mourvdre. The wine was 75% aged for a few months in neutral barrels which adds to the textural elements to the wine. This begins with aromas of rose petals, smoke and red cherry candy. The palate has wonderful showing a great combination of tension, weight, and texture. This show a great elegance while maintaining wonderful range from red fruits and a touch of citrus. This is truly up there with the upper echelon Rose in the state. Drink 2018-2024- 92

2010 Avennia ‘Sestina’ Red Wine- Primarily Cabernet Sauvignon (73%), the wine is showing a very pretty aromatic profile with red fruits and sagebrush on the nose. The herbaceousness of the wine comes in towards the end. The palate shows wonderful weight and tension with sweet pipe tobacco, red bell pepper, coffee ground, wild blackberry, crushed mint and black tea flavors. There is a seamless quality to this wine. Still youthful, this Bordelaise effort will age gracefully over the next decade. Drink 2018-2030- 93

2011 Avennia ‘Sestina’ Red Wine- This cool vintage wine is a blend of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon (Bacchus Vineyard), 19% Merlot (Red Willow Vineyard) and 9% Cabernet Franc (Bacchus Vineyard). The wine opens with a intense bouquet of green olive tapenade, green bell pepper and wild blackberry pie. This shows good grip as the light tannins coat the mid-palate. The wine shows an old world feel, with a nice combination of red and dark fruits with sagebrush accents. Lithe and mineral driven, the wine shows a youthful component. Drink 2018-2028- 92

2012 Avennia ‘Sestina’ Red Wine- The 2012 ‘Sestina’ has the exact same blending as the 2011 ‘Sestina.’ This stunning wine is a simply intoxicating bouquet. Green peppercorn, black tea, blackberry cobbler and crushed mint with sagebrush accents mark this seductive nose. The mouthfeel is simply stunning. Black tea, blackberry, crushed mint and coffee ground flavors all beautifully come together in the glass. There is a wonderful seamless quality to this wine that has an exceedingly long life in the cellar. This is a graceful, pretty wine considering it is Cabernet based as the mouthwatering acidity marks this gorgeous wine. Given an hour in the glass the wine keeps getting better. Drink 2018-2033- 95

2012 Avennia ‘Gravura’ Red Wine- This wine is a bend of 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot and 11% Cabernet Franc. The nose is gorgeous with dark and red fruits and cigar ash coming through. The palate is silky smooth, showing off wonderful dark and red fruit flavors with black tea and herbal tones that connect with the lovey tension. Deep, balanced and impossible to resist right now, the wine still will have a long life in the cellar. Drink 2018-2028- 93

2015 Avennia ‘Sestina’ Red Wine- This has a touch more Merlot blended in. The wine begins with aromas of black tea, anise, creme de cassis and sagebrush. The heady aromatics bring you back to the glass. The wine showcases a wonderful mouthfeel and texture. The wine shows mouthwatering acidity with a nice combination of dark and red fruits. The weight and tension of the wine is gorgeous. The tension is particularly striking considering the obvious heat of the vintage. Drink 2018-2040- 94

2015 Avennia ‘Valery’ Red Wine- The wine is a blend of 70% Merlot sourced from the Boushey Vineyard, and 30% Cabernet Franc sourced from the Champoux Vineyard. This begins with aromas of rose petals, red cherry candy, tar and dried sage. The wine shows a wonderful purity of fruit. With beautiful acidity the wine shows coffee ground, black tea, anise, and black cherry compete flavors. Wonderfully balanced, with light tannins, this will have an exceedingly long life in the cellar. Drink 2019-2035- 94

2015 Avennia ‘Justine’ Red Wine- The 2015 'Justine' Red Wine is flat out sexy, delivering both wonderful richness and balance. The wine opens with a bright bouquet of rose petals, red currants, red cherry preserves and suggestions of bacon fat. The weight and plush mouthfeel entices as black cherry syrup, black olive tapenade, smoked meat and blood orange flavors complete this highly impressive wine that shows wonderful range. Texturally elegant, yet rich, this awesome effort by winemaker Chris Peterson will cellar marvelously over the next decade or so. Drink 2018-2028- 93

2015 Avennia ‘Gravura’ Red Wine- The ‘Gravura’ is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and 50% Merlot that was sourced from some of the state’s top vineyards. The nose brings out lovely Asian spice with black currant and black tea aromatics. Rich, with a lovely mouthfeel, the wine shows off sexy mocha and crushed mint flavors, alongside some good tension. Bright and rich, make sure to give this a long decant before enjoying. Drink 2018-2028- 92

2015 Avennia ‘Champoux Vineyard’ Cabernet Franc- This limited production wine was bottled by superstar Chris Peterson as he felt that this stood alone in blending trials. The powerful, intoxicating nose really drives this seductive bottking, black tea, star jasmine, dried sage ands blueberry compote come into play on the nose. The palate shows a silky texture and wonderful mouthfeel. Deep and rich, the wine shows a wonderful combination of blue and dark fruits with herbal elements rounding out this gorgeous wine. The herbal qualities are gorgeous. Silky and seductive, enjoy this great wine over the next fifteen to twenty years. Drink 2019-2035- 94

Alexana

One of the great lineups in Oregon, Alexana was founded many years back by Dr. Madaiah Revana, a famed cardiologist. Named after Dr. Revana’s daughter,  Alexana is a gorgeous winery set in the Red Hills in the center of the Willamette Valley. The expansive winery utilizes both gravity flow and Gold LEED certification. Bryan Weil serves as head winemaker and has greatly impressed with his solid range of new wines. Bryan previously worked at Domaine Serene before heading back to Oregon State University, where in 2008 he graduated with a degree in Enology and Viticulture. Bryan then served as assistant winemaker at Hogue Cellars in Prosser, Washington, prior to being named Alexana winemaker in in 2012.

Bryan has crafted a killer new lineup of wines. Look to his  2016 Alexana ‘Revana Vineyard’ Riesling (WWB, 92) which is one of the top Riesling bottlings out of Oregon that I have sampled this year showing an impressive mouthfeel and ripe fruit flavors. His range of red wines were exceptional. The 2015 Alexana ‘East Blocks Volcanic Soils’ Pinot Noir (WWB, 93) is a downright stunner, with marvelous tension and mouth-watering acidity to go with the excellent range and earthy tones. Learn more about this exciting winery at http://www.alexanawinery.com Here are the outstanding  new release wines by Alexana. 

2016 Alexana ‘Revana Vineyard’ Riesling- The 2016 ‘Revana Vineyard’ Riesling by Alexana is sourced from a 3 acre parcel that is partially sheltered by trees. This starts off with bright starfruit and lemongrass aromatics with a touch of green papaya. With just a kiss of sweetness, the tart minerality of this wine shines through as this is beautifully astringent. Green apple and green papaya flavors connect with lemon oil tones. This goes to show that the white wines are just as good from this top Oregon producer. While the wine is probably best in its youth, this has the tension to cellar well for a decade or more. Drink 2018-2028- 92

2016 Alexana ‘Terroir Series’ Pinot Gris-  The 2016 Alexana ‘Terroir Series’ Pinot Gris is the follow up to the absolutely outstanding 2015 bottling. Bright starfruit and cantaloupe aromatics hit you immediately. Wonderfully astringent, with less weight than the 2015 bottling, the wine showcases orange zest, honeydew melon and starfruit flavors with a touch of baking spices. Lithe and light on its feet, this outstanding Pinot Gris best enjoyed in its youth. Drink 2018-2022- 91

2015 Alexana ‘Terroir Series’ Chardonnay- Showing off a golden hue, this wine starts off with lovely lemon curd, brioche and kumquat aromatics. The mouthfeel is really nice, as is the astringency at play. Brioche, lemon zest and suggestions of roasted pineapple give this an exotic edge. This is another outstanding effort by Alexana. Drink 2018-2024- 92

2015 Alexana ‘Signature’ Pinot Noir- Sourced from the Dundee Hills of the Willamette Valley, this wine starts off with cherry cola, bramble and damp earth aromatics, showing nice range. The palate is smooth and seductive, showcasing a nice combination of red and dark fruits with forest floor and peat moss elements. Rich and layered, this will cellar marvelously for another decade or more. This is exactly what you would want in a warm vintage Pinot Noir. Drink 2018-2028- 92

2015 Alexana ‘Single Clone Pommard’ Pinot Noir- The Pommard Clone wine is sourced from Alexana’s estate vineyards. This begins with forest floor and black cherry aromatics. The palate is lush and has a wonderful combination of earthy, fruity and mineral tones. This also will age remarkably well. Drink 2018-2028- 92

2016 Alexana ‘East Blocks Volcanic Soils’ Pinot Noir- Sourced from a site roughly 600 feet in elevation, the ‘East Blocks Volcanic Soils’ Pinot Noir begins with aromatics of dark cherry, roasted figs and a touch of forest floor. The mouthfeel is plush and lovely, as the wine reveals a good combination of red fruits and citrus components that sit alongside a wonderful tension. Lithe and wonderfully light on its feet, the acidity of this wine makes it particularly difficult to not enjoy right now. Drink 2018-2028- 93

2016 Alexana ‘West Blocks Sedimentary Soils’ Pinot Noir- This standout wine starts off with orange zest, cran-pomegranate and red cherry flavors with a touch of damp earth. The mouthfeel and feminine quality of the wine are gorgeous. Red cherry candy, red raspberry cordial, orange rind and forest floor flavors collide and entice the senses. Drink 2018-2028- 93

2016 Alexana ‘Revana Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The Revana Vineyard boasts 18 soil types and 10 different clones of Pinot Noir. Earthy aromatics connect with dark fruits on the nose. The palate is rich as the wine shows off dark cherry, loganberry jam and suggestions of forest floor flavors that connect with the rich mouthfeel. This is another outstanding bottling by Revana that will cellar well for 10-15 years. Drink 2018-2030- 93

Chateau Ste. Michelle

How do you produce millions of bottles of wine that are all of high quality? I am always blown away with how Chateau Ste. Michelle continues this trend as they produce a staggering 8 million bottles of Riesling a year — and it is all very well-made. Chateau Ste. Michelle is the oldest winery in Washington state. Originally founded as the American Wine Company, it is also one of the area’s most beautiful wineries, located on 87 acres that was once a rural farm. Many great Washington winemaking talents have come through Chateau Ste. Michellle, from Dan Wampfler to Jason Gorski. Chateau Ste. Michelle owns some of the state’s historic vineyards including the Cold Creek Vineyard which was founded in the 1970s. 

They have utilized the talents of superstar winemaker, Bob Bertheau, for many years. Originally from Seattle, Bob has a MS in enology from the famed program at UC Davis. His new wines are seriously good, showing wonderful range and impressive quality to price ratio. The new 2017 Chateau Ste. Michelle Rose (WWB, 89) was almost instantly sold out. This is just a killer value at around ten dollars and shows wonderful minerality and delicate red fruit flavors. One of the great Riesling bottlings in the state, particularly at this price point, the 2016 Chateau Ste. Michelle ‘Eroica’ Riesling (WWB, 91) is the byproduct of one of the regions great partnerships between Chateau Ste. Michelle and epic winemaker Dr. Ernst Loosen. This is a Riesling to purchase by the case. Learn more about these fantastic new wines at https://www.ste-michelle.com Here are the recent releases by Chateau Ste. Michelle. 

2017 Chateau St. Michelle Rose- The label implies a crisp Rose and that’s what you are delivered. Light red fruit aromatics connect with a zingy acidity that sits through the drinking experience. Seriously good, pair this awesome new Rose release with Kushi oysters. Drink 2018-2022- 89

2017 Chateau Ste. Michelle ‘Midsummer’s White’ White Wine- This enticing white wine is a complex blend of Chenin Blanc, Muscat Canali, Riesling, Gewurtztraminer and Semillon. The nose has candied ginger, white grapefruit and gooseberry aromas. Slightly sweet, with sterling minerality, green apple, gooseberry, teaberry and pink grapefruit flavors combine a beautiful melange. Enjoy while the strong minerality remains. Drink 2018-2022- 91

2015 Chateau Ste. Michelle ‘Canoe Ridge Estate’ Chardonnay- The ‘Canoe Ridge Estate’ Chardonnay starts off with hints of butterscotch, toasty brioche and roasted macadamia nut on the nose. This warm vintage white shows really good mid-palate weight as tree and citrus fruit flavors mingle with creamy overtones. Drink 2018-2024- 90

2016 Chateau Ste. Michelle ‘Eroica’ Riesling- Made in the Kabinette style, this Riesling begins with aromas of wet stone, Gravenstein apple and kumquat on the nose. In the glass the wine reveals a wonderful tension as green apple, wet stone and white flower flavors all mingle together nicely. The weight and minerality really drive this wine that shows a kiss of sweetness. Drink 2018-2024- 91

2014 Chateau Ste. Michelle ‘Cold Creek Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon- Planted in the 1970s the Cold Creek Vineyard is a warm site that gained a strong reputation for some of the state’s best Cabernet. Deeply colored and perfumed, this warm vintage wine begins with cigar ash, Hoisin sauce and blackberry cobbler on the nose. The palate has really good weight and a nice sense of place. Blackberry cordial, mocha and tar flavors all combine nicely in the glass. Drink 2018-2028- 92

Purple Star & Muret-Gaston

Boasting an excellent new lineup of Washington wines, Purple Star and Muret-Gaston wineries were started by Kyle and Amy Johnson in 2008. They have a wonderful sense of giving and donate 15% of their wine sales to Children’s Hospital, benefiting those who are in need of uncompensated care. Sourcing from some great Washington vineyards like Weinbau, and Heart of the Hill, these wines are polished and well-structured even in warm vintages. Intriguingly their winery, Muret-Gaston is named after both of their family ancestors, the Murets and Gastons, who were relative neighbors living in adjacent villages in southern France. All the new release wines were seriously good, completing what is a pretty impressive new lineup of limited-production wines. 

Kyle Johnson is a soft-spoken, down to earth guy. Not someone who enjoys the spotlight, Kyle has a great handle on a huge range of varietals in the cellar. Originally from Kennewick, Washington, Kyle has seen the Washington wine industry rapidly develop over the past few decades. Holding a degree from Washington State University, he previously worked for Chateau Ste. Michelle and Olsen Estates prior to starting his own venture. I really enjoyed his 2014 Purple Star Syrah (WWB, 90) which showed wonderful poise and richness from this exciting vintage for red wines. Even better was the 2014 Muret-Gaston Cabernet Sauvignon (WWB, 92) which was sourced from the Klipsuun Vineyard in Red Mountain and shows wonderfully layered and complex flavors and aromatics. Learn more about these great wineries at http://www.muret-gaston.com and http://www.purplestarwines.com Here are the great new wines by Purple Star and Muret-Gaston. 

2016 Muret-Gaston Chardonnay- There is a wonderful texture to the wine that adds to the the tree and citrus fruit flavors. With a slightly smoky element, the wine finishes long with vanilla cream. This is a great value out of Red Mountain. Drink 2018-2022- 90

2015 Purple Star Cabernet Sauvignon- Inky in color, this shows a dark fruit bouquet with a touch of sagebrush woven in. Forward in fruit, yet having some good restraint, dark cherry, blackberry and roasted fig flavors connect with the minerality. Drink 2018-2024- 89

2014 Purple Star Syrah- This deeply colored wine was sourced from the Columbia Valley AVA. The nose is really lovely with dark fruits and a touch of milk chocolate creating a lovely bouquet. Decadent and rich, this showcases lovely dark fruits with dark chocolate cake and nutmeg flavors that connect with the good tension. The is really good stuff considering the price. Drink 2018-2024- 90

2015 Muret-Gaston ‘GSM’ Red Wine- The ‘GSM’ is a silky blend of Grenache (41%), Syrah (15%) and Mourvedre (41%). The smoky and meaty elements from the Mourvedre are evident right now, as is the pretty floral edge from the Grenache. This has a great combination of weight, tension and salinity, as this beautiful wine covers a really good range of red and dark fruits with a smoky character from the Mourvedre. Ripe and downright delicious, enjoy this excellent wine in the short-term. Drink 2018-2024- 91

2015 Muret-Gaston Syrah- Soruced from the Edyth Mae Vineyard, in the Yakima Valley, this begins with aromas of Hoisin sauce, blackberry pie and roasted figs. The palate is round and generous revealing wonderful dark fruit flavors that connect with the mineral edge. Drink 2018-2024- 90

2015 Muret-Gaston Petit Verdot- Sourced from the Yakima Valley, this begins with aromas of black olive tapenade, milk chocolate and wild blackberry preserves. The wine unveils downright delicious dark fruit flavors with an herbal edge. Ripe and juicy, this needs a rich ribeye steak. Drink 2018-2024- 91

2014 Muret-Gaston Cabernet Sauviginon- This deep colored warm vintage Cabernet is sourced from the Klipsun Vineyard in the Red Mountain AVA. The highly perfumed nose entices with black cherry compote and sagebrush with milk chocolate. The palate is refined and has a great sense of place. Dark fruits mingle with a touch of red currant, red bell pepper and chocolate cake. An outstanding effort, this great Cabernet will cellar well for a decade or more. Drink 2018-2028- 92

The John Howie Steak Wine Program

One of the great wine lists in the Seattle area that pairs marvelously with melt in your mouth steaks, John Howie Steak is a must stop for wine lovers. John Howie has assembled a superstar lineup of sommeliers that will impress you with their knowledge and service. Having dined here on many occasions, I always have been highly impressed with the consistent quality of wine service at John Howie. It is truly some of the finest wine service in the Pacific Northwest. Chef John Howie has been in the restaurant industry for decades. He notes how important it was to craft a great wine program that exemplifies fantastic service. He explains “When you are in a restaurant like John Howie Steak it is an expectation that you have great wine program. We want our wine service people to be educated and to fully understand how they can bring a great wine experience to our guests and do it in a way that makes the guests comfortable. When  sommelier Erik Liedholm and I got together roughly 17 years ago at Seastar he asked for several things like to use the correct varietal stemware and the correct temperature for the different wines. When we opened John Howie Steak we wanted to improve our wine experience. Our wine director, Chris Lara, is constantly looking for ways to enhance our wine program, make it different and unique and special for our guests. I love that because we do the same thing with the food, the service and so why not do the same thing with the wine?” Sommelier Erik Liedholm, gives his explanation of how he initially derived the John Howie wine program nearly a decade ago. He mentions “When we opened John Howie Steak back in 2009 one of the first parameters for the wine list was – trust. Trust that the ultimate curator of the list (in this case Chris Lara)  will be able to follow the company ‘wine ethos.’ That is, always follow the direction of the cuisine and offer enough depth that guests can splurge but also offer great deals too. Just because a wine is inexpensive, doesn’t mean it is of poor quality. Avoid the ‘record store clerk attitude’ - we are creating wine lists, not dissertations on viticulture, so try not to take yourself too seriously and have fun. We wanted to pepper the list with wines that guests know with wines that reflect your own personality and passion and always, always listen to your guests.” They absolutely have followed this approach  as their list has really good range but also offers standout Washington wines that pair brilliantly with steak such as Leonetti Cellar Merlot or Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon. 

Chef John Howie notes the importance of educating wine professionals at a great steakhouse,  which in turn enhances the guest experience. He explains  “What we do here that is different from everyone else is that all servers carry the minimum of level one sommelier certification. I fully believe that we have more level 2 sommeliers than any other restaurant group on the west coast. Sommelier Erik Liedholm, will teach the introductory class to any staff member who wants to learn. We take care of that for them. They don’t have to pay for their certification ands it makes a big difference. You have servers and back servers who can all talk about the wine. I think that shows that we really care about the wine program.” Advanced sommelier and John Howie Steak wine director, Chris Lara, is currently studying for the coveted master somm certification. Chris has some of the best wine service that I have seen, regardless of Michelin star rating. Chris describes his wine service as “Diligently following the Court of Master Sommeliers standards.” The wine list is really awesome, boasting a ton of wonderful Northwest selections.It is one of those lists that you really love taking the time to read. While not enormous, there are thoughtful local selections like the delightful 2017 Gramercy Cellars Rose, the 2014 L’Ecole No. 41 Merlot, 2016 Eyrie Pinot Gris, and a killer glass pour list. Looking to splurge on a first growth Bordeaux or pop a bottle of Krug? John Howie has that as well.

Chris Lara formalized the wine table service in 2016. Chris explained “For me it was a natural this is what the Court teaches and this is what we should do. I wanted it to be formal and that sense of there is no one else in town that will do this exact thing. Canlis has an amazing wine program and have phenomenal service but they rarely bring a table on the side.” Certified sommelier, Chris Arora, offers exemplary wine service. He gives his take on the importance of great wine service and explains “At John Howie we take pride in offering a higher level of service, and education is a large part of being able to achieve that. The difference between guests having a good experience, and a great one, can come from an explanation about what, and why they are enjoying things throughout their evening. The Sommelier team at John Howie continually pushes one another and the entire staff to have a better understanding of the selections we maintain on our list. And the constant rotations of local and international selections that we offer by the glass.”

Recently dining at John Howie Steak I noticed firsthand the impressive wine service while dining. Starting with a glass of John Howie Steak Signature Champagne from house Nomine-Renard, we were led through a wonderful dining experience. Advanced sommelier Chris Lara showed us how to open an older bottle using heated port tongs. This ingenious historic method, resurrected by the superstar sommelier team at Eleven Madison Park in New York roughly five years back, involves placing the red hot metal around the neck, it makes a clean break leaving the cork intact. The method originated in Portugal as an alternative to opening very old bottles of wine with corks that tended to crumble from age. The execution of this method at John Howie Steak is very dramatic added to a fantastic wine and food experience. It truly was a night to remember at John Howie Steak.

Claret Wine Bar

An enticing, modern looking restaurant and wine bar in the Wallingford area, Claret is a great new stop if you are looking for an outstanding range of local and international wines with great casual fare. Dropping in we were immediately met by a certified sommelier, Jessica Gonser, who waited on us during dinner. The bottle list was pretty thoughtful with many world regions well represented, showing a particular nod to local wineries. Chris Horn serves as wine director, having roughly 30 years of restaurant experience. He has previously served as the wine service director at Wild Ginger.

Chris Horn has masterfully assembled a thoughtful, wide-ranging wine list that spans the globe.

Chris has amassed a great, highly focused list. Sitting down with him to talk about his creation he mentions “The background is trying to corral the world of wine in one place. You have a lot of freedom to look into the places. With Claret you don’t want it to be Purple Cafe but something great. One of the great experience’s at Purple is not only having the wine pairings but the flights where you can taste wines of the world in context. I wanted to create that experience in a small neighborhood wine bar you can’t have flights. We wanted to craft a more casual experience at Claret.” Chris came up with having two wines side by side, aptly named ‘duos.’ He explained “Duos was the idea that we can up with. Having an Argentinian Malbec against one from Cahors. You can have two different experiences and there is a lot that you can like about those things. We can create a neighborhood wine bar and also not ask the guests to focus and engage. If you are going back and forth between two wines then that makes it a lot easier. It doesn’t require the customer to work for you.” Claret is also working on creating a wholesale program where people can enjoy great wines like Gaja with very reasonable markup. Chris talks about this program, explaining “if we can take a $250.00 dollar bottle and charge them $3.00 an ounce, this can be really good for someone who just learning about wine but also are preparing for the Court of Master Sommeliers. The opportunity to taste Dageaneau is not something that people can always do.” 

Shaela Ward, Claret general manage talks about the wine team at this neighborhood wine bar. She denotes “We are really fortunate of the wine team that we are building here. We want to keep wine approachable and we are exited to talk wine with anyone who wants to chat. Our staff is educated to do a lot of fun comparisons.” She mentioned that she is working on utilizing their space for tasting groups and those studying for their WSET or somm exams. She explains “We are excited about the space and the community that we can bring. It is nice that we have fire pits out there for nighttime and we are ready for summer and Rose on the patio.” Chis Horn talked about the importance of having well-trained sommeliers for the Claret experience. He explains “Three nights a week we have Tyler Alden who is the director of education for thew Heavy Group; He is way smart and is sitting for the master somm exam and he will probably pass that exam test. Tyler has a really personal service style which adds to the patron experience. I am trying to be there as well and will come somm at the restaurant especially on the weekend. I live pretty close to there so it is my neighborhood wine bar as well. We want to always have someone around with the wine knowledge but we want to have someone personable waiting on you.”

After some challenging choices I decided to start with a glass of the 2015 L’Ecole No. 41 Chardonnay (WWB, 90) which delivers a ton of value for the price. We were all hungry and fortunately opted for the cheese and meat platter which came with delicious honey and fig spread. The sheeps cheese in particular enticed. Claret is one of the few places in Seattle that has famed Nikolaihof wines available by the bottle. That proved to be a wonderful pairing with the meat and cheese plate, as the bright acidity cut nicely through the fatty texture of the rich cheese. The star of the show was definitely the rich liver mousse, delightfully earthy and impossible to resist.

Claret makes an excellent and tangy steak tartare that was wonderfully rich with a very smooth texture. I opted for their burger, which was perfectly cooked at medium rare. Messy but wonderfully rich, this is one of Seattle’s great burgers. We finished our meal off with some blind dessert wines paired by sommelier. One great finish of the night was the 2015 Brian Carter Winery ‘Opulento’ Dessert Wine (WWB, 90) which was a delicious treat to savor. While we did not utilize the outdoor space, next time we will return to sip wines from their well-curated list outside.  If you are looking for a great new spot for a great glass pour list or some excellent small bites, Claret is a must visit in Fremont.

Interview with Larry Stone, MS, Co-Founder and CEO of Lingua Franca Wines

An exceptionally talented man, Larry Stone, MS, is the co-founder and CEO for one of the great Oregon producers of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, Lingua Franca. Lingua Franca crafts some absolutely stunning wines that are not to be missed. I was particularly enthralled with his new release wines that were coming from the hot 2015 vintage and showed incredible tension in the glass. As a Master Sommelier, Larry Stone became the first American to win the prestigious Best International Sommelier in French Wines competition in Paris. His career spans 30 years as a restaurateur and sommelier at the Four Seasons, Charlie Trotter’s, and Rubicon Restaurant among others, I recently had the chance to sit down with this very busy man and chat wine. Larry has a wonderful story in wine and I think you will very much enjoy hearing more about his journey. Here is my interview with Larry Stone, MS, owner and winemaker of Lingua Franca.

WWB: Can you talk about the challenges with passing the master sommelier exam? What was the greatest hurdle for you? Do you still actively blind taste wines of the world?

LS: Working sommeliers have the most privileged position in the world to taste hundreds of new wines in a year.  And they also should frequently taste the wines they are serving to make sure that they are showing well and evolving as predicted.  So while I do taste wines blind sometimes, it is nothing in comparison with what I did while actively working in a restaurant.  The challenge in taking the Master sommelier examination was not really knowing what to expect.  We had no road map at all, only the knowledge that we would have three areas of responsibility.  We had no grid!  We didn't have access to anyone who had already taken the exam!  The part I had the most difficulty with was the completely unexpectedly hard service portion.  

WWB: What was it like Opening Rubicon restaurant with celebrity partners such as Robert de Niro and Robin Williams? Can you talk about constructing that exceptional wine list?

LS: Knowing that Robin Williams, Francis Ford Coppola and Robert DeNiro were partners did add to the public perception of glamour of the opening, which actually worked against us in building up expectations too high.  We had a pretty tight budget to work with to open with.  However, Drew Nieporent's team did an excellent job with Rockwell.  The big thrill for me was working with Drew and Daniel Johnnes.  I had very little contact with the celebrity owners until after the opening.  The wine list grew to its strong position over the first two years, especially as the local tech industry started to boom. 

WWB: How did you decide to found Lingua Franca wines?

LS: I helped to start Evening Land already with a guest, Mark Tarlov, in 1996. He only wanted to drink Jayer and Roumier off of the wine list, nearly every evening.  Since he was from NY I asked him to at least try a few West Coast Pinot that would be interesting and he said he didn't think that any place would be able to make wine of the quality of Burgundy.  I mentioned three places, two in California, but told him then that the very best place outside of Burgundy would be the Willamette Valley, especially the Eola-Amity Hills and especially the area near Seven Springs, which consistently made outstanding wines, proven to me in multiple times since the mid-1980s.  I loved Cristom, Bethel Heights and Adelsheim versions of the vineyard.  So when the company was founded, that was one of the three places we leased.  When I visited the vineyard I noticed an identically situated site across the gravel road and thought to myself, that would work just as well!  So without a plan to actually make wine, just to have the privilege and pleasure of developing a vineyard from scratch on an exceptional site, I figured out how to purchase the land and thought the rest would come.  Two years after planting the vineyard things started to fall in place.

WWB: Your new Chardonnay bottling, the 2015 Lingua Franca ‘Bunker Hill Vineyard’ Chardonnay (WWB, 94) is an exceptional wine that has remarkable poise and richness. Can you talk about this spectacular new release?

LS: It’s all about the exceptional vineyard site, soils, slope, elevation, sensitive farming and vine age.  The winemaking must be meticulous too!  Thomas Savre is a very dedicated man who is passionate about doing justice to the vineyards we work with. Our selection of all the sites is thoroughly researched and tested and then we only select the finest vineyards to put on our single vineyard selections.  Bunker Hill's 23 year old vines, and rocky Witzel and Nekia soils are excellent for expressing minerality, tension, life.  

WWB: What are some of your favorite wines of the world?

LS: There are so many options today for wine lovers. I have been enjoying Oregon Chardonnay and Pinot Noir so my collection is growing fast in that department.  I still try to buy some good bottles of Burgundy. Then of course there has been a string of outstanding vintages in the Northern Rhone, so I have been buying quite a bit of those. Loire Valley red wines and Muscadet for eating oysters.  Austrian Riesling and some Grüner Veltliner from Wachau, Kracher dessert wines, Likewise Italy, which offers ever greater quality, from Tuscany (I love great estate Chianti Classico), or in Barolo and Barbaresco, Gattinara, Dolcetto, Barbera,  even now in Sicily, like Trinoro Passopisciaro or Terre Nerre and others.  I have a quite a few Napa Valley wines. Napa is undergoing a course correction by making slightly more restrained wines of more classic structure--look at Quintessa and Inglenook, Araujo, Colgin, Lokoya, Dominus.  Lewis Cellars has made quite rich but really fascinating bolder wines, that have structure and age well, too.  I love them as well.   Then there is Diamond Creek and Ridge Montebello, which for decades in blind tastings has been confused with First Growth Bordeaux. I could name dozens of others.  How long do you want a list to be? I cellar quite a diverse group of wines.  I am happy that I have bought and drunk all of these and will continue to do so.

Caliza

Sitting down with Carl Bowker, he talked about his unique winemaking style, showcasing wonderful richness with tension in the bottle. During the Hospice du Rhone festival I was able to spend some time picking his brain and chatting wine. I have seen his winemaking evolve in the past few years to increasing the level of minerality, despite being faced with several uber-hot vintages in Paso Robles which is not an easy feat. He is producing some truly great wines that show a more unique side of the region as these wines provide wonderful intrigue. 

Spanish for “limestone" Caliza has a 20-acre vineyard largely set on limestone soils. The vineyard is predominantly comprised of hillsides with south-facing slopes which leads to maximum sun exposure. Set at 900-1200 feet above sea level in Templeton Gap area, the vineyard faces strong diurnal shifts which creates some nice tension in the wines. It is clear that planting so high has really helped the wines, particularly in the recent hot vintages. 

Founded by Carl and Pam Bowker, Caliza’s vineyard was planted near L’Aventure and Booker which has proven to be a really good investment. Carl Bowker graduated from Napa Valley College’s Viticulture and Enology associate program in 2004. He has emerged as one of the regions great winemakers. Check out the 2017 Caliza ‘Pink’ Rose (WWB, 90) which shows wonderful complexity and range. This is a gorgeous summer sipper. The 2014 Caliza ‘Cohort’ Red Wine (WWB, 93) is a downright stunner, showing wonderful richness, intensity and range. This intense wine will cellar marvelously over the next decade. Learn more about this great Paso Robles winery at https://www.calizawinery.com Here are the excellent new wines by Caliza. 

2017 Caliza ‘Pink’ Rose- An intriguing blend of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre and Counoise, this starts off with a bouquet of wild strawberry, red cherry candy and a touch of thyme. The palate is rich and shows a good tension with red fruits mingling with citrus rind. This delightful Rose has a marvelous texture and shows good richness. Drink 2018-2022- 90

2017 Caliza ‘Kissin Cousins’ White Wine- The ‘Kissin Cousins’ is a blend of largely Grenache and Roussanne with a smaller portion Grenache Blanc. Cantaloupe, beeswax and honey mark the nose. The palate is viscous and shows really good richness. Ripe honeydew melon, starfruit and Pink Lady apple flavors persist on the palate. This is truly a standout white blend from Paso. Drink 2018-2024- 92

2014 Caliza ‘Companion’ Red Wine- The ‘Companion’ is one you’d like to have by your side, largely Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. This inky colored wine starts off with creme de cassis, mocha, and tar. The palate shows a good combination of weight and tension, with black fruits parading with dark chocolate shavings and strong minerality. Deep and delicious, this is an outstanding effort by Caliza. Drink 2018-2028- 92

2014 Caliza ‘Cohort’ Red Wine- A glass-staining purple, this wine is largely Petite Syrah and Syrah based. Blue fruits connect with blackberry and milk chocolate on the palate. The silky texture here is really outstanding, as is the deep and layered dark and blue fruit flavors that sit alongside some good tension. Distinctly Paso Robles, this outstanding wine will cellar well over the next decade but is nearly impossible to resist right now. Drink 2018-2028- 93

2014 Caliza ‘Sympatico’ Red Wine- The ‘Sympatico’ is a blend of Tempranillo (76%), Grenache (12%) and Monastrell (12%). Earthy and dark fruit tones dominate the nose. The palate shows really good weight and balance, with roasted fig, milk chocolate covered cherry and allspice flavors wonderfully combining together. As this builds in the glass and gets more air, it becomes even more difficult to put down. This is just an awesome red blend by the talented Carl Bowker. Drink 2018-2028- 93

Swiftwater Cellars

One of the impressive Washington lineups of red and white wines, Swiftwater Cellars was founded by proprietors Don and Lori Watts who had great success in agriculture before starting their winery. Located in Cle Elum, the winery is set on the Rope Rider Golf Course and is a truly beautiful setting to try their great range of wines. Head winemaker Andrew Wisniewski has more than a decade of winemaking experience prior to joining Swiftwater Cellars. He has worked in New Zealand, Australia and more recently Oregon, where he served as Cellar Master for the Stoller Family Estate.

The new wines were impressive across the board. An outstanding new Riesling release is their 2016 Swiftwater Cellars ‘Olsen Vineyard’ Riesling (WWB, 91) which shows a wonderful combination of poise and green apple flavors. This is a perfect wine for when temperatures warm up. I was very impressed with the 2015 Swiftwater Cellars ‘Proprietary Red’ Red Wine (WWB, 92) which is an outstanding dense and layered effort that will cellar marvelously over the next decade or so. Learn more about this exciting winery at https://www.swiftwatercellars.com Here are the great new wines by Swiftwater Cellars.

2016 Swiftwater Cellars ‘Olsen Vineyard’ Riesling- Petrol and honeysuckle fill the nose alongside some green apple high tones. The minerality here is really nice, as is the tart unripe peach and tart green apple flavors. This is outstanding. Drink 2018-2023- 91

2016 Swiftwater Cellars ‘Proprietary White’ White Wine- This wine is a combination of 100% barrel fermented (45% new French oak) Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc. The nose from the toasty oak really delights, alongside marshmallow and grassy tones. The mouthfeel is wonderfully plush, as is the long and inviting, vanilla cream finish. This will cellar well over the next decade. Drink 2018-2028- 91

2016 Swiftwater Cellars ‘Zephyr Ridge’ Chardonnay- Aged in 33% new French oak puncheons, this starts off with aromas of brioche, Meyer lemon and Pazzaz apple. Showcasing the classic Washington style of Chardonnay, the wine shows medium weight with mild to moderate oak influence. The balance is really nice here. Drink 2018-20240- 90

2015 Swiftwater Cellars Merlot- Aged for 18 months in 58% new French oak, this begins with aromas of black cherry and black tea. The palate has wonderful dark fruit flavors with good acidity. Rich and delicious, this will cellar well over the next decade. Drink 2018-2028- 91

2015 Swiftwater Cellars Malbec- Sourced from the Heart of the Hill Vineyard on Red Mountain, this begins with smoky aromatics with dark cherry cordial and a touch of milk chocolate. The dense mouthfeel entices as the wine unveils cocoa powder, black plum and coffee ground flavors. This is an outstanding effort by winemaker Andrew Wisniewski. Drink 2018-2028- 91

2015 Swiftwater Cellars ‘Proprietary Red’ Red Wine- A blend of Red Mountain (66%), Walla Walla (19%) and Horse Heaven Hills (15%) fruit, this starts off with sagebrush, black tea and blackberry cobbler flavors. There is a really nice sense of balance to this wine, composed of all five Bordeaux varietals. Flavors of black tea, mocha, creme de cassis and sagebrush persist to a long, dark fruit and mineral driven finish. Drink 2018-2028- 92

2015 Swiftwater Cellars ‘Zephyr Ridge’ Cabernet Sauvignon- this wine was aged in 42% new French oak prior to bottling and is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. This has mocha and crushed mint on the nose. This has a velvety mouthfeel with medium weight dark fruit flavors that connect with a good tension. Drink 2018-2028- 91

2015 Swiftwater Cellars ‘Octave Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon- Sourced from a high elevation in the Walla Walla Valley, the Octave Vineyard Cabernet starts off with deep black olive, black tea and blackberry pie aromas. This has wonderful purity of friuit, showing off mocha, anise and boysenberry cordial favors with light tannins toward the back end. Enjoy this fantastic wine over the next decade or so. Drink 2018-2030- 92

2015 Swiftwater Cellars ‘Reserve’ Cabernet Sauvignon- A blend of largely Red Mountain fruit with a touch of Walla Walla mixed in, the ‘Reserve’ has 8% Petit Verdot blended in. Creme de cassis, anise, mocha and sagebrush aromatics fill the glass. The silky mouthfeel is lovely with mocha, anise, creme de cassis and sandalwood flavors. Delicious and rich, this will be a long-ager. Drink 2018-2030- 92

2015 Swiftwater Cellars ‘Boushey Vineyard’ Syrah- This saw 27% new oak for 18 months prior to bottling. This opens with a bouquet of smoked pork shoulder, dark cherry and coffee ground undertones. The palate is both lithe and rich, showing off Hoisin sauce, smoked brisket and dark cherry liquor flavors. This is seriously good wine that is best enjoyed in its youth with all its intensity and range. Drink 2018-2028- 92

2015 Swiftwater Cellars ‘Klipsun Vineyard’ Syrah- Smoke and dark fruits dominate the seductive nose. The mouthfeel and acidity of this wine is outstanding, as the wine showcases smoked brisket, black olive tapenade and black cherry cordial flavors. This has wonderful range here. Drink 2018-2026- 92

Abeja

One of the standout Walla Walla wineries, Abeja not only has a stunning setting but a wine lineup that is even better than the sweeping views. I’ve enjoyed tasting here for many years and this years lineup rivals the best I’ve had from this estate. Set in the foothills of Walla Walla’s Blue Mountains, Abeja has seven luxury cottages, creeks, and gardens on the 32 acre property. 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. They work closely together on the wines and craft truly one of the great overall lineups of wine. 

One of the great Chardonnays in Washington, the 2016 Abeja ‘Washington State’ Chardonnay (WWB, 93) has an incredible bouquet and wonderful weight and texture. This outstanding wine will continue to evolve in the cellar. One of the great Washington Merlots that I have tried in the past year, the 2015 Abeja Merlot (WWB, 94) has incredible richness and tension from this warm vintage. This 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 ‘Washington State’ Chardonnay- This ‘Washington State’ Chardonnay was sourced from the Celilo, Connor Lee, and Mill Creek Estate vineyards. This begins with aromas of poached pear, butter and lemon cream. The palate has wonderful mouthfeel with green apple, poached pear and creme brulee flavors. This is every bit outstanding and will continue to evolve well for years in the cellar. Drink 2018-2028- 93

2016 Abeja ‘Beekeeper’s Blend’ Red Wine-  This primarily Cabernet Sauvignon wine begins with dark fruits and coffee grounds on the nose. The palate mimics the nose with dark fruits shining through and a wonderful tension. This is a really good value Cabernet out of Washington. Drink 2018-2024- 91

2015 Abeja Merlot-Needing more than a two hour decant, this Columbia Valley bottling was sourced from the Sagemoor Farms, Weinbau, Heather Hill, Kiona and Heart of the Hill Vineyards. This begins with aromas of mocha, anise, creme de cassis and sagebrush. The palate has incredible tension and richness with black tea, mocha, creme de cassis and leather flavors that mingle with nice liberality. This Merlot is truly up there with the top bottlings in the state. Drink 2018-2030- 94

2015 Abeja Cabernet Sauvignon- Sourced from the Sagemoor Farms, Bacchus, Weinbau, Heather Hill, Kiona and Destiny Ridge Vineyards, this Cabernet Sauvignon includes 8% Merlot with a touch of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. The nose is intoxicating with creme de cassis, Turkish coffee and black tea. The palate is beautifully astringent with light tannins lining dark fruit and chocolate flavors. A show-stopper, this gorgeous effort will cellar marvelously for decades. Be sure to give this a very long decant if enjoying in its youth. Drink 2018-2035- 94

Ambassador Wines of Washington

Founded in 2004, Ambassador sources from their estate vineyard on Red Mountain. Under the expert eye of Dick Boushey, the Ambassador Vineyard is a warm site planted to a host of varietals, from Grenache to Cabernet Sauvignon. Ambassador has a tasting room in the Woodinville Warehouse District which is a wonderful spot to try their awesome range of wines. Sarah Goedhart serves as Ambassador winemaker. Ambassador also relies on the consulting talents of Tom Rinaldi, formerly with Provenance and Hewitt wineries in Napa.

Ambassador is developing a strong reputation for their sold white wine, not sourced from the Ambassador Vineyard but from another great vineyard in the Yakima Valley. The 2017 Ambassador Sauvignon Blanc (WWB, 91) has a marvelous texture and tension. This is a wonderful summer white wine that also carries a very reasonable price tag. I was impressed with the quality of the Grenache fruit from this vineyard and the latest release, the 2015 Ambassador ‘Estate’ Grenache (WWB, 92) has really good range and is unlike any Grenache in the state. Learn more about this great lineup of wines at http://www.ambassadorwinery.com Here are the new wines by Ambassador Wines of Washington

2017 Ambassador Rose- This limited production wine is comprised of both Syrah and Grenache. The highly perfumed nose hits you with guava, rose petals and red raspberry preserves. The weight and astringency here is simply outstanding. Fluid and lifted, the wine nicely combines citrus rind and red fruits alongside good tension. Drink 2018-2022- 90

2017 Ambassador Sauvignon Blanc- A blend of 78% Sauvignon Blanc and the remainder Semillon, this starts off with a bouquet of honeysuckle and lychee. The palate is ripe and lithe, showing off grapefruit, lychee, kumquat and orange zest flavors. This is seriously good. Drink 2018-2022- 91

2015 Ambassador ‘Estate’ Grenache- One of the intriguing wines made from Washington, the 2013 Ambassador ‘Estate’ Grenache starts off with a bouquet of rose petals, red cherry candy and suggestions of guava puree. The palate has a nice combination of weight and tension, with a silky texture. A touch of blood orange rind towards the back end completes this outstanding wine. Drink 2018-2028- 92

2013 Ambassador ‘Estate’ Syrah- This inky colored Syrah begins with aromas of mill chocolate, blackberry cobbler and suggestions of black tea. The palate is lithe and lush, showing a wonderful minerality. Dark berry and chocolate flavors mingle nicely. Drink 2018-2025- 91

2015 Ambassador ‘Estate’ Merlot- The nose is distinctly milk chocolate with dark berries mingling. The palate has good depth and richness. Creme de cassis, milk chocolate and roasted fig flavors entice. Lightly tannic, this will cellar beautifully over the next decade. Drink 2018-2028- 91

2015 Ambassador ‘Estate’ Cabernet Sauvignon- This deep colored wine begins with loganberry liquor and milk chocolate on the nose. The palate is rich showing nice cassis, blackberry and mocha flavors. Drink 2018-2026- 90

2015 Ambassador ‘Plentipotentiary’ Cabernet Sauvignon- A blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon with the remainder Merlot and cabernet Franc this begins with aromas of red bell pepper, chocolate and wild blackberry pie. The palate is both rich and lithe, showing dark currant, creme de cassis, coffee ground and blackberry flavors. Lightly tannic and rich, this will cellar well over the next decade. Drink 2018-2028- 91

2015 Ambassador ‘Estate’ Petit Verdot- An intriguing blend of 87% Petit Verdot and 13% Grenache, this great wine by Sarah Goedhart starts off with smoke and dried herbs with dark chocolate shavings. White pepper with dark berry flavors entice. Outstanding and truly novel, enjoy this rich and terroir-driven wine over the next decade. Drink 2018-2028- 92

2015 Ambassador ‘Diplomat’ Red Wine- A blend of largely Cabernet Sauvignon, this begins with aromas of blackberry pie, milk chocolate and baking spices. The palate is silky smooth, delivering blueberry, blackberry and mocha flavors. Downright delicious, this outstanding wine by Sarah Goedhart will cellar well for another decade. Drink 2018-2028- 92

2015 Ambassador ‘Envoy’ Red Wine- The ‘Envoy’ is a blend of 27% Merlot, 21% Petit Verdot, 17% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Malbec, 16% Cabernet Franc and 2% Syrah. This starts off with aromas of dill, red bell pepper, mocha and crushed mint. The palate shows good weight and length with dark cherry, loganberry and coffee ground flavors. Delicious and rich, this will cellar well over the next decade or so. Drink 2018-2028- 91

2015 Ambassador ‘Estate’ Malbec- This inky colored Malbec begins with aromas dark chocolate, roasted fig and hints of white pepper. The terroir is really lovely on the nose. Rich and layered, this has a really good combination of dark and blue fruits with good tension. Drink 2018-2028- 91

Guarachi Family Wines

Founded by Alex Guarachi, Alex has a great American story. Originally coming to the Unite States from Chile on a soccer scholarship, Alex saw that there was a great market for South American wines in the United States. He began importing wines from Chile and Argentina into the United States, working out of his garage. Needless to say, this success story grew as he created what is now the second largest American importer of Chilean and Argentine wines. After some time Alex realized that he wanted to create his own label of wines and launched Guarachi Family Wines, which focused on high quality Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa and Pinot Noir from Sonoma. 

Alex continues to expand his operation and has acquired several of prestigious estate vineyards including the Meadowrock in the Atlas Peak appellation of Napa Valley and Sun Chase overlooking Gap’s Crown in the Sonoma Coast Petaluma Wind Gap. I recently had the opportunity to try the new release by Guarachi Family Wines and was hugely impressed. The 2014 Guarachi Family Wines Cabernet Sauvignon (WWB, 93) is a stunning rendition of the richness and terroir that you would expect from a great Napa Cab. This gorgeous wine will cellar marvelously for fifteen plus years. Alex is an inspired story of a hard-worker that has been living the American dream. Learn more about his new brand, Guarachi Family Wines at http://www.guarachifamilywines.com

2014 Guarachi Family Wines Cabernet Sauvignon- Needing a one hour decant to be fully aroused the ‘Napa Valley’ Cabernet shows wonderful dark fruits on the nose with pipe tobacco and leather undertones. The palate shows wonderful richness and tension with creme de cassis, red bell pepper, mocha and anise flavors with a touch of tobacco leaf. Layered and delicious, this outstanding wine will cellar marvelously for the next two decades. Drink 2018-2035- 93

Viader

Imagine the pressure of crafting one great Napa wine each year. Now imagine doing that for more than three decades, using entirely estate mountain fruit. Founding winemaker Delia Viader, PhD. has been creating one proprietary wine since 1986. She now combines with her son, Alan, to make this exceptional red wine, entirely sourced from their estate vineyard on Howell Mountain. Growing up, Delia spent many years in Europe, particularly in France. She holds a PhD. which was obtained at Sorbonne University in Paris as well as business degree from University of California, Berkeley. Her business acumen told her to purchase land in Napa Valley during the wine boom of the 1980s and she stated Viader while raising four children on her own. 

Delia was clearly a natural for the wine business, as she remembers her first great Pomerol wine as a teenager. She and her son, Alan, have crafted a remarkable new release with their 2015 Viader ‘Proprietary Red’ Red Wine (WWB, 95), a wine with poise, richness and wonderful Napa terroir. The wine which Delia affectionately calls ‘liquid cashmere’ has a wonderfully smooth mouthfeel and old world elegance. This plush, yet powerful wine will be a remarkable wine for the cellar. Learn more about this storied Napa winery at https://viader.com

2015 Viader ‘Proprietary Red’ Red Wine- First crafted in 1989, the Viader ‘Proprietary Red’ Red Wine is a Howell Mountain red blend comprised of 69% Cabernet Sauvignon and 31% Cabernet Franc. The mother/son winemaking team of Delia Viader, PhD and Alan Viader have created an awesome new release red wine. Needing roughly two hours in the decanter to be fully awoken, the wine emerges with wonderful earthy terroir with red bell pepper, damp earth, sweet pipe tobacco and leather, all parading with dark and blue fruits on the nose. Silky smooth on the mid-palate, the wine unveils a wonderful sense of place. The tension, weight, mouthfeel and depth here is absolutely lovely. Blueberry compote, wild blackberry preserves, milk chocolate and roasted fig flavors all mingle beautifully in the glass. Lightly tannic, this gorgeous effort will have an exceedingly long life in the cellar. Drink 2019-2040- 95

Interview with Trey Busch, Winemaker and Co-Owner of Sleight of Hand Cellars

One of the iconic figures in Washington wine, Trey Busch has a longstanding history in the industry. Trey finally was convinced to start his winemaking journey in 2000, moving to Walla Walla and working under the late Eric Dunham of Dunham Cellars. Trey is a delightful guy to spend time with. I recently visited with him at his winery and he is truly producing some of the best wine lineups in the state. He also shares my love for Pearl Jam and great French wines. I think you will very much enjoy hearing his story of wine. Here is my interview with Trey Busch, Winemaker and Co-Owner of Sleight of Hand Cellars.

WWB: How did you decide to star working for Eric Dunham as his assistant in 2000? Can you talk about winemaking techniques or industry secrets that you learned from Eric?

TB: I met Eric Dunham in the late 90’s through my friend and fellow winemaker Jamie Brown (Waters Winery). Jamie and I met when he owned a record store in Seattle. We became friends, and in 97 Jamie closed his store and move back to Walla Walla, where he was born and raised. I went to visit Jamie and through those visits, met Eric. I had already fallen in love with Walla Walla as a town. I was, at the time, a buyer for Nordstrom, and I had a brand new baby girl. I was working way too many hours, missing seeing my baby girl grow up, and dreamed of a way to escape to Walla Walla. Jamie had introduced me to Eric at a dinner party in 1998, and we quickly became friends as well. In the spring of 2000, we were in Walla Walla on another visit, and Eric had us over for dinner. He asked me if I would ever consider moving to Walla Walla, and I told him “Sure, if I had a job. But what would I do in Walla Walla?” He simply replied, “Come and work for me”. I mentioned that I did not know the FIRST thing about the wine business or winemaking. He said, “I can teach you how to make wine. You can help me with sales and marketing”.  And that was it. I asked my wife at the time if she would be willing to uproot our world and move to Walla Walla, and she said yes, so in July of 2000, I quit my corporate gig at Nordstrom, moved to WW, and went to work for Eric and his family.

The one big thing that I definitely took away from working for Eric for 2 years was the “art” of winemaking instead of the “science” of winemaking. Eric always said that you should know enough science to not screw things up. But he was an artist in so many ways, especially with his winemaking. He created wines using a wide array of vineyards, and he treated them like a palate of colors as if he were painting on canvas. By blending multiple vineyards, he could create these incredible layers of flavors, aromas, and textures in his finished wines, something you could not necessarily coax out of a single vineyard wine. That is something that I try to do today at Sleight of Hand. We work with multiple vineyards, and sometimes multiple blocks within a vineyard, to craft equally complex wines.

WWB: How did you decide to take a leap of faith and launch Sleight of Hand Cellars in 2007?

TB: I had been at Basel Cellars for 5 years after starting that project, and felt it was time to start my own project. I loved the wines I was making at Basel but always knew that I was just going to be an employee. I had met Sandy and Jerry Solomon while I was the winemaker at Basel, they loved the wines I was making, and I invited them out to Walla Walla in the fall of 2006. They fell in love with the town just as quickly as I had a decade earlier. I had a business plan already written, and Jerry said that he would look it over for me (he is an attorney with a practice in San Diego). After looking at my business plan, he was walking with Sandy down Palouse Street, and she said “OK, let’s do it. Let’s sell everything and move here”. She had no idea I had given Jerry that business plan for the winery, and I really did not give it to him with the intention of bringing him on as my partner. But he came to me and said he loved the business plan, wanted to be my partner in it, with the one caveat that I teach him how to make wine just like Eric taught me! So we launched the brand in June 2007, and here we are 11 years later!

WWB: What are some of the winemaking challenges when dealing with these recent hot vintages? 

TB: Finding freshness and balance in the wines while getting the fruit flavors that we look for in our wines. We work closely with our growers on yields and canopy management. And we make sure that our picking decisions lean on the earlier side instead of the later side. We will often make multiple passes to get different levels of acidity, flavors, and tannins within one block so we have more tools (colors on the palate) to work with for blending a complex, balanced, and fresh wine.

WWB: Can you talk about one of the stars of your great lineup, the 2015 Sleight of Hand ‘The Psychadelic’ Syrah (WWB, 93). How do you capture the incredible range of flavors and aromatics in this sexy wine. 

TB: That is one of our favorite wines to make every year. We love the Rocks District. And we are fortunate to be partners in Stoney Vine Vineyard where the grapes are sourced for the Psychedelic every year. As I mentioned earlier, we rely on multiple picks within a vineyard to capture multiple levels of flavors and aromas, as well as textures. We utilize quite a bit of whole cluster (we foot crush the grapes for stem inclusion, which provides aromatic complexity and tannins). We utilize native fermentation, the yeast that live down in the rocks district are very aggressive, and our fermentations only last about 10-12 days. Once dry, we go to a combination of mostly older barrels and lately, mostly large format barriques (450 and 500L barrels). The wine goes to barrel “dirty” (heavy lees) and is never racked. Other than some small Sulphur additions and topping, we leave this wine alone for 15-16 months before bottling. It is the wine we do the least amount to, yet is always one of the most complex wines in our portfolio. It has all the amazing savory aromatics that we love about the rocks, but a beautiful, floral note not found on wines further east on the rocks. Texturally it is lush, but still with good acidity and freshness. I have found that these wines age surprisingly well.  

WWB: When you are not enjoying Washington wine, what are some of your favorite wines of the world?

TB: Wines from Chablis and the Northern Rhone.