Elephant Seven

One of the rising stars in Washington wine, Elephant Seven relies on the winemaking talents of Joshua West. Joshua has a background in investment banking and has only has been winemaking on a full time basis for several years. He has previously worked for Whitehaven in New Zealand as well as interning at Figgins, Cadaretta, and Dusted Valley in Walla Walla. Finally Joshua and his wife got the nerve to start his own winery and this year he opened up his tasting room in downtown Walla Walla.

The new releases from Elephant Seven were really good across the board. I really enjoyed his 2016 Elephant Seven ‘Yellow Bird VIneyard’ Grenache (WWB, 91) which has a wonderful purity of fruit and shows copious red fruits and a lovely mouthfeel. Even better was the 2016 Elephant Seven ‘Yellow Bird Vineyard’ Syrah (WWB, 92) which is deep and has wonderful citrus tones from the Viognier which was co-fermented. Learn more about this exciting new Washington winery at https://www.elephantsevenwine.com/ Here are the new releases by Elephant Seven. 

2017 Elephant Seven ‘Blue Mountain Vineyard’ Viognier- This pale colored Viognier wine starts off with a bouquet of lychee, green apple and kumquat. Made on the refreshing, rather than reductive style, the wine shows off bright unripe pear, green papaya and Gravenstein apple flavors with good acidity. What this doesn’t posses in weight it has in good acidity. Drink 2018-2022- 89

2016 Elephant Seven ‘Yellow Bird Vineyard’ Grenache- This deep colored wine is a compelling blend of 80% Grenache with the remainder Syrah. Needing about an hour in the decanter to settle, this starts off with bright red cherry, wild blackberry and thyme aromatics. The palate is both rich and balanced. Red cherry preserves, marionberry cordial, and roasted date flavors impress. Polished, with a good mouthfeel, this delicious wine will drink well over the next decade. Drink 2018-2028- 91

2016 Elephant Seven ‘Yellow Bird Vineyard’ Syrah- There is a lot to like with the 2016 ‘Yellow Bird Vineyard’ Syrah by Elephant Seven. The wine was co-fermented with 8% Viognier prior to bottling. Smoked brisket, anise and blueberry compote aromas fill the glass. There is a lifted, lighter citrus tone from the Viognier. The palate is exceedingly plush, as the wine shows beautiful layers of dark fruits with citrus rind and pomegranate seed flavors. Downright delicious now, this will cellar well for eight plus years. Drink 2018-2026- 92

2016 Elephant Seven ‘Block 3 Yellow Bird Vineyard’ Syrah- The wine stains the glass and shows beautifully smoky tones on the nose with blue and dark fruits also prominent. The mouthfeel is dense and downright decadent. Black tea, anise, blueberry compote and mocha flavors all shine. Exceedingly good, this is a seriously good wine made by Josh West. Drink 2018-2028- 92

L’Ecole No. 41

One of the great stops as you are driving into the Walla Walla area, L’Ecole No. 41 is known for their iconic schoolhouse tasting room that has received national attention. One of Washington’s most consistent overall lineup of wines over the past decade, L’Ecole has produced another wonderful set of releases, ranging from crisp Chardonnay to rich Merlot. The winery is set in a 1915 schoolhouse and is the perfect location to taste some of the valley’s most consistent lineup of red and white wines. Marty Clubb serves as managing winemaker and oversees all vineyard management. Production winemaker Mike Sharon has been with L’Ecole since 1996 having previously served at Canoe Ridge. L’Ecole makes a ton of different wines as both Marty and Mike oversee over 90 lots of wine each year. I was hugely impressed with the new 2017 L’Ecole No. 41 Semillon (WWB, 92) which has remarkable poise and richness that falls under $20.00. It is hard to find value like this in wine. L’Ecole has built a very strong reputation for their Chardonnay over the years. I loved their 2017 L’Ecole No. 41 Chardonnay (WWB, 91) which is a Chardonnay’s lovers dream with good richness and wonderful minerality. Learn more about this outstanding winery at http://lecole.com/ Here are the great new wines by L’Ecole No. 41.

2017 L’Ecole No. 41 Semillon- This has pear aromas with marzipan and toasted brioche on the nose. The palate is wonderful with mouthwatering acidity and a wonderful richness. Brioche, Japanese pear and Macadamia nut flavors all mingle nicely together in the glass. This is a simply outstanding value. Drink 2018-2024- 92

2017 L’Ecole No. 41 ‘Stillwater Creek Vineyard’ Semillon- Sourced from the esteemed Stillwater Creek Vineyard in the Columbia Valley, this shows off cardamom, lemongrass and green apple tones on the nose. The palate has a wonderful texture and tension showing off nice citrus and tree fruit flavors. This is a simply outstanding effort that is up there with the best in the state. Drink 2018-2024- 92

2017 L’Ecole No. 41 ‘Luminescence’ White Wine- The ‘Luminescence’ is a blend of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc sourced from the Seven Hills Vineyard in the Walla Walla Valley. The nose takes on chalk bread, lemon zest and white peach with kumquat undertones. The palate shows a wonderful texture and bright minerality with vanilla cream, lemon zest, Pink Lady apple and toasty brioche. An outstanding wine, this is up there with the best of its kind in Washington and will age well for five plus years. Drink 2018-2024- 92

2017 L’Ecole No. 41 ‘Columbia Valley’ Chardonnay- The 2017 ‘Columbia Valley’ Chardonnay by L’Ecole is an amazing value from this famed winery. Displaying a beautiful golden hue this begins with Asian pear, cinnamon and challah bread aromas that build in the glass. Thew palate has good weight and reveals a silky texture with baked apple, vanilla cream and citrus rind undertones. This is an outstanding effort that will cellar well for the next eight plus years. Drink 2018-2026- 91

2017 L’Ecole No. 41 ‘Evergreen Vineyard’ Chardonnay- Slightly lighter in color than the ‘Columbia Valley’ bottling, this cooler site Chardonnay begins with aromas of nectarine, lemon zest and vanilla cream. The palate is lithe and takes on wonderful brightness. Heavy whipping cream and lemon zest connect with the lithe minerality. Light on its feet and highly refreshing, this is another really good effort by L’Ecole No. 41. Drink 2018-2026- 92

2016 L’Ecole No. 41 ‘Walla Walla Valley GSM’ Red Wine- The ‘GSM’ by L’Ecole No. 41 is a compelling blend of 42% Grenache, 42% Syrah and 16% Mourvedre. This has some really good smoky undertones with red fruits, citrus rind and wild blackberry jam. The palate reveals some serious range, from citrus rind to red fruits to smoky tones. The mouthfeel and tension in the wine is seriously good. This is  simply a spectacular wine by L’Ecole No. 41. Drink 2018-2028- 93

2015 L’Ecole No. 41 ‘Walla Walla Valley’ Merlot- This wine shows an inky color and starts off with a bouquet of smoked brisket, black tea, anise and white pepper that build in the glass. I’m astonished how the non-fruit aromas are shining brilliantly. The palate is plush, showing light tannins and black fruit flavors with smoke and a touch of chocolate. Downright delicious, this effort will cellar well for decades. Drink 2018-2030- 92

2015 L’Ecole No. 41 ‘Walla Walla Valley’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The ‘Walla Walla Valley’ Cabernet Sauvignon shows anise, black olive and creme de cassis on the nose. The palate shows good freshness and mid-palate weight with black tea, anise, mocha and blackberry pie flavors with a touch of black olive tapenade. The salinity here is outstanding. Drink 2018-2030- 91

Horsepower Vineyards

One of the great project wineries in Washington, started by eminent vigneron, Christophe Baron, Horsepower Vineyards produces three special wines — two Syrahs and one Grenache. As an animal lover, Christophe remembers his years growing up in the Champagne region of France and recalls the use of draft horses that influenced Europe for the better. In his Walla Walla AVA vineyards his horses help cultivate vineyards ranging from 3,555 to 4,840 vines per acre with as little as 3' x 3' spacing—planted 1 vine per stake, or “sur echalas” in French. One of the most exciting vineyards in Washington State, the Sur Echalas Vineyard creates wines that are so profound they’re nearly impossible to describe. The struggle of the vines in these close quarters creates a remarkable tension and intensity. These stunning wines are made by Christophe and his highly talented assistant vigneronne, Elizabeth Bourcier. 

I had the chance to try their first vintage, this past year, the 2011 ‘The Tribe VIneyard’ Syrah and I was amazed by the richness and complexity of the wine. Quite simply, the wine is aging marvelously. Like all Horsepower releases since that time, Christophe and Elizabeth have hit a home run with their new wines, which come from a somewhat challenging vintage that saw some severe heat spikes, particularly in the area where they grow their gapes. I was simply amazed by the 2015 Horsepower ‘Sur Echelas Vineyard’ Grenache (WWB, 97) which is one of the world’s great expression of Grenache. Nearly as good was the 2015 Horsepower ‘Sur Echelas Vineyard’ Syrah (WWB, 96) which has incredible tension and richness, with an insanely good aromatic range. Needless to say, Christophe and Elizabeth continue to be on top of their game, producing some of the best wines in North America. Learn more about these very special wines at https://horsepowervineyards.com/horsepowervineyards/

Here are the gorgeous new wines by Horsepower Vineyards.

2015 Horsepower Vineyards ‘Sur Echalas Vineyard’ Grenache- The 2015 Horsepower Vineyards ‘Sur Echalas Vineyard’ Grenache is a highly memorable effort that is one of the best of its kind in the state. White truffle and peat moss aromatics you immediately on the nose with earthy undertones that impress. Red fruits and citrus qualities come into the nose as well, as this shows some serious aromatic range in the glass. The palate shows striking intensity, verve and tension. The range of flavors is insanely good, as the wine unveils seductive flavors of white truffle crudo, red currant jelly, cran-orange, peat moss, wet stone and white pepper. The range of flavors makes this absolutely impossible to put down right now. This is a complete wine. Drink 2018-2028- 97

2015 Horsepower Vineyards ‘Sur Echalas Vineyard’ Syrah-  The ‘Sur Echalas Syrah’ by Horsepower is one of the wines of the vintage. The nose on this Syrah is hugely intense with Asian spice, peat moss, black truffle oil, white pepper, green olive, and charcuterie. The heady aromatics bring you back to the glass for more hedonism. The palate is silky smooth and reveals an incredible texture. The sterling minerality also grips you. Wet stone, black tea, Umami, smoked brisket and Asian spice flavors all show a wonderful combination in the glass. Enjoy this great wine over the next eight to ten years. Drink 2018-2028- 96

2015 Horsepower Vineyards ‘The Tribe Vineyard’ Syrah- The 2015 Horsepower Vineyards ‘The Tribe’ Syrah is a head-turning wine that is drinking marvelously right now. This Syrah shows an incredible range of aromatics from horse manure to peat moss to black fruits. The complex aromas that build in the glass bring you back for more delight. This shows marvelous freshness, showing a wonderful minerality on the palate. Tar, blackberry compote, ripe blueberry, Umami and Kalmatta olive tapenade with a touch of white pepper flavors fill the palate. This is a stunning effort that will cellar marvelously over the next decade. Drink 2018-2028- 95

Interview with Katie Nelson, Winemaker at Columbia Crest

One of the great people in Washington wine, Katie Nelson is the new winemaker at Columbia Crest. She takes over for Juan Munoz-Oca and is very excited at this new challenge. Katie previously worked for K Vintners and was helping make a host of great wines there. She has a background in chemistry and is married to another great winemaker, Flint Nelson. I think you will enjoy hearing her story in wine. Here is my interview with Katie Nelson, winemaker at Columbia Crest.

WWB: Can you talk about your first inspirations in wine?

 KN: At a very young age, I witnessed how wine brought people together, with plenty of laughter, around my Italian grandparent’s kitchen table on Sundays.

 During college in Sonoma, as a Chemistry major, I toured a winery and saw people doing science in a winery. I knew I had found my calling. I loved the idea of combining art, science and farming and creating something that would bring people together. 

 I had a job working at Ridge Vineyards on my 21st birthday and loved every minute of it. I was so lucky to be a 21-year-old who drank 1992 Monte Bello on weekends. I loved the rustic nature of Ridge wines and how many were field blends, which I still love today. They weren’t over crafted or over blended. The Monte Bello had wonderful herbal notes, which I was glad they embraced.

 Traveling the world, I became passionate about Sauvignon Blanc. France, New Zealand, South Africa, I love them all. I really enjoy red wines with acidity that pair with food.  I am inspired by wines that reflect the place.

 WWB: How did you decide to come to Charles Smith and work with a host of varietals in Walla Walla?

 KN: Brennon Leighton and I worked together at Ste. Michelle Wine Estates for many years. Working with Charles and Brennon at Wines of Substance, Charles Smith Wines, and K Vintners was a challenge I was ready for. I had focused on winemaking up until that point, and was given the opportunity to be a viticulturist as well, which was exciting.  They foster a creative, innovative and entrepreneurial culture which is contagious. At K Vintners I learned to work autonomously, push limits, and really examine who I was as a winemaker.

 It was a tremendous challenge getting to work with so many growers for the core brands, and at the same time, what an opportunity to work with so many world class vineyards for K. 

 WWB: What are some advantages of coming back to Chateau Ste. Michelle Estates? What are some challenges with taking over for superstar winemaker Juan Munoz-Oca?

 KN: Ste. Michelle Wine Estates is a world leader in experimentation, research and innovation. I love the people, and am thrilled about getting to work with so many growers to bring friendly, accessible wines to so many people worldwide.  I can’t think of another place I would want to be at this time in my life, helping to build the momentum for Washington wines and their place on the world stage.  Columbia Crest is one of the top brands in Washington’s winemaking history, and I’m looking forward to leading the historic brand into the future.

 Juan Munoz-Oca is an extremely talented winemaker and I realize there are big shoes to fill. We have been tasting wines together at work, and socially, for 15 years. I respect his palate immensely and we are very in tune with each other. Juan isn’t going anywhere. I think you’ll see a continuation of what’s been happening there over the last ten years, as a historic winery that is taking some more risks with their winemaking. 

 I obviously also need to buy some way cooler clothes. Oh, and my name isn’t Juan and what are we going to do about those awesome “Juan & Juan on Wine” videos? I’m sure we will figure something out.

 WWB: Columbia Crest is known for producing some of the most consistent wine values not only in Washington but in the United States. I’ve been enchanted by this amazing value lineup since I first started writing about wine in 2002. How do you see this great wine program evolving for the future?

 KN: Columbia Crest is home to many of the greatest values in the wine world, which I am excited about. Over the last few decades I have witnessed the winery evolving, while respecting what made it so successful.

 My goal is to marry innovation with the historic component, as the consumer moves across the tiers, and vineyard sourcing.  Grand Estates is such a consistent value, and the consumer knows what to expect and trusts the quality. The evolution of winemaking through the tiers will align with the vineyard selection.  H3 and Single Vineyard Reserve and Club Wines can showcase the site, vintage and innovation aspect a little more. I think the consumer’s palate is always changing and evolving and people are looking to be surprised. I know I am. I want to surprise people and leave them speechless, in a good way.

 WWB: Talk about what it is like being married to another talented winemaker, Flint Nelson?

 KN: Busy! Really busy! Every harvest, this time of year, we look at each other, and now our kids, and say how are we going to do this again? We seem to make it work. We found each other in Sunnyside, Washington, in a winery lab and the wine talk never stops. We have had a ton of fun traveling the world and love to cook, drink wine and entertain. When we vacation, the kids know for every day at a beach, they get a day at a winery (ok, not always)!  Flint is a tremendous winemaker and it is really intuitive to him, even when he was first starting out. That doesn’t happen with young winemakers very often. Flint and I have different palates though, and sometimes I need to remember he may not want my opinion and vice versa. We both say we know we found a wine we love, when it leaves us speechless. We are hardly ever speechless when it comes to wine. I think maybe three times ever. Really.

Willamette Valley Vineyards

One of the longest serving estates in Oregon, Willamette Valley Vineyards was founded in 1983 by Oregon wine pioneer, Jim Bernau. Jim cleared away an old pioneer plum orchard in the Salem Hills to start his first vineyard. Over time Willamette Valley Vineyards has considerably increased their estate vineyards through partnerships like the merger with Oregon wine industry pioneer, Bill Fuller of Tualatin Vineyards (established in 1973), the O'Briens for Elton Vineyard (established in 1983) and Loeza Vineyard (planted in 2015). Willamette Valley Vineyards sources all of its Pinot Noir from their nearly 500 acres of estate vineyards.

Head winemaker Joe Ibrahim is originally from New York and started his wine journey in Vermont. He has held several high end wine positions prior to coming to Willamette Valley Vineyards, including working for Ste. Michelle Wine Estate in Washington State, as well as Gallo Family in California where he learned about brandy distillation as a Spirits Maker and sparkling wine production as the Senior Winemaker in charge of the sparkling wine program. He served as winemaker for Edna Valley prior to coming to Willamette Valley Vineyards and has crafted some really good new releases. One of the great value sparkling wines on the market, the 2015 Willamette Valley Vineyards ‘Brut’ Sparkling Wine (WWB, 91) has loads of tension and astringency, with lovely citrus tones.  I really enjoyed the 2016 Willamette Valley Vineyards ‘Estate’ Pinot Noir (WWB, 92) which has really good freshness and black fruits in the glass. This wine is a killer value at $32.00. Learn more about this great Oregon winery at 

2015 Willamette Valley Vineyards ‘Brut’ Sparkling Wine- Bunches of citrus hits you in waves here, with lemon zest and kumquat shining under shades of brioche. The astringency is lovely, as is the silky mousse. Enjoy this excellent Sparkling Wine over the next five to ten years. Drink 2018-2024- 91

2016 Willamette Valley Vineyards ‘Estate’ Chardonnay- Brightly colored, this starts off with aromas of brioche, creme brûlée and lemon cream. The palate is both rich and lithe, showing off honeysuckle, creme brûlée and lemon zest flavors. With good weight and tension, this gorgeous wine will cellar marvelously over the next decade. Drink 2018-2028- 92

2016 Willamette Valley Vineyards ‘Vintage 43’ Chardonnay- The ‘Vintage 43’ Chardonnay was aged for ten months in oak (30% new) prior to bottling. The wine begins with bright aromas of brioche, vanilla cream and ripe pear. On the palate there is some good minerality with bright citrus and hazelnut flavors that connect with the creamy finish. Drink 2018-2026- 91

2015 Willamette Valley Vineyards ‘Estate’ Pinot Noir- The ‘Estate’ Pinot Noir begins with a bright bouquet of rose petals, forest floor and red currant. The silky mouthfeel impresses, as the wine unveils red fruit flavors with earthy tones. Enjoy this outstanding release over the next ten years. Drink 2018-2028- 92

2016 Willamette Valley Vineyards ‘Estate’ Pinot Noir- Dark fruits mark the nose with light peat moss and blood orange tones. The palate has a soft mouthfeel, showing good freshness and a nice salinity.Black tea, blackberry pie, crushed mint and tobacco leaf flavors all combine beautifully in the glass. Drink 2018-2028- 92

2015 Willamette Valley Vineyards ‘Tualatin Estate’ Pinot Noir- This translucent Pinot Noir begins with aromatics of red cherry, pomegranate seed and blood orange rind. Round and generous, this wine shows off red cherry, red currant and orange rind flavors that connect with the lively minerality. Drink 2018-2028- 92

2015 Willamette Valley Vineyards ‘Bernau Block’ Pinot Noir- Wonderfully earthy on the nose, the wine shows off forest floor, black tea and blackberry pie aromas. Similar to the other wines in the WVV lineup, the mouthfeel is really wonderful. Black and red fruits mingle with lovely minerals. Drink 2018-2028- 92

2016 Willamette Valley Vineyards ‘Vintage 43’ Pinot Noir- This earthy Pinot Noir shows red fruits with peat moss and forest floor tones. The palate has a good mouthfeel and viscosity with pomegranate seed, red cherry candy and guava connecting with the damp earth. This is downright delicious right now. Drink 2018-2026- 91

2017 Willamette Valley Vineyards ‘Whole Cluster’ Pinot Noir- The ‘Whole Cluster’ Pinot Noir is sourced from Dijon clones 114, 115, 667, 777, Pommard and Wadenswil. The nose shows red fruits like wild strawberry and red cherry connecting with light damp earthy undertones. The palate shows good freshness, with light strawberry, red cherry candy and pomegranate seed flavors. The acidity is racy and bright. Drink 2018-2026- 91

Big Table Farm

Two of the great people in Oregon Wine, Big Table Farm is the brainchild of Clare Carver and Brian Marcy. I’ll admit that I cannot stop talking about this winery and their lineup of wines. In a very short period of time Big Table Farm has become one of the top wineries in Oregon. For those of you who have not tried the wines, I urge you that this is a not to be missed lineup of wines — from bright, mineral driven Rose to rich and layered Chardonnay to earthy and downright seductive Pinot Noir. Superstar winemaker Brian Marcy turns literally anything he gets in his hands on into a beautiful wine. He has a longstanding history in the wine industry, living in Napa and previously serving as winemaker for Neyers prior to moving north and settling in the Willamette Valley. His wines are rich, terroir driven and show dazzling minerality. It is very hard to find this degree of tension and viscosity in a glass of Oregon Pinot Noir. 

It is also worth noting that his 2017 Big Table Farm ‘The Laughing Pig’ Rose (WWB, 93) was tied for the top Rose of my 2018 Rose Report. His new releases were stunning across the board. I absolutely loved the new 2016 Big Table Farm ‘Yamhill-Carlton’ Pinot Noir (WWB, 93) which showed incredible range and viscosity. This wine delivers some serious value for the price. The standout wine once again, was the 2016 Big Table Farm ‘Sunnyside Vineyard’ Pinot Noir (WWB, 95) which is another serious value from this winery. The wine has an insanely good texture and mouthfeel that combines with incredible range. It is a seductive Oregon Pinot Noir. Learn more about Big Table Farm at http://www.bigtablefarm.com/ Here are the fantastic new release wines by Big Table Farm.

2017 Big Table Farm Pinot Gris- This orange wine shows wonderful range on the nose with apricot jelly, lychee, and Pink Grapefruit blossom. The palate is voluptuous and shows some marvelous weight. The texture to this wine is silky and seductive, inviting you for more. White peach, starfruit, mango and Pink Grapefruit flavors all nicely mingle together. A complete wine, this is another stunning effort by Big Table Farm. Drink 2018-2024- 93

2016 Big Table Farm ‘Yamhill-Carlton’ Pinot Noir- The 2016 Big Table Farm ‘Yamhill-Carlton’ Pinot Noir has evolved beautifully since I first tried the wine in September 2017. The nose takes on bright strawberry with guava, blood orange rind and forest floor aromatics that entice. Bright, showing a wonderful mouthfeel and intensity, the wine shows strawberry jam, guava, red currant and peat moss flavors. This entry level bottling is better than most winery’s top ‘reserve’ wines. Once in the glass it is nearly impossible to put down. Simply put, it is a fabulous value that is drinking marvelously now but will age for another decade or more. Drink 2018-2028- 93

2016 Big Table Farm ‘Wirtz Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- Set on roughly 13 acres the Wirtz Vineyard is located in Gaston, and has old, 40 year old Pinot Noir vines. Not needing a decant, the earthy, seductive aromas grip you immediately. The silky mouthfeel makes this glide through the mid-palate, creating a stunning experience as you sip this marvelously textured Pinot Noir. Red and dark fruits connect with earthy and citrus tones. This amazing Pinot Noir by superstar winemaker Brian Marcy has it all. While it is drinking marvelously right now, it will cellar for a decade or more. Drink 2018-2033- 94

2016 Big Table Farm ‘Cattrall Brothers Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- Big Table Farm has sourced from Tom and Bill Cattrall’s vineyard for more than five years. The cool climate vineyard sits high in the Eola Amity Hills. This begins with bright aromas of citrus blossom, red cherry candy, guava and lighter earthy tones on the nose. The palate is silky smooth, showing a nice salinity. Red fruits dominate the palate with light citrus and peat moss flavors mingle in the glass.This is delicate Pinot Noir that shows a wonderful terroir. Drink 2018-2028- 93

2016 Big Table Farm ‘Sunnyside Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The 2016 ‘Sunnyside Vineyard’ Pinot Noir is another marvelous effort by Big Table Farm. They have made this wine starting with the 2011vintage. The Pinot Noir shows beautiful aromatic range on the nose from blood orange, to peat moss to guava and beautiful bing cherry. The mouthfeel is seductive as the wine shows a similarly striking range on the palate. Black fruits, red fruits, citrus rind and earthy tones all marvelously weave together in the glass, and combine with stunning tension and minerality. A long ager, this is another complete wine made by the talented team at Big Table Farm. Drink 2018-2033- 95

LaRue Wines

This great winery was named after Veona LaRue Newell, winemaker Katy Wilson’s great-grandmother,  who lived to be 97 years old. Hilariously, Veona was not pleased with the winery being named after her, stating “Well, I can’t say that you picked the best name in the world…”

Founded in 2009, LaRue Wines focuses on crafting Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Winemaker Katy Wilson attended Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and grew up on a walnut farm, to when she learned how to drive a tractor before a car. She has worked harvests in both the Northern & Southern Hemisphere and previously worked at Flowers Vineyard & Winery prior to starting her own winery. She also consults for a host of wineries in the Sonoma area. Katy’s new releases come from the warm 2015 vintage in Sonoma. I was amazed by her 2015 LaRue ‘Rice-Spivak Vineyard’ Pinot Noir (WWB, 93) which showed wonderful range and a great minerality. Learn more about these exciting new wines at https://www.laruewines.com Here are the great new wines by LaRue.

2015 LaRue ‘Sonoma Coast’ Pinot Noir- This translucent colored wine shows off a nice range of aromatics from white pepper, to orange rind to bright red fruits. The palate reveals wonderful acidity and high toned flavors of citrus rind, guava and ripe strawberry with smoky undertones. This is a simply outstanding bottling by La Rue. Drink 2018-2028- 92

2015 LaRue ‘Rice-Spivak Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The six acre Rice-Spivak Vineyard Pinot Noir is located south of the town of Sebastopol. Vines are set on  Goldridge sandy loam along with volcanic ash.This starts off with bright aromas of rose petal with blood orange rind, smoke, red cherry preserves and guava puree. The aromatic range is simply gorgeous here. On the palate, the wine reveals a silky mouthfeel and wonderful minerality. With gobs of mouth-watering acidity, red and dark fruits mingle with spicy undertones. Highly complex and downright delicious, this will cellar well for a decade or more. Drink 2018-2030- 93

Cakebread Cellars

One of Napa’s great historic wineries, Cakebread Cellars has celebrated over 40 years in wine. The winery was first founded by Jack and Dolores Cakebread. Continued to be run by the Cakebread family, Dennis Cakebread helped the winery exponentially with his marketing ability. Dennis began his wine business career while studying accounting at CAL Berkeley and has had some great success with helping market Cakebread Cellars internationally and domestically. Dennis has helped them build an exceedingly strong reputation for their Chardonnay in particular. I can’t imagine how many wine lists serve the Cakebread Chardonnay but it is not only Dennis’s vision but the quality in the glass that has made that happen. Stephanie Jacobs serves as Cakebread winemaker. She has previously worked at Bogle Vineyards and was promoted to the winemaker position in 2017 after having spent time as their assistant winemaker. She has crafted some very good new wines.

I recently had the chance to try the new Cakebread wines and I found them to be fantastic across the board. Crisp and refreshing, showing good viscosity, I was impressed by the 2016 Cakebread Cellars Sauvignon Blanc (WWB, 91), which is drinking marvelously right now. I had the opportunity to visit an older release Chardonnay, the 2010 Cakebread Chardonnay (WWB, 91) which shows that great Chardonnay can age well. This wine had lovely tertiary components to the creamy body and had a lovely texture. Learn more about this storied winery at https://www.cakebread.com Here are the great new wines by Cakebread Cellars.

2016 Cakebread Cellars Sauvignon Blanc- The 2016 Cakebread Sauvignon Blanc is a really good effort in this warm vintage. The nose starts off with wonderful gooseberry and candied grapefruit aromas that build in the glass. The rich texture here shines, with cantaloupe, pear and Gravensteins apple flavors following. Showing good tension, this is an outstanding effort that needs a hot summer day. Drink 2018-2022- 91

2016 Cakebread Cellars Chardonnay- The 2016 Cakebread Chardonnay is an excellent warm vintage effort. Right out of the gate this shows toasty oak alongside tree and citrus fruit aromatics that build in the glass. The palate shows a good degree of minerality with baked apple, creme brûlée and lemon zest flavors. Better served a touch warm, this delicious effort will cellar well over the next decade. Drink 2018-2024- 91

2010 Cakebread Cellars Chardonnay- The 2010 Cakebread Cellars Chardonnay shows the impressive aging potential of these wines. On the nose there is lovely musty and tertiary aromatics that pick up including wild mushroom, peat moss alongside vanilla cream. The palate shows good tension and is better warmed up. Sourdought bread, Meyer lemon cream and poached pear flavors all come together nicely with cinnamon and damp earth undertones. This shows that great Napa Chardonnay can age. Drink 2018-2022- 91

2014 Cakebread Cellars ‘Two Creeks Vineyards’ Pinot Noir- Sourced from the Anderson Valley AVA, this Pinot Noir starts off with bright aromas of forest floor, black tea and blackberry pie. The palate is plush, showing good ripeness with blackberry pie, peat moss and stewed strawberry flavors. The earthy and citrus undertones entice here. Drink 2018-2028- 90

2013 Cakebread Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon- This beautiful wine is already quite evolved. Inky in color, this Cabernet Sauvignon by Cakebread begins with aromas of anise, mocha and red bell pepper with wild blackberry. The palate shows good balance and weight with black tea, anise, mocha and sandalwood flavors. This shows good intensity and elegance. Drink 2018-2028- 91

Jesus Guillen, Winemaker of White Rose Estate

Jesus Guillen passed away yesterday far too early at the age of 37. A brilliant and humble man, he will be greatly missed by the Oregon wine community. I had the great opportunity to interview Jesus years ago. I was very nervous for this interview  as it was one of the first I had done for WWB. Jesus was just as nervous as I. Soft spoken and down to earth, I cherished this conversation with him. Visiting White Rose on many occasions, I remember Jesus best for his smile that would light up a room.

Jesus is an amazing story in wine. He began working with White Rose owner Greg Sanders in the vineyard in 2002. At an extremely young age Jesus began managing the day-to-day winemaking procedures in his absence. Greg realized that Jesus had a brilliant palate and an intense desire to learn winemaking. Jesus enrolled in winemaking classes, read every book he could find on enology and viticulture and routinely picked the brains of the best winemakers in the valley. Jesus soon became Assistant Winemaker and Cellar Master and was later appointed Head Winemaker in 2008. HIs wines were incredible, showing wonderful earthy terroir and dark fruits from the Dundee Hills. I’ll be raising a glass to him tonight. Please consider donating to the Guillen family helping his wife Julie and their 10 year old son. Donate here: https://www.gofundme.com/jesus-guillen or purchase a case of his delicious wine here: https://guillenfamily.com/

Bodega Contador

One of the famed houses of Spain, Bodega Contador is founded by the creative genius, Benjamin Romeo. Romeo worked as winemaker at Artadi between 1985 and 2000, before starting his Contador project. Situated in and around San Vicente de la Sonsierra, Benjamin has 7 hectares, half devoted to La Vina de Andres, and the other half divided between 20 plots averaging 130 square feet with vines up to 100 years old. The wins are truly some of the best out of Rioja. It is hard to describe his winemaking style, which is modern and pushes the limits of the region. 

Romeo has crafted some scintillating wines from exciting new vintages in Rioja which show new world richness as well as wonderful old world refinement and elegance.  Across the board, Romeo hits a home run with his new release wines. A tremendous value Rioja Blanco, the 2014 Bodega Contador ‘La Cueva del Contador’ Rioja (WWB, 96) is one of the best wines I have ever sampled from Rioja. The wine has incredible poise, tension and weight. It is a truly spectacular bottling that is not to be missed. more. Learn more about these very special wines at http://bodegacontador.com Here are the fantastic new wines by Bodega Contador. 

2015 Bodega Contador 'Qué Bonito Cacareaba’ White Wine- The ‘Que Bonito Cacareaba’ by Bodega Contador is a stunning effort. Named after the rooster cry, the wine is a compelling blend of 50% Garnacha Blanca, 35% Malvasía, 15% Viura all sourced from head-trained vines gown in a mix of alluvial and calcareous soil from the districts of San Vicente de la Sonsierra and Briones with Rioja Alta. Showing off a golden hue, this exudes a wide range of aromatics, from unripe nectarine to lychee to tangerine zest. The texture to this wine is polished and the mouthfeel is downright unctuous. Bright pear, pink grapefruit zest, starfruit and lychee flavors all beautifully connect. This is bright yet highly rich and satisfying. It is simply a stunning effort by Benjamin Romeo. Drink 2018-2030- 94

2014 Bodega Contador ‘La Cueva del Contador’ Rioja- The 2014 ‘La Cueva del Contador is one of the best Rioja wines that I have sampled over the past five years. Right away you are drawn to the inky color. The nose is highly perfumed with amazing range. Black tea, Asian spice, blackberry cobbler and milk chocolate aromas all marvelously come together in the glass. The palate is sexductive and deep offering a generous, silky mouthfeel. Wild blackberry jam, mocha, anise, cran-orange and hints of dried sage all impress. This is a complete wine made by the talented Benjamin Romeo. If enjoying in its youth, be sure to give this at least a two plus hour decant. This has an exceedingly long life ahead of it. Drink 2019-2040- 96

Cava Mestres

I invite all of you to take a second look at Cava. What is typically considered to be a simple, one-dimensional sparkling wine, Cava at its best can be thrilling wine with seriously good range and terroir. One of the oldest houses in Cava, The Mestres family dates back to 1312 as a wine negotiant and they have owned vineyards in Sant Sadurni d’Anoia since at least 1607. Many years later in 1925  Josep Mestres Manobens made his first sparkling wine by blending indigenous varietals Macabeu, Xarel-lo, and Parellada. Joan Aura serves as cellar master winemaker. They source from their 74 acre estate, which is divided into two plots: Clos Damiana and Clos Nostre Senyor as well as some area vineyards. Their vineyard is set on calcareous clay soils.

A few weeks back I had the opportunity to visit this storied estate. The winery is set in a quaint town, Sadurni d’Antonia, roughly an hour from Barcelona. The region is quite mountainous and it has a very different climate to Barcelona having a considerably lower maritime influence. Mestres give their sparkling wines extended time (18 months to 7 years) on the lees in bottle, which contributes to the complexity of the wines. During our cellar tour we had a chance to see some of their wines that have date back fifty years. Like many of Spain’s most celebrated houses, Mestres prides themselves at aging their wines and releasing them when they find them ready. We were able to see the disgorgement process as well as some bottling while we were there and I was amazed at the attention to detail as the cellar master inspects each individual bottle, regardless of price. They are truly a storied house in sparkling wine. 

Their new release wines were seriously good across the board. I was particularly impressed with what they have done with their entry level Cava, the NV Mestres ‘1312’ Sparkling Wine (WWB, 92) which shows serious range and wonderful texture. This is a sinfully good value out of Cava and would make an incredible glass pour for any restaurant specializing in shellfish.  The best wine that I tried was the 2004 Mestres ‘Clos Damiana Gran Reserva’ Cava (WWB, 94) which is up there with the best Cava wines that I have ever tried. Musty, earthy and showing insanely good range, this beautiful Cava will cellar well for decades and currently shows insane range. Learn more about this storied winery at http://www.mestres.es/?lang=en Here are the great new wines by Mestres.

NV Mestres ‘1312’ Cava- The NV '1312 Reserva' Cava from Mestres is a fantastic effort. Disgorged in April 2018, the wine is a great blend of Parellada (40%), Macabeo and Xarel-Lo (both 30%). This shows an inviting bouquet with aromas of biscuit, grapefruit blossom and kumquat with a touch of green apple and smoke adding further complexity. The palate shows a beautiful salinity, backed by flavors of gravenstine apple, brioche, and kumquat which all mingle in the glass. Showing nice aging potential, this outstanding Cava will continue to develop over the next decade. Drink 2018-2028- 92

2013 Mestres ‘Couquet Gran Reserva’ Cava- The 2013 Mestres 'Coquet' Gran Reserva is an outstanding effort. This blend of 40% Xarel-Lo, with equal parts Macabeo and Parellada which was disgorged in early 2018. Once in the glass the wine shows a rich light orange tone followed by a bright bouquet of white peach, green apple, brioche and orange zest. I love the intensity of the wine and the silky mouthfeel. Kumquat flavor is quite prominent, with Japanese apple, marzipan and challah bread elements all providing appeal. A complete wine, this has some marvelous aging potential and shows really good salinity and brightness at this juncture. Drink 2018-2028- 92

2011 Mestres ‘Visol Gran Reserva Brut Nature’ Cava- This impressive Cava wine was aged for six months in barrels prior to bottling and was disgorged in February 2018. Green apple, green papaya and nutmeg mark the nose. The palate shows good freshness and verve with kumquat, green papaya and Granny Smith apple flavors. This shows a wonderful mouthfeel and texture with a great saliniity. Bright and intense, this great wine will cellar well over the next decade. Drink 2018-2028- 92

2008 Mestres ‘Clos Nostre Senyor Grand Reserva’ Cava- Sourced from vineyards older than 45 years of age, this was aged for ten months in barrel and then was disgorged in July 2018. The wine starts off with rich aromas of biscuit, Japanese pear and lemon zest. The palate shows a wonderful tension and mouthfeel. Cantaloupe, Challah bread, and bright pear flavors all develop in the glass.  The earthy tones with the fruit are highly compelling. This is showing marvelously, finishing with a strong salinity. Drink 2018-2028- 93

2004 Mestres ‘Clos Damiana Gran Reserva’ Cava- Blended with a considerably higher percentage of Xarel-Lo (65%) this wine was sourced from more than 65 year old vines. This was aged for one year in barrels and then was disgorged in December 2017. There is a wonderful mustiness on the nose with strong wild mushroom, biscuit and lemon rind aromatics. The palate is exceedingly rich and viscous showing a beautiful texture and taking on an oily texture. Green apple, honeydew melon, kiwi and lemon zest flavors all beautifully combine. This has considerable verve considering the age of this vintage Cava. While remarkably good right now, this will cellar well over the next decade. Drink 2018-2028- 94

2002 Mestres ‘Mas Via Gran Reserva’ Cava- This ‘Gran Reserva’ Cava saw extended aging for 140 months prior to disgorgement in October 2017. The nose is highly musty and earthy showing peat moss, shiitake mushroom, and Pink Lady apple. The terroir to the wine is quite evident as earthy tones impress both on the nose and the palate. Once in the mouth this wine shows good viscosity and tension with baked apple, peat moss, wild mushroom and marzipan flavors.s The richness and range of this wine shows wonderful refinement. Already nicely evolved, this will cellar well over the next six to eight years. Drink 2018-2025- 94

Chateau d'Yquem

Everyone has their desert island wine. If I was trapped on a desert island, my choice would be clear. Top vintage Chateau d’YQuem. I’ve had a soft spot for Sauternes for decades and started buying Sauternes when I was in graduate school fifteen years ago. While I might not possess a top shelf range of d’YQuem wines like some of my colleagues, I have a few that are best consumed for special occasions. The storied Sauternes estate was the only Sauternes property to be given the the Premier Cru Superior designation from the Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855. The world wine community recognizes this estate as producing the best wines from Sauternes. The site itself is perfectly situated for achieving a high degree of botrytis in even the most challenging of vintages.

This summer I had the chance to review one with eminent vigneron Christophe Baron and his talented assistant vigneron Elizabeth Bourcier. I chose the 2002 Chateau d’YQuem which was the star from what was generally a difficult vintage in Sauternes and Bordeaux as a region. While 2001 was seen as a dream vintage in Sauternes (and in my mind 2003 as well), 2002 had several problems during the growing season, as rain interrupted the harvest which made some of the wines more lean or elegant. The 2002 Chateau d’YQuem (WWB, 96) is a stunning, blockbuster wine. While it may not equal the best vintages of d’YQuem that I have sampled, it is a beguiling wine that shows exceedingly good range, concentration and elegance. Simply put, it is a complete wine.

Roughly ten years ago Chateau d’YQuem began making a Bordeaux blanc style white wine made from Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. While traveling on my first class flight to Dubai I had the rare chance to try this highly sought after wine, called ‘Ygrec.’ The 2015 Chateau d’YQuem ‘Ygrec’ White Wine (WWB, 97) is a simply astounding bottling that is up there with the best Bordeaux blancs that I have ever sampled. The intensity, viscosity, mouthfeel and range to this wine is insanely good. This gorgeous white wine is meant for the cellar, as I tried it quite young. Learn more about the storied estate at http://yquem.fr/int-en/ Here are the stunning wines that I have recently sampled from Chateau d’YQuem.

2002 Chateau d’YQuem Sauternes- The 2002 Chateau d’YQuem Sauternes is one of the best wines from this challenging vintage in Sauternes. During this growing season ripening was quite uneven as picking lasted from early September to early November. This stunning Sauternes shows an exotic bouquet ranging from bees wax to candied apricot and ripe pineapple to Meyer lemon creme brulee. The beautiful aromatics bring you back to the glass for more hedonistic delight. The palate is plush, viscous and downright decadent. Bananas Foster, fresh ginger creme brûlée and brandy soaked pear flavors all marvelously combine in the glass. Intense and heady, yet elegant, this memorable Sauternes is drinking marvelously right now but still has an exceedingly long life in the cellar. Drink 2018-2035- 96

2015 Chateau d’YQuem ‘Ygrec’ White Wine- The 2015 'Y' from Chateau d’YQuem is a head turning, simply brilliant blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. The Sauvignon Blanc is harvested rather early in the growing season to retain its freshness, while the Semillon is given more time to mature and allow botrytis to take effect. The wine itself displays a lovely golden hue, and begins with an exotic bouquet consisting of star jasmine, honeydew melon, starfruit and lemongrass aromatics which all take shape. On the palate this possesses remarkable tension and viscosity, which is truly one of a kind as the mouthfeel takes on a sultry, unctuous character as lemon cream, kumquat, cantaloupe and roasted pineapple flavors all come together beautifully. It continues to impress with its gorgeous seamless quality and balance while showcasing the ripeness and intensity of the vintage. While this is already showing trememdous appeal it should go on to age exceedingly well over the course of the next two plus decades. This is a absolute gem from the legendary Château. Drink 2018-2040- 97

Mark Ryan

I always enjoy visiting Mark Ryan in Woodinville. The fun and festive, laid back atmosphere makes their Woodinville tasting room a must visit for neophytes and wine lovers alike. Over the past decade or so Mark Ryan has gained a great reputation for producing high quality and rich red wines. Mark Ryan McNeilly's story is really good, as I interviewed him earlier this year (http://www.washingtonwineblog.com/blog/2018/6/14/interview-with-mark-ryan-mcneilly-owner-of-mark-ryan-winery). He founded Mark Ryan Winery in 1999 and was largely self-taught as a winemaker. Mark finally settled on a Woodiville warehouse location in 2003 and has continued producing wonderful wines since that time. In particular his Long Haul and Dead Horse red wines have gained International acclaim and the current releases were just gorgeous. He is gaining a very good reputation for Vioginer. Mark’s 2017 Mark Ryan Viognier (WWB, 92) is a beautiful wine that shows really good range and poise. He also produces a crazy good Chardonnay, his 2017 Mark Ryan ‘Olsen Vineyard’ Chardonnay (WWB, 93). Not to be outdone his 2016 Mark Ryan ‘The Dead Horse’ Cabernet Sauvignon (WWB, 94) is a show-stopping rich wine that is one of the best 2016 red wines that I have sampled thusfar. Learn more about these great wines at http://www.markryanwinery.com Here is the great new lineup by Mark Ryan.

2017 Mark Ryan Viognier- Sourced from both the Olsen and Red Willow Vineyards, this standout bottling is best served a touch on the warm side for aromatics to be fully expressive. Once aroused, this unveils a bouquet of honeysuckle, white peach and mango, showing its exotic side. The combination of weight and astringency is really good here. Pink Lady apple, tangerine zest and lychee with starfruit flavors come to mind. Finishing with lovely heavy cream I can see this cellaring well for nearly a decade. Drink 2018-2025- 92

2017 Mark Ryan ‘Olsen Vineyard’ Chardonnay- Showing off a bright hue, this begins with aromas of toasty oak, lemon zest and banana. The texture to this wine is simply marvelous as the mouthfeel entices. Vanilla cream, Pink Lady apple and bananas foster flavors all beautifully combine in the glass. This is just a stunning effort by Mark Ryan that artfully combines tension and opulence. Drink 2018-2028- 93

2016 Mark Ryan ‘Wild Eyed’ Syrah- This 100% Syrah was sourced from Red Mountain and immediately shows off its inky color. Needing a one hour decant to be fully approachable, this Syrah begin with a rich bouquet of Asian spice, crushed mint and blackberry jelly with smoky undertones. The palate shows good minerality and richness, as dark and red fruits mingle with coffee ground flavors. Really well-balanced, this is classic Washington hot climate Syrah that has the potential to age well over the next decade. Drink 2018-2028- 92

2015 Mark Ryan ‘Lost Soul’ Syrah- The 2015 is an awesome effort by the talented winemaking team at Mark Ryan. Sourced from the esteemed Red Willow Vineyard in the Yakima Valley, this begins with aromatics reminiscent of black olive tapenade, blackberry cordial and black cherry preserves. The palate shows good richness and terroir. Earthy tones connect with black tea, blueberry pie and black olive tapenade. Rich, and downright impossible to resist right now, this great wine will be best enjoyed over the next eight to ten years. Drink 2018-2028- 93

2016 Mark Ryan ‘Long Haul’ Merlot- This inky colored Merlot wine has a touch (9%) of Cabernet Sauvignon blended in with lesser parts Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. This starts off with aromatics reminiscent of red cherry preserves, mocha, anise and creosote. The palate shows a silky texture with a generous mouthfeel. Red bell pepper, red cherry preserves, mocha and crushed mint flavors all entice. This is a simply outstanding effort by Mark Ryan. Drink 2018-2030- 93

2016 Mark Ryan ‘Little Sister’ Merlot- The ‘Little Sister’ Merlot was sourced from the Columbia Valley. The wine shows a wonderful purity of fruit with bright bing cherry and herbal tones completing the enticing aromas. The palate is plush, revealing a nice decadence and minerality. A beautiful saline steak runs through this gorgeous Merlot that mingles red and dark fruits with mocha. Mark Ryan continues to impress and this bottling is no exception. Drink 2018-2030- 93

2015 Mark Ryan ‘Water Witch’ Red Wine- The 2015 ‘Water Witch’ is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon with 30% Merlot and a touch of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. This starts off with aromatics of loganberry preserves with milk chocolate shavings. Downright delicious flavors greet you on the mid-palate with milk chocolate, dark cherry and roasted figs. Enjoy this awesome wine over the next decade. Drink 2018-2028- 92

2016 Mark Ryan ‘The Dissident’ Red Wine- The 2016 ‘The Dissident’ by Mark Ryan is a blend of largely Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Surprisingly the smaller parts of Cabernet Franc and Petite Verdot are showing prominently right now on the nose, as sage and earthy tones come out in full force. The texture to the wine is really gorgeous, with very light tannins up front. Red cherry candy, sagebrush, Arabica coffee and red bell pepper flavors emerge, enticing the senses. This is a truly sensational wine that will cellar well over the next decade or so. Drink 2018-2028- 93

2015 Mark Ryan ‘Lonely Heart’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2015 ‘Lonely Heart’ Cabernet is a gorgeous wine by Mark Ryan. There is a wonderful purity of fruit here. Deep, layered and decadent flavors await reminiscent of dark chocolate, black olive tapenade, black cherry compote and a touch of baking spices. Enjoy this great wine for a decade or more. Drink 2018-2028- 93

2016 Mark Ryan ‘Dead Horse’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The ‘Dead Horse’ is almost entirely comprised of Cabernet Sauvignon. Black tea, black olive tapenade, mocha and crushed mint aromatics all impress in the glass. The palate is exceedingly plush, showing wonderful richness and elegance. Black tea, mocha, anise, creme de cassis and black cherry cordial flavors all entice the senses. The tension and richness makes this a stunning bottling. Drink 2018-2033- 94

2015 Mark Ryan ‘Old Vines’ Cabernet Sauvignon-  The 2015 Mark Ryan ‘Old Vines’ Cabernet Sauvignon is a limited production wine that was aged in 80% new French oak prior to bottling. The oak influence is evident on the nose alongside dark fruits and coffee grounds. The balance and weight on the mid-palate is lovely. Dark cherry, cigar box, black olive and cassis flavors mingle nicely together. Drink 2018-2028- 93

Hartford Court

It is rare to find a winery that produces top Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Zinfandel. Hartford Court focuses on producing great cool site single vineyard wines from Russian River Valley, Green Valley, Sonoma Coast, Anderson Valley and Carneros. Founded by innovator, Don Hartford, grew up on a farm in Massachusetts. Following his completion of a BA he met his wife, Jennifer Jackson-Hartford of Jackson Family Wines, at Santa Clara University while he was completing his law degree. Don's prestigious legal career included working at Tokyo law firm, as well as a large San Francisco-based firm. Don was also was a partner in a small country law partnership, and served for a time as a winery general counsel and vice president. For more than twenty-five years, Don has immersed himself winemaking and winery management.

His winemaker, Jeff Stewart, crafts some stunning wines. A longstanding winemaker, Jeff has a degree from UC Davis in fermentation science, viticulture, and enology, and has been making Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and old vine Zinfandel in the Russian River Valley and Sonoma County for over 25 years. HIs new releases were truly excellent across the board. One of the great California Chardonnays that I have tried all year, the 2015 Hartford Court ‘Fog Dance Vineyard’ Chardonnay (WWB, 94) electrifies the palate with bright acidity and gorgeous creme brûlée flavors. This is one for the cellar. Just was good was the 2015 Hartford Court ‘Velvet Sisters’ Pinot Noir (WWB, 94) which like the name implies surrounds you with a velvety texture. It is a stunning wine that will age gracefully for more than a decade. Learn more about these gorgeous wines at https://www.hartfordwines.com Here are the great new wines by Hartford Court.

2016 Hartford Court ‘Russian River Valley’ Chardonnay- The nose starts off with honeysuckle, ripe pear and butterscotch. The texture, balance and bright acidity of this wine marvelously combines, leading to an exceedingly long, mineral and Meyer lemon cream driven finish. This is a simply outstanding effort that will cellar well over the next decade. Drink 2018-2026- 92

2015 Hartford Court ‘Sevens Bench Vineyard’ Chardonnay- Located in the Carneros AVA, this brightly colored Chardonnay begins with aromas of roasted hazelnut, vanilla creme brûlée and wild mushroom. The palate is opulent and shows wonderful brightness and minerality. Meyer lemon custard, Pink Lady apple and kumquat flavors mingle with a lithe mouthfeel that ha both poise and weight. This is a memorable wine by Hartford Court. Drink 2018-2028- 94

2015 Hartford Court ‘Fog Dance Vineyard’ Chardonnay- The Fog Dance Vineyard has a strong influence from the Pacific Ocean and is set in the Green Valley. The wine shows a beautiful golden hue and opens with a bright bouquet of brioche, butterscotch and Meyer lemon cream. The palate has a wonderful seamless quality, with a lifted approach. Kumquat, poached pear, lemon meringue and creme brûlée flavors connect with the lovely tension. This is a stunner by Hartford Court and will continue to pick up lovely tertiary elements as it ages into the next decade. Drink 2018-2030- 94

2016 Hartford Court ‘Russian River Valley’ Pinot Noir- The nose entices with cedar undertones alongside red fruits and damp earth. The palate greets you with some mouth-watering acidity and a wonderfully smooth texture. Bright, with strawberry, red cherry and cran-pomegranate flavors, this outstanding Pinot Noir will cellar marvelously for a decade or more. Drink 2018-2028- 92

2015 Hartford Court ‘Marin County’ Pinot Noir- The 2015 ‘Marin County’ Pinot Noir is a sensational effort by Hartford Court. The nose is highly complex with smoky and earthy aromas parading with red fruits. The palate has a wonderful astringency, weight and verve as the wine builds in the glass. Red cherry candy, guava puree and teaberry flavors connect with the minerality. Drink 2018-2030- 93

2015 Hartford Court ‘Land’s End Vineyards’ Pinot Noir- The ‘Land’s End Vineyards’ Pinot Noir is sourced from estate vineyards located in the Sonoma Coast AVA. There is a wonderful salinity to this wine that gently unveils red and dark fruits with smoke on the nose. The palate is rich and lithe showing off a huge range of flavors. Red cherry, pomegranate seed, cigar ash and wet stone with citrus rind flavors come to mind. This gorgeous and layered bottling will cellar marvelously over the next fifteen years. Drink 2018-2033- 94

2015 Hartford Court ‘Sevens Bench Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The Sevens Bend Vineyard is planted on rocky clay loam and utilizes Dijon Clone 777 and UC Davis Clone 37. Lavender, red cherry and wild strawberry aromas coat the glass. The gorgeous nose brings you back to the glass for more. As it continues to evolve in the glass, the wine shows off a nice combination of red and dark fruits with a silky smooth texture. Lithe, layered and rich this stunning wine will cellar marvelously over the next fifteen plus years. Drink 2018-2033- 94

2015 Hartford Court ‘Velvet Sisters’ Pinot Noir- The ‘Velvet Sisters’ saw 16 months of 40% new French oak and is sourced from the Anderson Valley AVA. Needing time in the glass to develop, it slowly begins with a nice combination of citrus rind, red fruits and dark fruits all woven together in the glass. As the wine grabs some air, the wine takes on a darker fruit profile on the palate, still maintaining a citrus rind edge. Rich and decadent, yet restrained, this stunning wine will cellar well for the next fifteen to twenty years. Be sure to give this a two hour decant if enjoying in its youth. Drink 2018-2033- 94

2016 Hartford Court ‘Old Vine’ Zinfandel- This Russian River bottling begins with heady aromas of bramble, red currant jelly and cherry preserves with a touch of blueberry puree. The blue fruits on the nose surprise you a bit. The palate has racy acidity and wonderful weight that delights the senses. Blackberry pie, blueberry cordial and red cherry flavors all beautifully mingle in the glass. The structure and integrity of the wine, as well as the terroir, is just exceptional. Drink 2018-2028- 93

2016 Hartford Court ‘Highwire Vineyard’ Zinfandel- The Highwire Vineyard was first planted more than a century again in the Russian River Valley. Half of the vineyard is trained on a high trellis wire. The nose needs a one hour decant to fully develop in the glass. Once aroused there are ripe prune, blueberry coulee, creme de cassis and crushed mint aromas. The palate has a wonderfully silky texture, with a wonderful cominination of dark and red fruit that connect with the silky mouthfeel. Deep and seductive, this is an extremely sexy Zinfandel by Hartford Court. Drink 2018-2028- 94

Dominio De Pingus

A famed Spanish winery with a great story, Dominio de Pingus is a relatively new winery by Ribera standards, established in 1995 by Danish enologist Peter Sisseck. Peter learned about wine in Bordeaux prior to coming to Ribera and is in charge of the winemaking at Pingus. His wines were initially met with huge acclaim by Robert Parker in particular, who in high praise stated that the Pingus was “one of the greats and most exciting wines I have ever tasted.” The first vintage 1995 was a very limited production year, as only 325 cases were made with prices sky high for the region at a whopping $200 per bottle. Remarkably Pingus became considerably more rare when in November 1997 the ship transporting a U.S. bound shipment of 75 cases disappeared somewhere wrecked in the North Atlantic Ocean. The shipwreck caused wine prices to more than double up to $500 or more a bottle!

While I was in Spain I wanted to try the new Pingus release. Since the new release Pingus price was set at around $1000.00 a bottle, this was not a reasonable option for me. Instead, I purchased a bottle of the 2015 Dominio De Pingus ‘Flor de Pingus’ Ribera Del Duero (WWB, 94). The ‘Flor de Pingus’ like its older brother is comprised of 100% Tempranillo. The ‘Flor’ is sourced from younger vineyards in the La Horra zone, with most vines over 35 years of age. Typically 4,000 cases of ‘Flor’ is made with each vintage.The wine was truly gorgeous, deep and mineral driven. I loved the terroir of this second wine that truly captivated the senses but also was not nearly ready to drink. 

2015 Dominio De Pingus ‘Flor de Pingus’ Ribera Del Duero- Brimming with intensity, the 2015 'La Flor De Pingus' is a powerful Ribera which needs more than one hour of air contact before it begins to show its best stuff. It begins with wonderful aromatics of dark kirsch, toasty oak, chocolate and coffee grounds with earthy undertones. The mouthfeel and sumptuous texture is stunning and entices just as much as the earthy terroir driven character. Showing rich viscosity, this drifts into copious dark fruits and chocolate with fig compote and wild mushroom flavors that all mingle nicely. This is downright stunning, however readers should plan on cellaring this as it will continue to drink beautifully as it evolves over the course of the next fifteen plus years. Drink 2020-2035- 94

La Jota

One of the jewels of Howell Mountain, La Jota continues to impress with their new release bottling from a warm vintage in Napa. With superstar winemaker, Chris Carpenter at the helm, La Jota produces some rich, yet terroir driven wines that always reflect this special part of Napa. La Jota was originally founded in the 1890s by Fredrich Hess, an immigrant from Switzerland. Over time these wines received considerable accolades. Intriguingly they even received a gold medal for their wine at the World’s Fair of 1904 in St. Louis. La Jota wines are made from low yielding vines planted amongst 28 acres. The high altitude keeps the freshness and minerality to the wine that remains even in hot vintages like 2015. Vines are planted on volcanic soils at relatively high elevation which gives the red wines excellent richness and aging potential. The terroir of Howell Mountain also has colder temperatures at night, compared to the Napa Valley floor -- which leads to lower yields than the floor and also smaller but richly concentrated fruit. Being at higher elevation also protects the fruit from the intense temperatures sometimes experienced on the Napa floor.

Head winemaker, Christopher Carpenter has a B.A. in biology, as well as an M.B.A. in international business. After officially falling in love with wine, Carpenter completed the illustrious masters of viticulture and enology program at UC Davis. He took over as head winemaker at La Jota in 2005. HIs new wines were just incredible across the board. La Jota makes one of the best Cabernet Franc wines in Napa, and this years release, the 2015 La Jota Cabernet Franc (WWB, 95) is no exception as this wine delights the senses with herbal tones and seductive fruits with gorgeous terroir.  Not to be outdone, the 2015 La Jota Cabernet Sauvignon (WWB, 95) has serious range and richness. It is a monster of a wine that will drink marvelously for decades. Learn more about these special wines at https://www.lajotavineyardco.com Here are the gorgeous new wines by La Jota.

2015 La Jota Cabernet Franc- The 2015 La Jota Vineyard Cabernet Franc was sourced from the La Jota Vineyard and the W.S. Keys Vineyard and was aged for 22 months in 78% new French oak prior to bottling. The nose is distinctly feminine with rose petals and red cherry preserves alongside violets, crushed mint and blueberry compote. The palate is deep and brooding, as the combination of weight, texture and tension is outstanding. Black tea, blackberry cobbler, crushed mint, and black cherry compote flavors all show a dark tone. Kudos to superstar winemaker Chris Carpenter on this gorgeous Cabernet Franc that is as good as any in Napa. Try to resist this great bottling for at least another year. Drink 2019-2040- 95

2015 La Jota Merlot- The 2015 La Jota Merlot was aged in 72% new French oak for 22 months before bottling. Legendary winemaker, Chris Carpenter, has blended in 10% Petit Verdot to this Merlot. The nose shows very pretty tones with red cherry, lavender, with toasty oak and and black raspberry cordial. The palate shows a brilliant minerality and seriously good weight, invoking black tea, milk chocolate, black cherry pie and lighter tones of sage. This is downright delicious now but really needs two more years to fully come together. Drink 2020-2040- 95

2015 La Jota Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon by La Jota is a seductive blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8.5% Cabernet Franc, 7.5% Merlot, 6% Malbec and 3% Petit Verdot which was aged for 22 months in 65% new French oak prior to bottling. Needing more than a two hour decant at this juncture, the wine takes on glorious creme de cassis, Turkish coffee, blueberry cordial and wild thyme aromatics. The palate shows marvelous complexly and range. Black tea, blueberry compote, mocha and blackberry pie flavors all beautifully mingle in the glass. Rich and layered, this hedonistic effort will cellar marvelously for decades. Be sure to give this at least a two hour decant if enjoying in its youth. Drink 2020-2045- 95

2011 Oregon Pinot Noir Retrospective

Initially panned as a poor vintage, many wine critics, including myself, were downright incorrect in reviewing the 2011 vintage. What is now in the glass is typically something more linear, earthy and in its best edition, thoroughly intoxicating. It is clear that many of these wines were not ready upon release and needed time to develop in the bottle. I think that 2011 as a vintage, like 2007, is particularly challenging to rate, due to the range of quality in the wines. Originally upon release I saw this vintage as better than most Oregon wine reviewers, rating it 88, as I noted good and even great wines made upon release as well as some lean, bordering watery wines, particularly with some of the value Pinot Noirs that struggled with gaining adequate concentration. I have re-rated this vintage 90 as there are far more wines that are near or exceed 90 points. In fact, I tried a very high concentration of wine that I rated over 90 points. 

It is worth noting that when I review Oregon Pinot Noir I do not particularly reward deep and concentrated wines. I feel that a Burgundian style Pinot Noir from Oregon that is complex, layered and shows amazing range has the same potential for a high score than a Pinot Noir that shows marvelous concentration, richness and texture alongside good tension. Obviously with the 2014-16 vintages in Oregon, crafting wines in a Burgundian style is a good deal more challenging than producing wines that show more opulence and ripe fruit. 

Oregon Winemakers were typically positive about the 2011 vintage and saw the vintage as one that showed off some beautiful wines, despite obvious challenges with the growing season. Mark Vlossak of St. Innocent fame recently mentioned to me “Despite the latest ever beginning of harvest, the rains stayed away, and we were able to pick fruit with ripe tannins and great acidity, and make wines with less than 12.5% alcohol — essentially wines that will age beautifully.” The talented Tony Rynders of Tendril offered his thoughts on the 2011 vintage, noting “The 2011 was custom made for people that truly love Pinot Noir.  While somewhat austere out of the gate, the best wines of the vintage are still vibrant, youthful and complex. And the best is yet to come.” Josh Bergstrom of Bergstrom Wines commented “The common misconception in the wine world is that late and cool vintages often spell disaster. . . the delicious news to report is that the 2011 wines are very high in quality!” Brian Marcy of Big Table Farm had not been living in Oregon long when he came into the 2011 vintage. He commented “2011 was the coolest in 50 years. We picked at the end of October and were sorting fruit on Halloween. I think our wines were received really well. I was excited about the vintage early on and felt like I understood how the fruit had matured. There were some people who had maybe not the same winemaking approach that I had and the wines took longer to come around. We realized that these wines would have some longevity with the acidity and the tannin profile. They are gentle wines given that the Pinots are around 12% alcohol which is about perfect.”

Over the past few months I have been revisiting Pinot Noirs non-blind from the 2011 vintage in Oregon. I have been quite pleased with the results. At their best, these wines are highly compelling and memorable wines that show as well as wines made from any vintage in Oregon. A case in point, the 2011 Domaine Drouhin ‘Laurene’ Pinot Noir (WWB, 94) is a remarkable wine that shows a seamless quality that is remarkably elegant and glides through the mid-palate. With gorgeous range and tension, this wine is a stunning effort. I adored the 2011 Argyle ‘Nuthouse’ Pinot Noir (WWB, 92) as I had not visited this wine for many years and was really impressed with the minerality and range and focus of the wine. A revisit was necessary for the gorgeous 2011 Beaux Freres ‘Willamette Valley’ Pinot Noir (WWB, 92) which improved considerably after some air, revealing gorgeous earthy tones with dark fruits. Archery Summit produced a monumental effort with their 2011 ‘Arcus’ Pinot Noir (WWB, 93) which was highly Burgundian and complex, giving off lovely earthy tones that made it irresistible. Superstar winemaker, Robert Brittan crafted one of the best of the vintage, his 2011 Brittan Vineyards ‘Gestalt Block’ Pinot Noir (WWB, 93) which shows marvelous stony and earthy tones, with vibrant minerality and good richness considering the lack of heat during the vintage. While this vintage may not go down as one of Oregon’s finest, such as 2012 or 2014, I think that 2011 Oregon Pinot Noir is not only worth revisiting but worth rethinking as the vintage produced many excellent wines. 

A Blooming Hill Vineyard

2011 A Blooming Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir- Sourced from the Chehalem Mountains AVA, the nose takes on a nice combination of dark and red fruits with lighter earthy tones coming in. Slightly sweet, the palate is a bit out of balance with candied strawberry and guava with light damp earth flavors. Drink 2018-2022- 86

Anam Cara

2011 Anam Cara ‘Mark VI’ Pinot Noir- This Pinot Noir has a kiss of smoke with red fruits and peat moss aromatics. Slightly sweet, this appears to be a touch of out balance, with red fruits most dominant on the palate. Drink 2018-2022- 88

2011 Anam Cara ‘Heather’s Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The wine shows nice earthy aromatics alongside cran-cherry and citrus rind. The palate shows good acidity with lighter red fruits and citrus tones on the palate. Drink 2018-2022- 89

Archery Summit 

2011 Archery Summit ‘Arcus Estate’ Pinot Noir- The 2011 ‘Arcus Estate’ by Archery Summit is a stunning wine that shows marvelous range and tension. The wine was aged for 12 months prior to bottling. This shows cran-orange, wet stone, forest floor and spicebox aromatics fill the glass and marvelously amalgamate. The palate shows great mouth-watering acidity which makes it difficult for you to put it down. Blood orange rind, black truffle, red currant, red cherry puree and guava flavors build in the glass. Exceedingly delicious right now, this gorgeous effort will continue to cellar marvelously over the next ten plus years. Drink 2018-2030- 93

Argyle

2011 Argyle ‘Nuthouse’ Pinot Noir- Sourced from the Eola-Amity Hills AVA, this great Pinot Noir begins with highly complex aromas of spicebox, red currant jelly, wild blackberry and black truffle crudo. The gorgeous aromas bring you back to the glass for more. The palate is silky and elegant, showing cran-cherry, guava, spiced currant and black truffle tones. This shows wonderful Burgundian character. Drink 2018-2028- 92

Ayoub

2011 Ayoub ‘Estate’ Pinot Noir- The ‘Estate’ bottling by superstar winemaker Mo Ayoub was sourced from a host of vineyards in the Willamette Valley. Showing a strong translucence the wine opens with strong earthy tones of peat moss and wet stone, combining with lighter citrus and wild blackberry elements. The palate shows a soft texture, as well as a good viscosity and sense of place, with earthy terroir and red fruit flavors dominating. Drink 2018-2024- 90

Big Table Farm

2011 Big Table Farm ‘Willamette Valley’ Pinot Noir- This shows a lovely translucence. Right away a melange of red fruits with citrus tones mark the nose. Wild mushroom, forest floor and barnyard aromas combine in the glass. The palate shows a wonderful mouthfeel and richness considering the coldness of the vintage. This has good balance with red cherry puree, blood orange rind, strawberry and minerals mark the palate. Forward and delicious, this is drinking nicely right now. Drink 2018-2024- 91

2011 Big Table Farm ‘Sunnyside Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- This shows a slightly muted nose with more earthy tones rather than fruit showing right now. The palate is silky smooth with earthy tones on the palate making their presence known. The richness on the mouth is inviting. Drink 2018-2024- 91

Brittan Vineyards

2011 Brittan Vineyards ‘The Puncheon’ Pinot Noir- ‘The Puncheon’ is a special project wine by Robert Brittan that was aged in French oak puncheons. This smells quite differently than the other Brittan wines with red fruits and high toned citrus blossoms with lighter damp earthy tones that build on the nose. The palate turns a different direction, revealing dark fruits with a striking minerality. The sterling, mouth-watering acidity is simply outstanding, as the volcanic earth element in the wine impresses. This is a gorgeous offering by Brittan Vineyards. Drink 2018-2026- 92

2011 Brittan Vineyards ‘Basalt Block’ Pinot Noir- The 2011 ‘Basalt Block’ Pinot Noir is a stunning wine by superstar winemaker Robert Brittan. On the nose this takes on lovely earthy aromatics with peat moss and wet stone that combine with wild blackberry cordial and a touch of chocolate. The palate is lithe and downright delicious, boasting mouth-watering acidity and a surprising richness. Black fruits combine with lighter citrus tones and peat moss on the palate. This is a gorgeous effort by Brittan. Drink 2018-2026- 92

2011 Brittan Vineyards ‘Gestalt Block’ Pinot Noir- The ‘Gestalt Block’ Pinot Noir by Brittan Vineyards starts off with a highly complex nose of rose petals, white pepper, wet stone, red cherry cordial and wild blackberry puree. The aromatic range is really impressive here. The vibrant minreality to this wine is simply gripping. Wild blackberry, red currant, thyme and peat moss flavors all impress. Intense with bright acidity, this is a stunning aged wine by superstar winemaker Robert Brittan. Drink 2018-2026- 93

Beaux Frères 

2011 Beaux Frères ‘Willamette Valley’ Pinot Noir- Currently a bit muted upon opening, the 2011 Beaux Freres ‘Willamette Valley’ Pinot Noir needs more than a one hour decant prior to enjoying at this juncture. Once aroused this awakens to beautiful citrus tones and red fruit aromatics that build in the glass. The palate shows a really good texture and roundness with delicate pomegranate seed, red cherry candy and blood orange flavors that entice. There his a good elegance to this lighter style Pinot Noir. Drinking nicely now, this has another six plus years of life left. Drink 2018-2026- 92

Cathedral Ridge (all wines sourced from Columbia Valley)

2011 Cathedral Ridge ‘Bangsund Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- There is prune and suggestions of sour cherry with cigar shavings on the nose. The palate shows good acidity and medium bodied red fruits flavors. This forward style Pinot Noir is drinking nicely right now. Drink 2018-2022- 88

2011 Cathedral Ridge ‘Bangsund Vineyard Reserve’ Pinot Noir- The Bangsund Vineyard is located 20 minutes east of Hood River. This shows a rich nose of raisin, damp earth, peat moss and and dark cherry cordial. The palate shows some good minerality with red fruits and a touch of dark fruits most prominent. Drink 2018-2022- 89

2011 Cathedral Ridge ‘Dampier’ Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The Dampier Vineyard is located in the Underwood Mountain AVA. This shows good brightness with light red fruits, cran-cherry currently most dominant. I like the tension in the wine but it comes off a bit lean. Drink 2018-2022- 89

Carlton Hill

2011 Carlton Hill Pinot Noir- Lightly colored, the wine displays spicy aromatics with red currant and red cherry rounding out the nose. The palate shows good brightness and minerality with delicate red fruits flavors. Drink 2018-2022- 88

2011 Carlton Hill ‘Estate Whole Cluster’ Pinot Noir-This takes on some nice earthy tones with red fruits that mingle on the nose. The palate shows good brightness but does not show a wealth of fruit, with peat moss flavors dominating. Drink 2018-2022- 87

2011 Carlton Hill ‘Estate Reserve’ Pinot Noir- The nose shows some spice with red and dark fruits and a touch of black tea. The palate is lithe but the wine reveals very little fruit, showing some earthy tones. Drink 2018-2022- 88

Chehalem

2011 Chehalem ‘Stoller VIneyard’ Pinot Noir-  The 2011 ‘Stoller Vineyard’ Pinot Noir by Chehalem is an excellent showing from this cool vintage in Oregon. This shows nice forest floor and wild mushroom on the nose with blackberry tones and white pepper playing second fiddle. This shows surprising high tones with wild strawberry, guava and cranberry alongside earthy touches on the palate. Drinking beautifully right now, this excellent Pinot Noir wine shows a wonderful brightness and mouth-watering acidity at this juncture. Drink 2018-2026- 91

2011 Chehalem ‘Corral Creek Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- This excellent Pinot Noir is sourced from the Chehalem Mountains AVA. This translucent wine begins with aromas of damp earth, red currant jelly and wild blackberry cobbler. The nose shows some nice complexity. Red cherry, red currant cordial and forest floor flavors mingle nicely in the glass. Drink 2018-2024- 90

Coer De Terre Vineyard

2011 Coer De Terre Vineyard ‘Estate’ Pinot Noir- This Pinot Noir opens with a bouquet of citrus rind, red currant jelly and smoky undertones with damp earth and peat moss. Light and delicate, but lithe, this showcases red cherry, guava, tangerine rind and earthy tones on the palate. This is showing nicely and is not intended for those who desire more fruit in their Oregon Pinot Noir. Drink 2018-2024- 90

De Ponte

2011 De Ponte ‘Dundee Hills’ Pinot Noir- Showing an extremely light color for the AVA, this lighter style Pinot Noir shows off delicate red fruits and toasty oak on the nose with lemon zest undertones. The palate shows a surprisingly ripe mouthfeel, with delicate pomegranate, cherry and tangerine rind flavors with a good minerality. Drink 2018-2024- 89

Domaine Drouhin

2011 Domaine Drouhin ‘Laurene’ Pinot Noir-  The 2011 Domaine Drouhin ‘Laurene’ is a sensational effort from this cooler vintage in Oregon. This takes on a classic Burgundian nose with forest floor, white truffle oil, red currant puree and suggestions of white pepper. I love the elegance of this wine aromatically. The mouthfeel and texture to this wine screams elegance, as it is surprising that they were able to attain this level of concentration despite the coldness of the vintage. Red cherry puree, damp earth, cran-raspberry and orange zest flavors marvelously combine. Elegant and esteemed, this is a stunning effort by Domaine Drouhin that will cellar marvelously over the next decade. Drink 2018-2028- 94

Domaine Serene

2011 Domaine Serene ‘Evenstad Reserve’ Pinot Noir- This my first visit to this wine for several years. The 2011 ‘Evenstad Reserve’ Pinot Noir was aged in French oak for 13 months prior to bottling in April 2013. Needing more than an hour decant to fully develop, the wine takes on some toasty oak aromatic character with a nice combination of red and dark fruits on the nose, alongside lighter forest floor tones. I really admire this nose. The mouthfeel is quite generous as the wine still reveals light tannins. Red currant jelly, red raspberry cordial, black tea and peat moss flavors all beautifully mingle. This elegant Pinot Noir has evolved beautifully and still has a long life ahead of it. Drink 2018-2026- 92

Evening Land

2011 Evening Land ‘Seven Springs Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- Showing some good acidity and weight, the wine shows off beautiful dark fruits with a touch of citrus rind and forest floor on the palate. While this is drinking marvelously right now, it is best enjoyed in the short-term while the acidity remains. Drink 2018-2024- 90

Forris 

2011 Forris ‘Maple Ranch’ Pinot Noir- Sourced from the Rogue Valley, this wine begins with volcanic earth, dark cherry and citrus rind aromatics that entice. I like the sense of balance to this wine once in the mouth. Wild blackberry, wet stone, black tea and cran-cherry flavors all come together nicely, adding a good sense of place to this excellent Pinot Noir. This is a really excellent effort by Forris. Drink 2018-2024- 90

King Estate

2011 King Estate Pinot Noir- I am very impressed with King Estate’s entry level wine from 2011. The aromas are really enticing here with lovely citrus tones with red fruits and earthy undertones. The palate is quite impressive that has surprising weight considering the heat of the vintage. Red currant jelly, orange rind, strawberry pie and cigar ash flavors all mingle in the glass. This shows some impressive astringency and a long finish. King Estate has crafted a really good value wine here. Revisiting this wine after several hours, I see this wine showing similarly good. While it is drinking very nicely right now, this should cellar for at least six more years. Drink 2018-2024- 90

2011 King Estate ‘Croft Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The ‘Croft Vineyard’ Pinot Noir shows a darker color than the King Estate entry level Pinot Noir. On the nose there are dark fruits with blackberry most prominent alongside black truffle crudo and peat moss on the nose. The mouthfeel is gorgeous here with blackberry pie, white pepper, wild mushroom and a touch of cocoa powder on the palate. This great wine is drinking nicely right now and should cellar well for another six plus years. Drink 2018-2026- 91

Kramer Vineyards

2011 Kramer Vineyards ‘Rebecca’s Reserve’ Pinot Noir- The 2011 ‘Rebecca’s Reserve’ Pinot Noir shows nicely on the nose with white pepper, black truffle and forest floor alongside some wild blackberry. The palate shows a beautiful mouthfeel revealing a degree of decadence. Cran-cherry, citrus rind, black truffle, crushed mint and forest floor flavors all mingle in the glass. This is showing marvelously right now. This is a complete Pinot Noir, a sensational effort by Kramer Vineyards and the talented Kim Kramer. Drink 2018-2026- 91

2011 Kramer Vineyards ‘Cardiac Hill’ Pinot Noir- Comprised of Pommard and Dijon Clone 115 Pinot Noir, this excellent bottling starts off with a bouquet of white pepper and cardamon with red fruits and lighter earthy tones. The range on the nose really entices. Once in the mouth the wine shows a silky mouthfeel with red currant, red cherry cordial, allspice and orange peel flavors. This is beautifully made Pinot Noir with a strong mineral streak. Showing well right now, enjoy this over the next six plus years. Drink 2018-2026- 90

2011 Kramer Vineyard ‘Heritage’ Pinot Noir- The ‘Heritage’ Pinot Noir by Kramer Vineyards begins with aromas of spicebox, white pepper, red currant and forest floor that build in the glass. This shows a wonderfully plush texture with white pepper, orange zest, cran-raspberry, forest floor and a touch of wild blackberry. This complex Pinot Noir is drinking marvelously right now. Drink 2018-2024- 90

Lange

2011 Lange ‘Reserve’ Pinot Noir- This 25th vintage commemorative ‘Reserve’ Pinot Noir wine was made by both Don and Jesse Lange. The wine needs a one hour decant prior to enjoying to show its fully aromatic spectrum. Once aroused the nose shows really good earthy tones with sage, black truffle and peat moss mingling with wild blackberry and white pepper undertones. The palate shows good viscosity considering the heat of the vintage. Chewy dark fruits collide with forest floor, wild mushroom and blood orange zest flavors on the palate. Finishing strong with a good mineality, this is drinking marvelously right now. Drink 2018-2026- 90

2011 Lange ‘Freedom Hill Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The Freedom Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir is another excellent bottling by Lange. The nose shows wonderful funk with earthy tones dominating and citrus rind and red raspberry cordial playing second fiddle on the nose. The palate shows a silky texture and really good mouthfeel. The earthy aspects lessen on the palate with red cherry candy, cigar box and blood orange flavors rounding out this excellent wine. Drink 2018-2026- 90

Maysara

2011 Maysara ‘Cyrus’ Pinot Noir- The 2011 ‘Cyrus’ shows a nice translucency and delightful red fruits on the nose with a touch of cinnamon spice. There is a good sense of tension as this medium-bodied wine shows red currant, cran-cherry and orange rind flavors that connect to the minerality. With good astringency, and a lingering finish, this still has a long life in the cellar. This is pretty exciting and energetic wine right now. Drink 2018-2026- 91

2011 Maysara ‘Asha’ Pinot Noir- The 2011 ‘Asha’ Pinot Noir is currently displaying wonderful dark fruit on the nose with spicy red fruits mingling in. Medium bodied, this shows marvelous minerality and lip-smacking acidity as red currant, wild blackberry cordial and crushed mint flavors all come together. This still has a long life as well. Drink 2018-2026- 91

Panther Creek

2011 Panther Creek ‘Winemaker’s Cuvee’ Pinot Noir- The 2011 ‘Winemaker’s Cuvee’ by Panther Creek needs more than an hour of air to develop. Once aroused the wine shows pretty red fruits with floral and citrus tones on the nose. I am surprised by the level of minerality to this wine which is quite striking and adds to the mouthfeel. Red cherry candy, guava and citrus rind flavors all come together nicely. This lithe and polished effort is drinking better than when I first reviewed it. Drink 2018-2026- 90

2011 Panther Creek ‘Temperance Hill Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The 2011 Panther Creek ‘Temperance Hill Vineyard’ Pinot Noir is a really good effort. Similar to the ‘Winemaker’s Cuvee’ the wine improves following a one hour decant. The Pinot Noir takes on a highly Burgundian nose with orange rind and heavy forest floor elements aromatically. Bright, showing a soft mouthfeel, the wine shows off red currant, blood orange and mouth-watering acidity on the mid-palate. This is evolving quite nicely and still has a long life ahead of it. Drink 2018-2026- 91

Raptor Ridge

2011 Raptor Ridge ‘Estate’ Pinot Noir- Located in the Chehalem Mountains AVA, this excellent Pinot Noir shows lively cola, dark cherry and peat moss aromatics. The palate is juicy with good acidity and shows nice blood orange, rose water, wild blackberry and peat moss flavors. Drink 2018-2024- 89

2011 Raptor Ridge ‘Olenik Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The dark color draws you into this Chehalem Mountain AVA wine. The nose shows lighter dark fruits with toasty oak and peat moss. I like the combination of minerality, red fruits and citrus flavors that build in the glass. This is pretty terrific wine right now but this still has another six plus years of cellaring. Drink 2018-2024- 90

2011 Raptor Ridge ‘Goodrich Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- This beautiful Yamhill-Carlton AVA bottling starts with white pepper, wild blackberry cordial and peat moss that build on the nose. The palate is bright and highly astringent with red currant, red cherry candy and lighter earthy undertones on the palate. I really like how this beautiful wine is showing right now. Drink 2018-2026- 90

2011 Raptor Ridge ‘Trig’ Pinot Noir- The ‘Trig’ Pinot Noir is my favorite of these 2011 bottling by Raptor Ridge and was sourced from both the Olenik and Goodrich Vineyards. The wine begins with aromatics of cran-cherry, thyme, peat moss and wild blackberry cordial. On the palate this shows a soft texture that races slightly ahead of the other 2011 Raptor Ridge Pinots. Red and dark fruits dance with a beautiful tension on the palate, with peat moss undertones. Drink 2018-2026- 91

St. Innocent

2011 St. Innocent ‘Shea Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The Shea Vineyard is a famed Yamhill-Carlton AVA property managed by Dick Shea. This awesome Pinot Noir was aged for 16 months in French oak prior to bottling. This wine takes on some nice earthy tones with forest floor, black truffle crudo and blackberry jam on the nose. The palate shows good freshness and intensity. Highly Burgundian and light on its feet, this reveals black raspberry and black cherry, with earthy flavors releasing the most power. Funky and enticing, this is an outstanding effort that appears to be drinking at its peak. Drink 2018-2024- 92

2011 St. Innocent ‘Zenith Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The Zenith Vineyard  is St. Innocent’s estate vineyard, located eleven miles northwest of Salem, Oregon. This 2011 Pinot Noir shows wonderful forest floor and wet stone character on the nose with blood orange rind, cran-cherry and cigar ash also coming in aromatically. The aromatic range is seriously good right now. The palate is silky smooth right now as the mouthfeel entices. The richness reminds me more of a 2012 bottling as there is a seamless quality to the wine that grips you. Red and dark fruits weave together, with also citrus and earthy tones quite primary. Downright delicious, this is a stunning bottling by eminent winemaker, Mark Vlossak. Drink 2018-2028- 93

Stag Hollow

2011 Stag Hollow ‘Yamhill-Carlton’ Pinot Noir- The 2011 ‘Yamhill-Carlton- Pinot Noir is a sensational value wine made from this cooler vintage in Oregon. The nose is really fantastic here with lovely terroir and a good combination of red and dark fruits. This Pinot Noir shows  nice minerality once on the attack with cran-cherry, red currant and red cherry with lighter earthy tones. This shows beautiful balance as this is a seriously good entry level Pinot Noir and is a downright steal at its price. Drink 2018-2024- 90

2011 Stag Hollow ‘Reserve’ Pinot Noir- This ‘Reserve’ Pinot Noir shows a beautiful nose of rose petals, red cherry syrup, plum and spice box aromas. The mouthfeel is simply sumptuous with good minerality. Red cherry candy, guava, black tea and forest floor flavors all impress. This is a stunner by Stag Hollow and the talented winemaker Mark Huff. Drink 2018-2026- 91

2011 Stag Hollow ‘Vendage Selection’ Pinot Noir- The ‘Vendage Selection’ Pinot Noir is a barrel selection wine made by the talented Mark Huff. The nose here is really powerful and shows a marvelous combination of earthy tones, red fruits and dark fruits with a touch of red rose petal. This has a vibrant verve and tension despite its age. The palate reveals a touch of citrus rind with boysenberry, cocoa powder, white pepper and white truffle flavors. The exceedingly long finish lingers. While this is drinking very nicely now, this still has a lot of life left. Drink 2018-2026- 91

Tendril

2011 Tendril Pinot Noir- Translucent in color, this shows an aromatic profile of dried red cherry, tobacco leaf, and red currant jelly. The palate plays off almost exactly the same way, showing largely red fruits with some lighter citrus and earthy components. I like the sense of balance here, as the bright acidity moves this nicely through the mid-palate. As far as entry level wines go, this is a pretty killer Oregon Pinot Noir. Drink 2018-2024- 90

2011 Tendril ‘Tight Ripe’ Pinot Noir- The ‘Tight Rope’ is a barrel selection made by superstar winemaker, Tony Rynders. Needing an hour in the decanter to fully develop. Once aroused, this shows bright red fruits with orange rind and peat moss aromatics that build in the glass. The palate has good mid-palate richness and a smooth texture. Red fruits and dark fruits mingle nicely, with lighter forest floor undertones playing second fiddle. This is an outstanding wine that has evolved very nicely but still has eight plus years of life left in it. Drink 2018-2026- 91

2011 Tendril ‘C Note’ Pinot Noir- Undergoing full whole cluster fermentation, the 2011 ‘C Note’ begins with aromas of cigar ash, wild blackberry and cinnamon. The palate is smooth, revealing some good acidity and a silky mouthfeel with fine tannins. Dark fruits and forest floor flavors dominate with black truffle crudo also showing nicely. Only 50 cases made of this great wine. Drink 2018-2026- 91

Utopia

2011 Utopia ‘Clone 777’ Pinot Noir- Sourced from the Ribbon Ridge AVA, this translucent Pinot Noir opens with a bouquet of smoke, black tea and earthy tones. The palate shows a nice combination of red fruit and citrus tones with earthy elements connecting nicely. Drink 2018-2024- 89

2011 Utopia ‘Paradise Estate Reserve’ Pinot Noir- The ‘Paradise Estate Reeserve’ Pinot Noir  is a seriously good effort in this cold vintage. The wine starts off with aromas of black tea, black truffle crudo and peat moss that are delightfully earthy. The palate has a silky texture and lithe minerality. Red and dark fruits mingle with the minerals and forest floor tones, leading to a bright finish with mouthwatering acidity. This is showing brilliantly right now and can cellar for another five to seven years. Drink 2018-2024- 91

Youngsberg Hill 

2011 Youngsberg Hill ‘Natasha’ Pinot Noir-  The 2011 ‘Natasha’ Pinot Noir is a really good effort from this vintage. This translucent colored Pinot Noir starts off showing good earthy tones on the nose with wild mushroom, citrus rind and red cherry candy. The palate is lean and focused, with mouth-watering acidity. The brightness really shines in the wine with citrus and delicate red fruits lingering on the palate. This is highly Burgundian and still has a long life ahead of it. Drink 2018-2028- 90

Winter’s Hill

2011 Winter’s Hill Pinot Noir- Showing soft red fruits on the nose, with citrus tones, this is well-made wine is slightly out of balance on the palate with citrus rind and cranberry showing most dominantly on the palate. Highly astringent, this finishes with some good acidity. Drink 2018-2022- 86

Melka Estates

One of the great Napa wineries, Melka Estates was founded by Philippe and Cherie Melka. They produce an absolutely epic wine lineup that rivals the best in the valley. They source from some very exciting vineyards including La Mekerra in Sonoma and Jumping Goat in Napa Valley. The wines are powerful, focused and highly concentrated, showing immense range and terroir. Philippe Melka is a Bordeaux native that has a master’s degree in enology. He has a long resume, with previous stops at Château Haut Brion, as well as Dominus Estate and various stops in Australia and even Chateau Petrus. He has been in Napa on a full time basis since 1994 and has served as consulting winemaker at some of the great wineries in Napa, Sonoma and Washington State. He is truly one of the great consulting winemakers in the world. Philippe partners with his wife, Cherie, to craft the wines. She also has a highly impressive resume with previous stops at Bealieu Vineyards and Silver Oak prior to starting Melka Wines. She handles all business decisions for Melka as well as helps with the blending. 

The Melkas have crafted some new releases that were simply marvelous, coming from the warm, 2015 vintage in Napa and Sonoma. One of the great Merlots that I have tried all year, his 2015 Melka Estates ‘Mekerra La Mekerra Vineyard’ Merlot (WWB, 96) is a scintillating new wine that shows beautiful intensity and texture. This will have an exceedingly long life in the cellar. I absolutely adored the 2015 Melka Estates ‘Metisse Jumping Goat Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon (WWB, 97) which is the varietal at its best, showing insane range and a gorgeous mouthfeel. Learn more about these exceptional wines at https://www.melkaestates.com

2015 Melka Estates ‘Mekerra La Mekerra Vineyard’ Merlot- This Knight’s Valley Merlot was aged for 22 months in French oak (60% new) prior to bottling. The wine starts off with aromas of chocolate, spice box, mocha and tar on the nose. The mouthfeel and texture to the wine is phenomenal. Mocha, anise, creme de cassis and blueberry compote flavors all come together marvelously in the glass. The texture and viscosity is sumptuous. Drink 2018-2035- 96

2014 Melka Estates ‘Mekerra La Mekerra Vineyard’ Proprietary Red WIne- This wine is a compelling blend of 51% Cabernet Franc and 49% Merlot that was aged for 21 months in 60% new French oak. The nose is pretty and highly perfumed with rose petals, red currant jelly, red raspberry cordial and Christmas spice. The palate shows wonderful viscosity and tension, showing a really nice range of fruits from blue to dark to red fruits. The fruit weight her his marvelous as dark cherry, red raspberry cordial, and blueberry compote flavors with smoky undertones. There is is wonderful purity of fruit here. This is a complete wine that has a long time in the cellar. Drink 2018-2040- 96

2015 Melka Estates ‘Metisse Jumping Goat Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon-  The Jumping Goat Vineyard is located in the Spring Mountain AVA near Spottswoode which was planted in the mid-1990s. This inky colored wine is a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon and 13% Petit Verdot that was aged for 21 months in French barrels. A glass-staining purple, this starts off with intense aromas of rose petals, creme de cassis, Turkish coffee and black olive tapenade with lighter earthy tones of damp earth. The mouthfeel is intense and highly viscous with creme de cassis, mocha, anise, sandalwood and espresso bean. The range and mouthfeel here is insanely good. This stunning wine will cellar marvelously for decades. Drink 2018-2040- 97

2015 Melka Estates ‘Metisse Martinez Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2015 ‘Martinez Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon is a stunning bottling that was aged for 22 months in 85% new French oak prior to bottling. The Martinez Vineyard is located on Prichard Hill perched on top of Oakville. Melka Wines is the first winery to put the vineyard on the bottling. The wine is an intriguing blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Petit Verdot and 20% Cabernet Franc. The wine shows exotic spice with deep creme de cassis, green bell pepper, mocha and anise aromas that build in the glass. The palate is exceedingly dense and plush with intense anise, creme de cassis, black olive tapenade and black cherry cordial flavors that impress. Drink 2018-2040- 96

2016 Melka Estates ‘Majestique Paderewski Vineyard’ Red Wine- This Rhone style wine is a blend of 40% Grenache with 28% Syrah and 32% Mourvedre that was all co-fermented. The wine was aged for 20 months in French oak prior to bottling. The nose is very pretty showing red rose petal and Christmas spice with red fruits that connect to lighter smoky tones. The palate shows bright acidity and wonderful richness and intensity. Smoke, pipe tobacco, red cherry Starburst candy and milk chocolate connect with light tannins. Showing good acidity and a soft texture, this is an outstanding effort from this great vineyard in Paso Robles. Drink 2018-2030- 94

2015 Melka Estates ‘Mekerra La Mekerra Vineyard’ Proprietary White- This 100% Sauvignon Blanc wine saw extensive barrel aging (22 months in 80% new French oak). The wine starts off with heady aromas of smoke, white peach, gooseberry and unripe pear. The silky texture to the wine is marvelous and shows a wonderfully rich viscosity. Nectarine, Pink Lady apple, apricot and lychee flavors all connect with a good minerality. With a wonderful motuhfeel and a silky texture this irresistible Sauvignon Blanc will cellar marvelously over the next decade. Drink 2018-2028- 94

Sojourn Cellars

One of the fantastic producers of Sonoma Pinot Noir, Sojourn Cellars was founded in 2001 as a partnership between two tennis buddies who discovered a mutual passion for great wine. Craig and Ellen Haserot work together with winemaker Erich Bradley, the former winemaker at Arrowood Winery in Sonoma. A native of Palo Alto, California, Erich learned about wine while helping his family develop their vineyard on a small ranch in Sonoma Valley. Erich has an intriguing background with a degree in Bio-chemistry from the esteemed University of Chicago and a degree in Philosophy and Modern European Intellectual History from the University of California at Irvine. Erich spent time as high school teacher and tennis coach prior to studying winemaking at the University of California at Davis and viticulture at Santa Rosa College. He had the great fortune to be mentored by eminent winemakers Richard Arrowood and David Ramey. In 1999, Erich worked as a harvest lab technician at Arrowood Vineyards and Winery, a position that extended into Assistant Enologist through 2002. Erich left Arrowood in January of 2003 and makes some beautiful wines for Sojourn.

Sojourn sources from some of the area’s finest vineyards, including Gap’s Crown Vineyard and the Durell Vineyard. I was seriously impressed with Erich’s new wines that really capture the region beautifully. The wines are rich but refined and show wonderful terroir in the glass. Simply delicious, the 2016 Sojourn Cellars ‘Gap’s Crown Vineyard’ Pinot Noir (WWB, 93) evokes wonderful cola and red fruit tones that delights. Even better was their red blend, sourced from Napa, the 2015 Sojourn Cellars ‘Proprietary Cuvee’ Red Wine (WWB, 94) which is a dense and layered effort that will cellar marvelously for more than a decade. Learn more about this fantastic Sonoma winery at http://www.sojourncellars.com Here are the great new wines by Sojourn Cellars.

Sojourn’s tasting room is located in the town of Sonoma.

2016 Sojourn Cellars ‘Gap’s Crown Vineyard’ Chardonnay- This deep hued wine begins with aromatics of butterscotch, brioche and lemon zest, showing nice range. The palate has a wonderful astringency as lemon meriange, Challah bread and banana flavors connect with a long, lemon cream driven finish. The wine beautifully showcases this fantastic, historic vineyard. Drink 2018-2028- 92

2016 Sojourn Cellars ‘Gap’s Crown Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- This ruby colored Pinot starts with cherry cola and raspberry cordial aromatics that mingle with wild thyme and wet stone. The palate is silky smooth, showing ripe red cherry, guava purée and blood orange flavors. The freshness, weight and intensity of this wine is gorgeous. Enjoy this over the next decade or so. Drink 2018-2028- 93

2016 Sojourn Cellars ‘Sangiacomo Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- Sourced from the famed vineyard in the Petaluma Gap this opens with a bouquet of dill, red cherry preserves and tea berry. Lithe and rich, the wine yields downright delicious red fruit flavors with good tension. This is a delight to savor right now. Drink 2018-2028- 93

2015 Sojourn Cellars ‘Proprietary Cuvee’ Red Wine-  Sourced from Napa (Oakville Ranch Vineyard and Vineyard Georges III Vineyard), this is an outstanding new release from a very hot vintage in the valley. This gorgeous, deep colored wine starts off with aromas of mocha, crushed mint and eucalyptus. The palate is lithe and downright gorgeous with intense graphite, creme de cassis, mocha and red bell pepper flavors. The weight is downright massive her. Memorable and highly approachable in its youth, this is a stunning wine by Sojourn. Drink 2018-2030- 94

2016 Sojourn ‘Reuling Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- This Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir is sourced from a vineyard located in Forestville. Vines for this wine were first planted in 2000. This has very pretty aromatics up front with rose water, cherry cola, and smoke. Seriously tasty, with nice weight and acidity, the wine shows off sexy red fruits with cola flavors. This is an outstanding effort by Sojourn. Drink 2018-2028- 93

2016 Sojourn ‘Riddle Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- Located on the Sonoma Coast and and set on well-draining Goldridge soils, this starts with prune, red cherry preserves and baking spices. This has excellent dark fruit flavors with good tension, salinity and viscosity on the mid-palate. Enjoy this fantastic bottling over the next decade. Drink 2018-2028- 93

Dusted Valley

Last night I ran through the great new Dusted Valley lineup with fellow Washington Wine Blog editor, Dr. Stephen Lee. My goal was to try two new release Washington wine lineups and compare notes on wines from each winery. One thing was apparent — the Dusted Valley wines were consistently better than the other winery in terms of tension, viscosity, mouthfeel and range. Not only were they better, each wine in the lineup scored 1-3 points higher, so in some cases they were considerably better. Dusted Valley have cemented themselves as a serious, consistently good producer of red and white wines particularly over the past five plus years. 

Having been in the Washington wine industry for the past 13 years, Dusted Valley was founded by the Johnson and Braunel families who are originally from Wisconsin and have strong backgrounds in farming. They source from some of the great vineyards in Washington, including the Olsen Vineyard and Stoney Vine Vineyard. 

Their new lineup of wines showed beautifully. Dusted Valley is quietly gaining a reputation for fantastic Chardonnay. Their new release, the 2016 Dusted Valley ‘Olsen Vineyard’ Chardonnay (WWB, 91) showed really good tension and a nice mouthfeel, with wonderful butterscotch flavors. I really enjoyed the 2015 Dusted Valley ‘BFM Dionysus Vineyard’ Red Wine (WWB, 92) which is soft and round from the large percentage of Merlot, as the wine shows really good mid-palate viscosity. One of the best Petite Sirah bottlings that I have sampled in the past year is their 2015 Dusted Valley ‘Stone Tree Vineyard’ Petite Sirah (WWB, 93). The wine is a massive beast that shows gobs of dark fruits with chocolate and blueberry tones being quite prominent. This wine is quite simply delicious. Learn more about these great wines at https://www.dustedvalley.com Here are the great new wines by Dusted Valley.

2016 Dusted Valley ‘Olsen Vineyard’’ Chardonnay- The Olsen Vineyard is an esteemed cooler site that grows great Chardonnay in the Yakima Valley. On the nose this turns heads with brioche, Meyer lemon creme brûlée and pineapple accents. The combination of mouthfeel and balance to the wine really impresses. Vanilla cream, butterscotch and Challah bread flavors all collide in the mouth, with good minerality. This has a really good sense of place as I can see this cellaring well over the next eight plus years. Drink 2018-2026- 91

2014 Dusted Valley ‘V.R. Special’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The ‘V.R. Special’ Cabernet Sauvignon has a gorgeous nose with rose petal, brandy soaked cherry, roasted figs and mocha that builds in the glass. The mouthfeel is lovely here as the silky texture coats the mid-palate. Creme de cassis, Turkish coffee, black currant and black cherry cordial flavors show good viscosity. While this is a touch hot, the balance and range is there. Drink 2018-2026- 92

2015 Dusted Valley ‘BFM Dionysus Vineyard’ Red Wine- The ‘BFM’ is a blend of 79% Merlot, 17% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Petit Verdot. This shows off an inky color and begins with aromas of red cherry candy, sagebrush, and cherry tomato. The palate reveals a wonderfully plush mouthfeel. There is a decadent feel to the wine, showing rich black tea, blackberry cobbler, and black cherry flavors. This has the weight to cellar well over the next decade. Drink 2018-2028- 92

2015 Dusted Valley Malbec- This wine has 9% Cabernet Sauvignon blended in. The nose has lovely chocolate and white pepper tones with blackberry cobbler shining brightly as well. The texture of this wine is lovely as this reveals black tea, dark chocolate shavings, coffee grounds and blueberry compote flavors. With medium tannins, the Malbec will age gracefully over the next decade. Drink 2018-2028- 92

2015 Dusted Valley ‘Stone Tree Vineyard’ Petite Sirah- The Stone Tree Vineyard is gaining a serious reputation for this unusual varietal. This shows off an extremely deep core and opens with loganberry liquor, dark chocolate cake, and blueberry jelly flavors. The palate is deep, plush and downright seductive. There is not only a great tension in the wine but a thick and viscous voluptuous mouthfeel. While this is heady, the minerality to the wine provides good balance. This would make a monumental glass pour at a great steakhouse. Drink 2018-2030- 93