Alexana

I am always amazed when wineries produce amazing lineups that somehow remain under the radar. Such is the case with Alexana, one of the outstanding producers of Oregon Pinot Noir.  I just adore the range of wines that they mange to produce, from fresh and vibrant Riesling to earthy Pinot Noirs. Over the years I have found that the consistency of these wines have been remarkable. Alexana was founded many years back by Dr. Madaiah Revana, a famed cardiologist. Named after Dr. Revana’s daughter,  Alexana has a stunning setting in the Red Hills AVA. The winery utilizes both gravity flow and Gold LEED certification. Bryan Weil serves as head winemaker and has greatly impressed with his solid range of new wines. Bryan previously worked at Domaine Serene before heading back to Oregon State University, where in 2008 he graduated with a degree in Enology and Viticulture. Bryan then served as assistant winemaker at Hogue Cellars in Prosser, Washington, prior to being named Alexana winemaker in in 2012.

Bryan has crafted a killer new lineup of wines in 2019 which saw major challenges with consistent rain at harvest. Look to his  2019 Alexana ‘Revana Vineyard’ Pinot Noir (OB, 93) which has good depth and concentration considering the challenges of the vintage.  I adored the 2018 Alexana ‘Signature’ Pinot Noir (OB, 94) which is dense and hedonistic from this vintage, with good tension. This is a beautiful wine for any serious collector of Oregon Pinot Noir. Learn more about this outstanding Oregon winery at http://www.alexanawinery.com Here are the great new release wines by Alexana. 

2018 Alexana ‘Terroir Series’ Chardonnay- This beautiful Chardonnay shows off-white peach and Pink Lady apple flavors with copious minerals and earthy undertones. This finishes very long, adding to the gratification. Full-bodied and beautifully textured, enjoy this over then next decade. Drink 2021-2029- 92

2018 Alexana ‘Terroir Series’ Pinot Noir-  The 2018 ‘Terroir Series’ Pinot Noir is sourced from a range of vineyards throughout the Willamette Valley. On the nose there is a great core of red and dark fruits with salty and volcanic undertones alongside peat moss accents. The palate is soft and plush with a seamless texture. Generous red and dark fruits collide with minerals, smoke and damp earth tones all impress on the palate. Glorious now, this will provide drinking enjoyment for decades to come. Drink 2021-2035- 93

2018 Alexana ‘Signature’ Pinot Noir-  The 2018 ‘Signature’ Pinot Noir is a barrel selection wine entirely sourced from the ‘Revana Estate’ Vineyard. Dense, chewy and highly gratifying, the palate shows really good range from tart red fruits to Mandarin orange rind and volcanic damp earthy tones. The length and mouthfeel both add to the enjoyment as this outstanding and rich new Pinot Noir will cellar well for decades to come. Drink 2021-2038- 94

2019 Alexana ‘East Blocks Volcanic Soils’ Pinot Noir- The 2019 ‘East Blocks Volcanic Soils’ are sourced from various volcanic soils found in the ‘Revana Vineyard’ in the portion sheltered by trees. Ripe red cherry and loganberry tones combine with damp smoldering stones, potpourri and orange rind on this gorgeous bouquet. The palate is seamless with great tension nd a silky smooth mouthfeel. Generous and gratifying to drink now, this has another decade arm ore ahead of it. Drink 2021-2035- 93

2019 Alexana ‘West Blocks Sedimentary Soils’ Pinot Noir- The 2018 ‘West Blocks Sedimentary Soils’ shows salty red fruits that mingle with kumquat rind and damp earthy tones on the nose. The palate has great lift and freshness with finesse-driven lighter red fruit flavors alongside pine needle and orange rind flavors. Drink 2021-2031- 92

2019 Alexana ‘Revana Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The ‘Revana Vineyard’ is set in the Northeastern edge of the Dundee Hills and is home to 10 different clones of Pinot Noir. The wine shows a silky profile with gorgeous red fruits that dance along with minerals, peat moss and stony and salty undertones. Brilliant in its youth, this will shine on for another decade. Drink 2021-2031- 93

Lingua Franca

Today we share the wines from one of the consistently great Oregon producers of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Lingua Franca begins with their estate vineyard, located between the Lone Star, Jerusalem Hills and Seven Springs vineyards. It is a truly sensational site. Larry Stone, MS, previously managed wine portfolios for Francis Ford Coppola as well as Augustin Huneeus before founding Lingua Franca with David Honig. After rigorous negotiations, the land for Lingua Franca was finally purchased in late 2012. We are all very glad that Larry did that.

In late 2014, Dominique Lafon of Evening Land fame indicated that he would be interested in collaborating on the project and the team began work together in February of 2015. At time that Lafon protégé, Thomas Savre, also came aboard as he had a wealth experience in some of the most illustrious wineries in Burgundy. Thomas served as assistant winemaker at Evening Land before being promoted as winemaker for Lingua Franca. Thomas is a younger winemaker with plenty of enthusiasm and a killer palate. He might be even more crazy for top champagne than myself. 

I love the wines that he made in 2019 which wasn’t the easiest vintage particularly for Pinot Noir, as conditions at harvest were very rainy with what was generally a good, typical growing season. These are gorgeous wines across the board with plenty of mid-palate weight. I adored the 2019 Lingua Franca ‘Lingua Franca Estate’ Chardonnay (OB, 94) which poses for a top notch Mersault. The Pinot Noir releases were also awesome, none more so than the 2019 Lingua Franca ‘Lingua Franca Estate’ Pinot Noir (OB, 94) which is deep, concentrated and has some massive cellaring potential. Learn more about Lingua Franca at https://www.linguafranca.wine Here are the beautiful new releases by Lingua Franca.

2019 Lingua Franca ‘Avni’ Chardonnay- The 2019 ‘Avni’ shows off bright pear and pink grapefruit tons alongside wonderful acidity, stony undertones and a light salinity. Linear and seamless, with great lip-smacking acidity, enjoy this beautiful wine over the next decade. Drink 2021-2028- 93

2019 Lingua Franca ‘Lingua Franca Estate’ Chardonnay- The 2019 ‘Lingua Franca Estate’ Chardonnay is a gorgeous new wine by the talented Thomas Savre. Flinty tones mingle with wild mushroom, Japanese pear and citrus blossom aromatics that all take shape in the glass. The palate is round, generous and wonderfully textured. This is finesse-driven, seamless Oregon Chardonnay. The great sense of length adds to the enjoyment as this beautiful wine is not even fully hitting its stride. Drink 2021-2036- 94

2019 Lingua Franca ‘Bunker Hill’ Chardonnay- Sourced from one of the great sites for Oregon Chardonnay, the 2019 ‘Bunker Hill’ Chardonnay was first planted back in 1995 and is set on volcanic soils, as vines receive a profound maritime influence. Wet stone and honeydew melon aromas mingle with baking spice infused Challah bread and salted pear on this beautiful nose. The palate has a great veil of tension with a light dusting of salinity. This is ultra-refined stuff, yielding wonderful lemon oil flavors alongside brioche, white pepper and diatomaceous earthy accents that makes this very Oregon vs. Dauvissat. Gorgeous now, this beautiful wine will continue to evolve over the next ten to fifteen years. Drink 2021-2036- 95

2019 Lingua Franca ‘La Belle’ Pinot Noir- The 2019 ‘La Belle’ Pinot Noir is a limited production bottling from some of the finer soils in the ‘Lingua Franca Estate Vineyard.’ The wine is fresh, elegant and seamless. While not particularly rich, the elegance imparted truly makes this wine live up to its name, with very pretty red fruits and damp earthy tones. Drink 2021-2031- 93

2019 Lingua Franca ‘The Lingua Franca Estate’ Pinot Noir- For many years the ‘Lingua Franca Estate Vineyard’ has been one of the hallowed sites in the Eola-Amity Hills.  With Pinot Noir vines set on volcanic soils, this shows off a nice dusting of white pepper and volcanic earth on the nose with bright red fruits and red floral tones rounding out this expressive bouquet. The palate has incredible finesse with good richness and a long finish. Truly outstanding now, this will provide drinking enjoyment over the next fifteen years. Drink 2021-2036- 94

2019 Lingua Franca ‘The Plow’ Pinot Noir- Sourced from blocks 1 and 2 in the ‘Lingua Franca Estate Vineyard’ this Pinot Noir is entirely Dijon clone 777. Salty and savory charcuterie aromatic tones with huckleberry and damp earth tones all sing in unison. The palate is dense and chewy with firm tannins. The wine shows good weight and tension, with bright dark fruits that collide with orange rind and tilled earth undertones. Gorgeous in its youth, be sure to give this at least a one hour decant if savoring now. Drink 2022-2036- 94

Long Shadows ‘Poet’s Leap’ Riesling Vertical Tasting

I have long admired the Long Shadows lineup. Long before I was writing about wine professionally, I always enjoyed visiting their Woodvinille tasting room in my spare time, reveling in one of Washington’s great lineups. Truly a iconic wine project, Long Shadows is the brainchild of former Chateau Ste. Michelle CEO Allen Shoup who had the genius idea to have Washington wines made by utilizing some of the best winemaking talent across the globe.

One of the best decisions he made was to hire Gilles Nicault from Woodward Canyon to be his head winemaker and oversee all winemaking production. Gilles has become one of the state’s great talents. Truly one of the great Riesling projects of the Pacific Northwest, the ‘Poet’s Leap’ project was initially a wine made by Armin Diel from Schlossgut Diel. Over time Gilles Nicault has taken over this project in crafting Riesling wines that show amazing acidity and good mid-palate ripeness. I have been amazed by these wines over the year. Gilles explained the process of making his top notch Washington Riesling:

“During the growing season we try to open up around the fruit zone and have. Good canopy to protect fro the sun yet to have uniform maturation.” He continued “This way we preserve as much acidity as possible and the flavor developments that is what we want to be. The cluster is going to be uniform. Some of these have been 19.6 Brix and this brings acidity and minerality, and some other lots come at 22 Brix and you get more stone fruit and white peach. All of the fermenters are separate and then you can do the best bleedings looking at the flavor profile, acidity and getting the best balance in the wine.” 

Sitting with Gilles it was just a blast chatting about each wine as we tasted backwards, starting with the dazzling 2010 Long Shadows ‘Poet’s Leap ‘ Riesling (OB, 94) which showed insanely good texture and finesse. One of the shining stars was certainly the 2008 Long Shadows ‘Poet’s Leap’ Riesling (OB, 95) which is amongst the best Riesling wines in North America that I have tried in the past several years. I just love the range here as the wine is slowly evolving into secondary tones. Another standout was the 2007 Long Shadows ‘Poet’s Leap’ Riesling (OB, 94) which was not quite as viscous as the ’08 but showed brilliant acidity and freshness. This was truly a tasting to remember. Learn more about these exciting wines at longshadows.com Here are my notes from vintages 2003-2010 of the Long Shadows ‘Poet’s Leap’ Riesling. 

2010 Long Shadows ‘Poet’s Leap Riesling- This was the fist vintage of this incredible wine that has been one of the iconic wine. Sourced primarily from The Benches Vineyard (57%) with also Phil Church Vineyard {23%) as well as Weinbau and Dionysus vineyards, this shows gorgeous honeysuckle and nutty tones on the nose.  The heady aromatics bring you back to the glass for more enjoyment. The palate is very fresh and beautifully textured. Layers of rich orchard fruit and sour apricot mingle with wet stone and an insanely good sense of mouthfeel and length. Gorgeous now, this still has a ways to go with its sense of weight and acidity. Drink 2021-2027- 94

2009 Long Shadows ‘Poet’s Leap’ Riesling- The 2009 Long Shadows ‘Poet’s Leap’ is a warm vintage Riesling that has beautifully evolved already now at the twelve year mark. With 1.35g/L the silky texture really impresses here with baked apple and pear notes alongside shades of wet stone and shades of mango and orange blossom water. Enjoy this great wine over the next five years. Drink 2021-2025- 92

2008 Long Shadows ‘Poet’s Leap’ Riesling- The 2008 Poet’s Leap Riesling is a blend of fruit from the Horse Heaven Hills, as well as the ‘Sonnet Vineyard’ and blocks from the Dionysus Vineyard planted back in 1972. On the nose this takes on bright kiwi and starfruit tones alongside wet stone and slate. The palate is viscous with great acidity and a scintillating texture. Bright and youthful, this is wonderfully evolved right now and still has a long way to go. This is Washington Riesling at its best. Drink 2021-2029- 95

2007 Long Shadows ‘Poet’s Leap’ Riesling- Bright, youthful and gorgeous now at the fourteen year mark, the 2007 ‘Poet’s Leap’ Riesling comes from a warm vintage that saw a mild September and great conditions at harvest. Lighter petrol and pink grapefruit blossom alongside kiwi and wet stone all hit the nose. The palate is plush and full, showing a great sense of texture and exceedingly good length. Gorgeous to enjoy now, this has another five to seven years ahead of it. Drink 2021-2027- 94

2006 Long Shadows ‘Poet’s Leap’ Riesling- The 2006 ‘Poet’s Leap’ Riesling includes some longer vines, as the wine shows off honeysuckle and wet stone alongside kiwi and white grapefruit tones that all combine aromatically. The palate is plush with a silky mouthfeel and great send of texture. Layers of ripe Pink Lady apple, and papaya mingle with honeydew melon and wet stone on the palate. This is really ready to drink now. This is really impressive fifteen year old Riesling considering the heat of the vintage as well. Drink 2021-2025- 92

2005 Long Shadows ‘Poet’s Leap’ Riesling- The 2005 ‘Poet’s Leap’ Riesling is an impressive showing with honey and cantaloupe notes on the nose alongside shades of white rose water. The palate is soft and elegant with a silky texture. Generous and rich, with a good sense of minerality, this bright wine reveals pear and gooseberry tones alongside shades of baked apple and wet stone on the palate. Drink 2021-2026- 93

2004 Long Shadows ‘Poet’s Leap’ Riesling- The 2004 ‘Poet’s Leap’ Riesling its beautifully evolved at the seventeen year mark. Showing 1.93g/L, this reveals slate and honeysuckle tones alongside Japanese pear and green papaya. The wine is beautifully textured with a great stony profile. Layers of ripe peach and mango combine with damp earth, wild mushroom and nutty undertones. Quite beautifully evolved now, and still showing good freshness, enjoy over the next five years while the gorgeous tertiary tones continue to rock on. Drink 2021-2025- 93

2003 Long Shadows ‘Poet’s Leap’ Riesling- The 2003 Long Shadows ‘Poet’s Leap’ Riesling is the first wine of this series that was made more in the Kabinette style. The wine is rich and un tutus with a. Soft texture. Layers of ripe nectarine and Pink Lady apple march on with minerals, Shitake mushroom and juicy starfruit. Drink 2021-2025- 92 

MacRostie

One of the great stops in the Russian River Valley, MacRostie was founded by fellow Whitman College graduate, Steve MacRostie. Speaking to Steve a few years back, I was enchanted by his vision to craft terroir-driven Chardonnay and Pinot Noir many years before most people were following that model in Sonoma. Winemaker Heidi Bridenhagen has a illustrious history in the wine industry having an undergraduate degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder. She has worked in the enology laboratory of Jackson Family Wines before working at Clos du Bois, Oyster Bay as well as Sonoma-Cutrer. She has some fantastic new wines.

MacRostie sources from some great vineyards including Dutton Ranch, Sangiacomo, Martinelli and Bacigalupi, and from Steve’s Wildcat Mountain Vineyard which he purchased decades back. I have always enjoyed wines from the ‘Wildcat Mountain Vineyard’ and this year’s rendition the 2018 MacRostie ‘Wildcat Mountain’ Pinot Noir (OB, 93) is beautifully textured and shows good depth and salty terroir. Learn more about this great Sonoma winery at https://macrostiewinery.com/ Here are the great new wines by MacRostie.

2019 MacRostie ‘Sonoma Coast’ Chardonnay- The 2019 ‘Sonoma Coast’ Chardonnay shows off rich apricot with Bartlett pear and vanilla creme brûlée flavors. With a great veil of tension and light salinity, this is fantastic stuff that will provide drinking enjoyment over the next five to seven years. Drink 2021-2027- 91

2018 MacRostie ‘Wildcat Mountain’ Pinot Noir- The 2018 MacRostie ‘Wildcat Mountain’ Pinot Noir opens with aromas of red currant jelly, woven together with menthol, Bing cherry and strawberry tones. The palate is elegant and refined with a great core of red fruits and a soft texture. With good length,  and a light dusting of salinity, this beautiful new bottling will cellar well over the next decade. Drink 2021-2031- 93

Goldeneye

It was a very warm late summer day as my wife and I descended into what is typically a cooler site to taste wine. Even at 10AM it was 90 degrees as a heat wave had struck Northern California. We had a magical experience starting with bubbles and tasting their single vineyard wines. For those who have never visited Goldeneye,  you are in for a treat. 

One of the great Mendocino producers of Pinot Noir, Goldeneye is a Duckhorn venture located in Philo, California in the heart of the Anderson Valley. Famed Domaine Serene winemaker Michael Fay was at Goldeneye before moving north and they rely on the talented Katey Larwood for winemaking, as I interviewed her last year. Katey has experience working harvests across the globe and began studying wine while attending school in Santa Barbara. Her wines have been really good since she has been at the helm.

The 2018 wines show plenty of stuffing and have great salty terroir. Goldeneye utilizes three estate vineyards (Confluence, Gowan Creek and The Narrows) in the Anderson Valley encompassing 200 vine acres and more than 20 Pinot Noir clones. I adored the new 2018 Goldeneye ‘Confluence Vineyard’ Pinot Noir (OB, 93) which shows good richness and excellent salty character. Learn more about these outstanding Pinot Noirs at https://www.goldeneyewinery.com Here are the great new releases by Goldeneye. 

2018 Goldeneye ‘The Narrows Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- Located in the Anderson Valley, ‘The Narrows Vineyard’ is closely located. To the coast, having a strong. Marine influence and major fog presence. The vineyard is planted to Pommard, Dijon 777 and 115 clone Pinot Noir. Aged in 60% new French oak, this shows off ripe red currants and red cherry with tobacco,  damp earth and teaberry undertones that all mingle in the glass. The palate is elegant and beautifully textured with an outstanding sense of salinity. Layers of very pretty red fruits are woven together with red rose water, peat moss and saline drenched Mandarin orange rind tones on the palate. The great length here adds to the enjoyment, as this beautiful wine is best enjoyed over the next ten to fifteen years. Drink 2021-2033- 93

2018 Goldeneye ‘Split Rail Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The 2018 ‘Split Rail Vineyard’ is a beautiful new wine by the talented Katey Larwood. Aged in 60% new French oak, this opens with pretty red floral tones that mingle with pomegranate seed and shades of baking spice dusted kumquat that all meld in the glass. The palate is beautifully textured and elegant, with distinct salinity that runs through the great core of red fruits. Gorgeous in its youth, this beautiful wine will evolve well over the next decade. Drink 2021-2033- 92

2018 Goldeneye ‘Confluence Vineyard’ Pinot Noir-  The ‘Confluence Vineyard’ is home to a range of soils near the Navarro river. Utilizing many different clonal varietals including 777, 666, 115, 459 and 113, the wine was aged in 60% new French oak before bottling. Ripe red plum and cigar box tones mingle with a great range of salted red and dark fruits that mingle together on the nose. The palate is rich and voluptuous with a silky texture. Tilled salty. soils and ripe red fruits parade with minerals, smoke and peat moss undertones on the palate. Gorgeous to enjoy now,  the. 2018 ‘Confluence Vineyard’ Pinot Noir will provide drinking enjoyment for more than a decade to come. Drink 2021-2033- 93

Sleight of Hand

I love great value Washington wines. One winery that seems to slip under the radar in terms of not only offering amazing premium bottling but also very good values is Sleight of Hand out of Walla Walla. They have recently remodeled their tasting room, located in the south end of Walla Walla, and they have a great spot in SoDo as well for those in the Seattle area. 

What was originally a very limited production winery, Sleight of Hand was first founded in 2007 by Trey Busch and Jerry and Sandy Solomon. The winery focuses on both estate and non-estate fruit and has slowly been increasing production since the winery’s inception. Trey (a fellow Pearl Jam fan) is a downright awesome, down to earth guy that has attained great success in a relatively short amount of time. Keith Johnson joined the team in 2011 and has been doing an incredible job as the production winemaker. Keith oversees the winery on a daily basis, and during harvest, while Trey and Jerry are in the vineyards making picking decisions, he is managing our harvest team, making sure everything is being taken care of in the cellar. Keith also makes some great wines under his Devium label.

The winemaking team has assembled an awesome value at around 20 bucks, their 2018 Sleight of hand ‘The Spellbinder’ Red Wine (OB, 90) which has a very soft mouthfeel, great acidity and delicious dark fruit flavors. This is one to buy by the case. Even better is the sinfully good 2018 Sleight of Hand ‘The Achimage’ Red Wine (OB, 94) which is a donwnright awesome Right Bank style wine that has great viscosity and verve. Learn more about this outstanding winery at http://www.sofhcellars.com Here are the awesome new release wines from Sleight of Hand.

2018 Sleight of Hand ‘The Spellbinder’ Red Wine- The 2018 ‘The Spellbinder’ combines Cabernet Sauvignon (56%) with Cabernet Franc (27%), with smaller parts Merlot and Petit Verdot. The wine shows plenty of cassis aromatically with chocolate covered blackberry and sagebrush undertones. The palate is fresh and beautifully balanced with great acidity and a soft mouthfeel. Downright tasty now with its good core of dark fruits, enjoy this over the next five to seven years. Drink 2021-2026- 90

2018 Sleight of Hand ‘The Conjurer’ Red Wine- The 2018 ‘The Conjurer’ is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot with just a dusting of Petit Verdot. Fresh and vibrant, this shows off rich dark cherry and tobacco tones alongside good acidity and a light salinity. This is a solid effort for the price. Drink 2021-2026- 90

2018 Sleight of Hand ‘The Achimage Reserve’ Red Wine- The 2018 ‘Achimage Reserve’ is an outstanding blend of 52% Cabernet Franc with 48% Merlot, done in a very Right Bank style. The aromatics are heady and show serious range from red bell pepper and red rose petals to ripe red currants, black tea and exotic spices that all dazzle in the glass. The palate is dense, chewy and downright delicious, reminiscent of a great warm vintage Right Bank bottling. Cassis, anise and dusty soil flavors combine with shades of red bell pepper and sagebrush with a cocoa powder undercurrent and light salinity. This is very esteemed, rich and terroir-driven stuff that will cellar well for at least another decade. Drink 2021-2036- 94

2018 Sleight of Hand ‘The Illusionist’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2018 ‘The Illusionist’ Cabernet Sauvignon is a seriously good wine that has some massive aging potential. They have elected to blend a somewhat large portion of Petit Verdot (12%) into this Cabernet Sauvignon dominant blend. Right away the green bell pepper tones scream PV, with dark chocolate shavings, anise and creme de cassis aromatics all singing in unison. The palate is dense,  plush and beautifully textured. This shows a very old-world feel, with its level of restraint despite the large curtain of dark fruit, chocolate and tobacco flavors that are immediately gratifying. Great to savor even now in its youth, this will provide drinking enjoyment over the next fifteen plus years. Drink 2021-2036- 94

Avennia

I love Washington wines with great soul and personality. For about a decade, Avennia has been producing great wines that embody poise, terroir and good richness. A partnership between former Microsoft executive Marty Taucher and superstar winemaker Chris Peterson, Avennia focuses on high quality Rhone and Bordeaux style wines. One of the state’s great winemakers, Chris Peterson was formerly DeLille Cellars winemaker for many years prior to starting Avennia. I had the great chance to sit down with him for Instagram Live this summer. Articulate and highly intelligent, Chris has a very polished style to his winemaking that combines new world richness with old world poise and aging potential.

I loved the new 2018 Avennia ‘Sestina’ Red Wine (OB, 94) which has tons of finesse and really needs another year of bottle age to fully hit its stride. Even better was the very pretty and refined 2018 Avennia ‘Valery’ Red Wine (OB, 95) which has seriously good range and is a downright gorgeous Right Bank style Washington wine. These wines are not to be missed for any serious collector of Washington red wine. Learn more about these special wines at avennia.com Here are my reviews of the two new Avennia wines. 

2018 Avennia ‘Sestina’ Red Wine- The 2018 ‘Sestina’ is a gorgeous blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, and 7% Cabernet Franc. Sourced from some esteemed sites like the Red Willow and Dionysus Vineyards, the wine showcases anise and sagebrush aromatic tones alongside dark currant jelly and shades of black cherry syrup that all meld together. The palate is soft, round and generous, showing a beautiful sense of balance. Ripe blackberry jelly and mocha tones collide with smoky minerals, saline drenched boysenberry and firm tannins holding everything in place. This has a long life ahead of it and try to give this at least another year before consuming. Drink 2022-2041- 94

2018 Avennia ‘Valery’ Red Wine- Inspired by the great wines of the Right Bank of Bordeaux, this outstanding wine blends 89% Boushey Vineyard Merlot, and 11% Champoux Vineyard Cabernet Franc which is a downright steal at only 50 dollars. Damp earth and ripe red currant aromatics are woven together with tobacco leaf, and coffee grounds on the nose. The palate is wonderfully revealing with its deep core of red and dark fruits with espresso and tar tones. This is thrilling stuff to enjoy even at the three year mark. Be sure to give this at least a two hour decant if enjoying in its youth. Drink 2022-2041- 95

Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling

Many of you might not know that we have the world’s largest producer of Riesling right in our backyard. Chateau Ste. Michelle produces millions of bottles of wine — a staggering 8 million bottles of Riesling a year — and the most remarkable part is the Riesling is very good. The oldest winery in Washington state, Chateau Ste. Michelle was originally founded as the American Wine Company, set on 87 acres that was once a rural farm. Many great Washington winemaking talents have come through Chateau Ste. Michellle, from Dan Wampfler to Jason Gorski. Chateau Ste. Michelle owns some of the state’s historic vineyards including the Cold Creek Vineyard which was founded in the 1970s. 

For many years Chateau Ste. Michelle has led by superstar winemaker, Bob Bertheau, who has crafted some beautiful red and white wines with his team. Newly minted winemaker Katie Nelson takes over this program and she has a wealth of experience as she was formerly with Charles Smith and served as Columbia Crest head winemaker.  

For this call we were joined with Ernie Loosen who is from famed Dr. Loosen winery in the Mosel Valley in Germany. Ernie was taking this call at nearly midnight his time but he shared the story about starting the Eroica project which was such an iconic move. I had the chance to try the new Riesling wines with he and David Rosenthal, Chateau Ste. Michelle white winemaker and they both reveled in this tasting experience. I adored the 2018 

Chateau Ste. Michelle ‘Eroica’ Riesling (OB, 93) which showed brilliantly and has a richer texture than the 2017 bottling but is every bit as good. I tasted an extremely rare wine which is the best dessert wine that I have tried from the Pacific Northwest in the past year. The 2011 Chateau Ste. Michelle ‘Single Berry Select’ Dessert Wine (OB, 99) flirts with perfection in its unctuous goodness. This is a heavyweight that is sure to delight any serious collector of dessert wine. Learn more about these fantastic new wines at https://www.ste-michelle.com Here are the recent Riesling releases by Chateau Ste. Michelle. 

2018 Chateau Ste. Michelle ‘Eroica’ Riesling- The 2018 Chateau Ste. Michelle ‘Eroica’ Riesling is an awesome new release that is on the bigger style for this brand. Made in the Kabinett style, the freshness and sense of texture is seriously good. Ripe mango, lemon rind and kiwi tones mingle with wet stone and shades of petrol on the palate. Gorgeous now, this will cellar well over the next seven plus years. Drink 2021-2028- 92

2016 Chateau Ste. Michelle ‘Eroica XLC’ Riesling- This big, GG style Riesling shows off a gorgeous sense of texture. Layers of mango and honey mingle with pink grapefruit and stony undertones on the palate. Showing off its soft texture, wait for a long and inviting finish at the end. Broad-shouldered and generous, this has some seriously good aging potential. Drink 2021-2035- 94

2014 Chateau Ste. Michelle ‘Eroica Gold’ Riesling- The 2014 ‘Eroica Gold’ Riesling is a spectacular wine from this warm vintage that is truly shining now at the seven year mark. On the nose this takes on honey and apricot tones with shoes of wet stone and damp earth. The palate is fresh and vibrant with great acidity and length. The viscosity impresses, as does the exceedingly long finish. This gorgeous wine has a long way to go in the cellar. Drink 2021-2038- 94

2016 Chateau Ste. Michelle ‘Eroica Ice Wine’ Riesling- The 2016 ‘Eroica Ice Wine’ is an exotic, beautifully textured wine that is utterly sensational at the six year mark. Honey and lemon creme brûlée tones mingle with lime zest and apricot jelly on this gorgeous bouquet. The palate is thick, viscous and impeccably textured and balanced. Layers of honey and candied ginger mingle with kumquat and shades of cardamom dusted shortbread on the palate. The length and sense of viscosity here is nothing short of spectacular. Drink 2021-2050- 97

2011 Chateau Ste. Michelle ‘Single Berry Select’ Riesling- The 2011 ‘Single Berry Select’ Riesling is an utterly breathtaking wine that is up there with the best wines I have tasted from Washington over the past year. Massively viscous and seamless throughout the drinking experience, this TBA style Riesling is utterly sensational now at the tend year mark. Ripe apricot and mango flavors combine with minerals, vanilla creme brulee, marzipan, bananas foster and shades of honey infused cantaloupe round out this absolutely scintillating wine. This is the gold standard for Pacific Northwest dessert wine. Drink 2021-2060- 99

Sbragia Family Vineyards

Ed Sbragia is one talented guy. I feel like I can still taste some of his Beringer ‘Private Reserve’ Chardonnays going back to the early 2000s. Speaking candidly with Tor Kenward a few weeks back, I think he had no idea what a colossal success Ed would be as a winemaker and how he would help transform Beringer into one of Napa’s premier producers of Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon in the 1990s. Ed started as Beringer winemaker back in 1976 and never looked back. I think you will love learning more about his story with my interview here:

It wasn’t until 2008 that he formed Sbragia Family Vineyards, using some of the top growing sites to craft a range of wines from Chardonnay to Zinfandel and Cabernet. Ed trained his son Adam to learn his winemaking style, as Adam is now second generation Sbragia winemaker. I was massively impressed with the new release wines across the board. The 2015 Sbragia Family Vineyards ‘Limited Release’ Chardonnay (OB, 94) is a downright awesome wine that is beautifully textured and has sensational aromatic and flavor range. I adored the 2015 Sbragia Family Vineyards ‘Godspeed’ Cabernet Sauvignon (OB, 93) which has plenty of muscle with good restraint and a great sense of place. Learn more about these outstanding wines at sbragia.com Here are the fantastic new release wines by Sbragia Family Vineyards. 

2019 Sbragia Family Vineyards ‘Russian River Valley’ Chardonnay- This fresh, yet beautifully textured Chardonnay shows ripe pear and vanilla cream flavors with minerals and earthy tones. Delightful and well-balanced, enjoy this outstanding new wine over the next five to seven years. Drink 2021-2026- 91

2015 Sbragia Family Vineyards ‘Limited Release’ Chardonnay- Glorious now at the six year mark, the sinfully good 2015 Sbragia Family Vineyards ‘Limited Release’ Chardonnay is a barrel select wine made by one of the great Chardonnay winemakers, Ed Sbragia. Really needing some air before consuming, after an hour in the decanter this shows off macadamia nut and creme brûlée tones alongside ripe banana and mango, delivering plenty of exotic appeal. The palate is soft, round and generous with a seamless texture. Layers of buttercream and baking spice dusted shortbread collide with minerals, roasted pineapple and smoky undertones. Utterly sensational to savor now, this still has another eight to ten years of life ahead of it. Drink 2021-2028- 94

2016 Sbragia Family Vineyards ‘Limited Release’ Chardonnay- The sensational 2016 Sbragia Family Vineyards ‘Limited Release’ Chardonnay is really shining brightly now at the five year mark. Seamless on the mid-palate, this delivers plenty of ripe orchard fruits with honeydew melon, ripe banana, pineapple upside-down cake and shades of cardamom infused bread pudding. This gives you a weightless experience mid-palate. Enjoy this beautiful wine over the next five years. Drink 2021-2026- 93 

2017 Home Field Red Wine- The 2017 Home Field Red Wine is entirely sourced from the Dry Creek Valley and combines Zinfandel (57%) with 32% Cabernet Sauvignon and just a splash of Merlot, Carignan and Petite Sirah. The noes takes on good bramble tones alongside wild strawberry and red cherry with chocolate tones. The palate is fresh and beautifully textured, showing a good core of dark fruits alongside tilled soils and milk chocolate. Delicious to consume now, this has at least another eight years to go. What a killer value here! Drink 2021-2029- 91

2017 Sbragia Family Vineyards ‘Gino’s’ Zinfandel- Smoky and gunmetal tones combine with ripe red raspberry and red cherry on this fantastic nose. The palate is fresh and vibrant with a lovely air of salinity. Showing good poise and weight, the 2017 ‘Gino’s’ delivers plenty of ripe red fruit with firm tannins and great acidity holding everything in place. This is delicious, refined Zinfandel to consume now. Drink 2021-2028- 92

2017 Sbragia Family Vineyards ‘La Promessa’ Zinfandel- Sourced from this site in the Dry Creek Valley, the ‘La Pormessa’ opens with dried herbs and wild blackberry cobbler alongside chocolate undertones that take shape in the glass. The palate is refined with good texture and length. Layers of red and dark fruits march on with minerals, tobacco leaf and shades of Mandarin orange rind. Drink 2021-2029- 92

2017 Sbragia Family Vineyards ‘Nonno’s Reserve’ Zinfandel- The gorgeous 2017 ‘Nonno’s Reserve’ shows off layers of ripe red cherry, orange peel and fresh sage that meld in the glass. The palate is delicious and full-bodied with bright acidity and a wonderful core of red and dark fruits. Gorgeous to savor now, this outstanding effort will cellar well over the next decade. Drink 2021-2031- 93

2015 Sbragia Family Vineyards ‘Godspeed’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2015 ‘Godspeed’ Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced from the Mt. Veeder AVA. Owned by Larry Stricker, this high elevation site is set at 1500 feet. Ripe red mountain berries really impress on the nose with tobacco and coffee ground tones rounding out this beautiful bouquet. The palate is fresh and elegant with a great sense of mouthfeel. This wine delivers plenty of red and dark fruits but shows good restraint with bright acidity and firm tannins. Refined and elegant, the 2015 ‘Godspeed’ will cellar well over the next fifteen plus years. Drink 2021-2036- 93

2015 Sbragia Family Vineyards ‘Neal Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The Neal Vineyard is located on Howell Mountain, as this delivers menthol and black currants alongside Turkish coffee and blackberry cobbler tones that sing in unison. The palate has a great core of dark fruits with espresso bean and blueberry compote tones, alongside shades of leather and pipe tobacco. Delightful to savor now, this has a long way to go in the cellar. Drink 2021-2036- 93

Latta Wines

A man with some great pedigree, Andrew Latta is a fun-loving winemaker with a great SoDo roof. At Charles Smith Andrew Latta had an incredible wine education, as he helped craft some of the best wines made in Washington. Andrew Latta has now been applying his craft for many years. Originally from Kentucky, Latta learned about wine through fine dining jobs in the Cincinnati area. Before being hired by Charles Smith, Latta completed the enology and viticulture program at Walla Walla Community College and worked for Dunham Cellars, under eminent winemaker Eric Dunham. In 2011 Latta Wines was born. 

I recently chatted with Andrew about his wines. He has some incredible terroir-driven red and white wines. I love that he is a champion for Roussanne. I adored his 2017 Latta Wines ‘Lawrence Vineyard’ Roussanne (OB, 93) which is seamless and soft, showing seriously good range. Just as good was the 2017 Latta Wines ‘Upland Vineyard’ Grenache (OB, 94) which shows very pretty red fruits and a silky texture. Learn more about these great wines at lattawines.com Here are the great new releases by Latta Wines. 

2019 Kind Stranger Rose-This pale colored, highly novel Washington Rose shows off melon, kumquat and wet stones on the nose. The palate is vibrant and fresh with a great sense of acidity. Lighter in terms of delicate red fruit and citrus flavors, this would pair so brilliantly with Kushii oysters. Drink 2021-2025- 91

2018 Kind Stranger Chardonnay- The 2019 Kind Stranger Chardonnay shows a soft mouthfeel delivering starfruit, baking spices and shades of banana on the palate. Enjoy this outstanding value in its youth. Drink 2021-2025- 90

2019 Latta Wines ‘C-B’ Roussanne- C-B is made in a Savoie style that is truly unique. Sourced from this high elevation site, this serves as a striking contrast to the ‘Lawrence Vineyard’ Roussanne. Fermented in stainless steel,  this shows off pretty white peach and gooseberry tones with starfruit and great minerality. This has a great sense of texture. Drink 2021-2026- 91

2017 Latta Wines ‘Lawrence Vineyard’ Roussanne- Rich and layered, the 2017 Latta Wines ‘Lawrence Vineyard’ Roussanne is a sensational effort from this warm vintage in the Columbia Valley. Polished, with a great sense of mouthfeel, this delivers plenty of ripe starfruit and Pink Lady apple tones alongside baking spice infused Challah bread on the palate. The long finish lingers. This is serious stuff that will provide drinking enjoyment for a long time to come. Drink 2021-2028- 93

2018 Kind Stranger ‘Alter’ Red Wine- A blend of mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with smaller parts Malbec and intriguingly enough Grenache, this shows off good richness and mid-palate density with rich black fruits that parade with minerals and chocolate tones. This is singing now at the three year mark, so pop that screw cap open! Drink 2021-2026- 91

2018 Kind Stranger Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2018 Kind Stranger Cabernet Sauvignon revels in its core of blackberry and black cherry tones, showing tar and tobacco leaf flavors with a good sense of minerality. Tasty now, this has another eight years to go. Drink 2021-2029- 91

2017 Latta Wines ‘Upland Vineyard’ Grenache- Andrew Latta has been one of the great champions of Upland Vineyard Grenache for many years. This 2017 edition shows off really good aromatic range from red rose petals to orange rind and smoky undertones with a core of ripe red fruits. The palate is downright delicious and offers a silky texture. Ripe pomegranate, Yakima cherry and red raspberry flavors collide with minerals, damp earth and stony undertones. This is sensational stuff that has both weightlessness and verve. Drink 2021-2024- 94

2017 Latta Wines ‘Latta Latta’ Red WIne- This outstanding GSM style wine showcases a beautiful core of red fruits alongside tobacco leaf, orange zest, damp earth and smoky as well as stony undertones on the palate. Fresh and vibrant, as this glides throughout the drinking experience, this beautifully textured wine is really right at its peak now and will deliver draining enjoyment over the next eight plus years. Drink 2021-2028- 92

2017 Latta Wines ‘Upland Vineyard’ Mourvedre- This outstanding new Mourvedre shows off smoked brisket and bright red cherry tones alongside shades of Umami and charcuterie on this exotic bouquet. The palate is fresh, vibrant and beautifully textured. Silky tannins line the core of bright red fruits with orange rind and tar tones.  Delicious now, enjoy over the next decade. Drink 2021-2031- 92

2017 Latta Wines ‘Lawrence Vineyard’ Syrah- Sourced from this newly crowned Royal Slope AVA, the 2017 Latta Wines ‘Lawrence Vineyard’ Syrah opens with smoky and stony tones on the nose, with shades of iodine and bulls blood that offer plenty of intrigue. The palate is plush, novelty and utterly sensational in terms of texture and range. Red and dark fruits collide with smoked pork shoulder, blood orange zest, scorched earth and menthol tones. Quite simply, this Syrah screams terroir. Sensational to savor now, this has another eight to ten years ahead of it. Drink 2021-2029- 94

2017 Latta Wines ‘Dana Dibble’ Syrah- Sourced from the ‘Freewater Rocks Vineyard’ this Syrah shows off great aromatic range from red currants and Hoisin sauce to damp earth and stony undertones that all meld in the glass. The palate is vibrant with a brilliant purity of red fruit. Layered with a silky texture, with wonderful finesse, this outstanding wine will deliver drinking enjoyment for another eight plus years. Drink 2021-2029- 94

2017 Latta Wines ‘Gants de Suede’ Red Wine- A silky blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon with 32% Malbec all spruced from the ‘Lawrence Vineyard’ this reveals beautiful dark florals alongside cassis and leather tones that all take shape in the glass. The palate is fresh and beautifully textured. I love the terroir here with tilled soils and scorched earth, as the blackberry and coffee ground tones meld with suggestions of milk chocolate. Delightful to savor now, this has at least another decade to go. Drink 2021-2031- 92

2017 Latta Wines ‘Weinbau Vineyard’ Malbec- This outstanding Malbec by Andrew Latta shows off violets, blueberry compote and a dense layers of dark fruits alongside chocolate tones on the nose. The palate is refined and beautifully textured. Rich anise and creme de cassis tones mingle with creosote and dark chocolate shavings on the palate. Damp earthy tones add to the complexity here. Sensational now to enjoy, this has a long way to go. Drink 2021-2033- 93

Baer

Many years ago before I was writing professionally I would visit Baer on the weekends and taste. It was a winery producing some outstanding wines but at the time few people knew about this hidden gem in Woodinville. One of Washington’s great boutique wineries, Baer was founded in 2000 by Lance Baer. Lance was known for crafting exceptional red wines as many of his wines were met with critical acclaim. 

Erica Orr took over this program many years back and originally got her start in the wine industry back in 1998, working her first harvest with eminent winemaker Cathy Corison in the Napa Valley. She immediately caught the wine bug and enrolled in the enology master’s degree program at UC Davis where she completed her master’s degree in 2003. Erica also has a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from UC Berkeley and three years of research experience as a biochemistry lab technician for 2009 Nobel Laureate Dr. Elizabeth Blackburn at UC San Francisco. 

Her background in chemistry gives her a very precise, scientific winemaking style that I have noticed over the years. She has become one of the great winemakers in the state with her highly focused, Bordelaise style, carefully crating red wines from the famed Stillwater Creek Vineyard, that are built to age. 

I adored her 2017 Baer ‘Star’ Merlot (OB, 93) which shows a brilliant purity of fruit and good freshness. This has some great aging potential. Even better is their sensational 2017 Baer ‘Ursa’ Red Wine (OB, 94) which might be the best edition of this wine that I have tasted over the past fifteen years. Learn more about this great Woodinville winery at at baerwinery.com Here are the great new releases by Baer

2017 Baer ‘Star’ Merlot- Entirely sourced from the ‘Stillwater Creek Vineyard’ in the newly minted Royal Slope AVA. Ripe red currants and cocoa powder tones mingle with sage and smoke on this gorgeous nose. The palate is fresh and beautifully textured. Bright red cherry and roasted dates collide with coffee grounds and chocolate cake on the palate. Gorgeous in its youth, this has some great cellaring potential. Drink 2021-2035- 93

2017 Baer ‘Ursa’ Red Wine- A blend that changes each year, the 2017 edition is a melange of 46% Merlot with 42% Cabernet Franc and small parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot all sourced from the ‘Stillwater Creek Vineyard’. Once on the nose this takes on beautiful red florals that mingle with red cherry compote, mocha, tar and dried herbs. The palate is fresh and lively with a silky texture. The wonderful length compliments the beautifully pure red and dark fruits. This is quite simply up there with the best ‘Ursa’ wines that I have tasted over the past fifteen years, with its great sense of elegance, verve and weightless character. Sensational now, this will provide drinking enjoyment for the next fifteen plus years. Drink 2021-2035- 94

2017 Baer Cabernet Franc- The 2017 Baer Cabernet Franc is a gorgeous effort from this warm vintage in the Columbia Valley. Very silky and elegant once on the palate, the wine shows off red currants that mingle with smoke, sagebrush and chocolate tones. Delightful to savor in its youth, with good freshness and flavor density, this beautiful wine will cellar well for the next fifteen years or more. Drink 2021-2035- 93

2017 Baer ‘Arctos’ Red Wine- The 2017 ‘Arctos’ shows off rich dark currant aromas that mingle with espresso bean, blackberry compote and herbal undertones that all march in unison. The palate is fresh, vibrant and beautiful textured. The wine shows a very pretty purity of fruit, with a great acid backbone with firm tannins holding everything in place. Delicious with its dense core of dark fruit, coffee ground and dark chocolate tones, this outstanding new wine will cellar well for the next fifteen years — or more. Drink 2021-2036- 93

2017 Baer ‘Callisto’ Red Wine- Always one of the unique blends out of the Columbia Valley, the 2017 ‘Callisto’ combines 42% Syrah and 29% Cabernet Sauvignon with 29% Petit Verdot. The PV shines aromatically with its dill and green bell pepper tones, alongside chocolate and mocha. The palate is silky and elegant with great acidity and weight. Firm tannins hold in a great core of dark fruits with Turkish coffee, sagebrush and menthol tones on the palate. Seamless and soft, this is gorgeous in its youth and will cellar well for another decade or more. Drink 2021-2033- 93

2017 Baer Malbec- This single vineyard and single varietal bottling shows off violets with shades of white pepper, black cherry compote and milk chocolate on this beautiful bouquet. The palate is soft, round and generous with refined tannins. Rich dark fruits collide with minerals, smoke and shades of sagebrush on the palate. The length adds to the enjoyment. Drink 2021-2035- 93

Doubleback

While I know that I just wrote a Doubleback feature, I am simply compelled to write about these incredible new releases. Doubleback has evolved into one of the truly outstanding producers of red and white wines in the state. The storied project founded by NFL legend, Drew Bledsoe and his wife, Maura. Drew has circled back following his brilliant career. Originally from Walla Walla, he was a star at Walla Walla High School before his illustrious tenure at Washington State University. Drew has visions of starting his own winery for many years and going back to Walla Walla was the perfect choice for him. During his years in the NFL he continued to expand his palate, trying various wines of the world. But there was something special about wines from his home state, as he grew to love the balance of the wines of this region that weren’t old world but also weren’t Napa.

Drew returned to Walla Walla in 2007 to plant his estate vineyard, McQueen on the southern end of the Walla Walla Valley AVA. Doubleback was born in 2008 which would focus on estate fruit to create world class Cabernet Sauvignon from Walla Walla. Drew knew he needed a top class winemaker and connected with childhood friend and superstar winemaker, Chris Figgins, of Leonetti Cellar, who served as consulting winemaker until Josh McDaniels assumed the role in 2015. 

Josh is humble when talking about his successes. For my palate he is one of the finest winemakers in the Pacific Northwest. I adored his new Cabernet releases and his new 2019 Doubleback Chardonnay (OB, 95) is the finest Washington Chardonnay I have tasted in the past year. Think Kongsgaard meets Walla Walla. Decadent and rich with amazing layers and nuance, this has some seriously good aging potential. Learn more about these sensational new wines at http://www.doubleback.com/ Here are the gorgeous new 2021 spring release wines by Doubleback.

2019 Doubleback Chardonnay- I continue to be blown away with the quality of Chardonnay that Josh McDaniels delivers for Doubleback. Made in a very Kongsgaardesque style, this shows off ripe pineapple with creme brulee, banana and salted Macadamia nut aromas that all mingle in the glass. The palate is seamless showing off its silky texture. Ripe and plump on the mouth, this delivers gobs of orchard fruits with shades of roasted pineapple, vanilla creme brûlée and nutty undertones. This has some seriously good aging potential as this is one of the finest editions of Washington Chardonnay that I have tasted over the past decade. Exotic, and downright sensational to enjoy in its youth, enjoy this brilliant new wine over the next decade. Drink 2021-2029- 95

2019 Doubleback Merlot- The 2019 Doubleback Merlot is a resounding success from this somewhat challenging vintage. Right away you the heady aromas of tar and anise alongside black currants and cocoa powder that all mingle together in the glass. The palate shows a dense mouthfeel and really reveals itself after two hours in the decanter. Ripe blackberry and black cherry tones mingle with creosote and allspice flavors with sagebrush undertones. This has really good finesse. Gorgeous to enjoy now, this has another ten to fifteen years of life ahead of it. Drink 2021-2027- 94

Stoller

Today we share one of the outstanding producers in the Willamette Valley. Stoller founder, Bill Stoller, has a degree in business and economics from Pacific University, as well as an MBA from Portland State University. In 1983, Bill co-founded Express Employment Professionals, currently the largest privately-held staffing company in the world, with more than 800 offices in three countries. Additionally, in 2001, he founded Xenium, a human resources outsource company. This business success has enabled Bill to pursue his passion of wine and to contribute to his community. Bill's most prominent civic commitment was to his alma mater, as the former chair of the Pacific University Board of Trustees.

Bill acquired his Willamette Valley family property from his cousin in 1993, and saw the potential with the terroir in place. He planted 10 acres each of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in 1995 and the winery now spans vineyard is the largest contiguous vineyard in Oregon's Dundee Hills. The property spans 400 acres, with 225 acres focused on growing vines at elevations ranging from 220 to 640 feet. Ten varietals are planted in this vineyard, including Viognier, Pinot Meunier and even Aligote. 

I loved the new wines by Stoller who are now making some great bubbles. The 2017 Stoller ‘Larue’s’ Brut Rose (OB, 91) is fresh and vibrant with good astringency. I adored the 2018 Stoller ‘Reserve’ Pinot Noir (OB, 94) which is big and burly with seriously good range. Learn more about this outstanding Oregon winery at https://www.stollerfamilyestate.com Here are the beautiful new wines by Stoller. 

2017 Stoller ‘Larue’s’ Brut Rose- This pretty Rose sparkling wine shows white Rose petals and cranberry tones on the nose with shades of baking spices that all take shape in the glass. The palate shows a soft mouthfeel green melon and sour raspberry with shades of pink grapefruit water. Delightful to enjoy right now, this has another another decade to go. Drink 2021-2029- 91

2020 Stoller Rose- The 2020 Stoller Rose is an awesome new release. Right away the wine reveals watermelon and Pink Lady apple tones alongside orange blossom on this beautiful nose. The palate is fresh, vibrant and wonderfully textured. Very pretty red fruits dance with minerals, damp earth and orange rind tones. Drink 2021-2025- 91

2019 Stoller Pinot Noir- The 2019 Stoller Pinot Noir shows lighter red fruits with rose water a and a great earthy core on the palate that adds to the complexity. The length is really good in this outstanding value out of 2019. Drink 2021-2026- 90

2018 Stoller ‘Reserve’ Chardonnay- The 2018 Stoller ‘Reserve’ Chardonnay is a fantastic barrel selection wine that is showing already beautifully at the three year mark.  The nose shows hay and toasty brooch tones alongside lemon zest and marvelously salty undertones. The palate is soft and seamless, effortlessly gliding throughout the drinking experience. Fantastic and broad-shouldered now, this has at least another decade of life ahead of it. Drink 2021-2031- 93

2018 Stoller ‘Elsie’s’ Chardonnay- The 2018 ‘Elsie’s’ Chardonnay shows off toasty brioche tones with melon, wet stone and a whiff of salted hazelnut on this great nose. The palate shows a great mouthfeel and astringency with layers of salted orchard fruits, wet stone and nutty undertones. Fresh and vibrant, with good weight, this has a long way to go. Drink 2021-2031- 93

2018 Stoller ‘Reserve’ Pinot Noir- The 2018 Stoller ‘Reserve’ Pinot Noir is sourced from some of their older vines in their estate. The nose reveals black truffle shavings and exotic spices woven together with huckleberry and shades of blood orange zest that all meld in the glass. The palate is dense and chewy with a terrific mouthfeel and good sense of length. Dense dark fruits parade with minerals, smoke and peat moss tones. Inviting to savor in its youth, this has another fifteen years ahead of it. Drink 2021-2035- 94

2018 Stoller ‘Nancy’s’ Pinot Noir- The 2018 ‘Nancy’s’ is named after Bill Stoller’s sister,  who grew up with four male siblings.  The palate is heady and refined with a great combination of red and dark fruits with tobacco leaf and a bright sense of minerality. The viscosity here is really good, as this generous style of Oregon Pinot Noir will cellar well over the next fifteen years. Drink 2021-2035- 94

2018 Stoller ‘Helen’s’ Pinot Noir- The 2018 ‘Helen’s’ shows a whiff of smoke aromatically, alongside wild blackberry and Bing cherry tones with damp earthy accents. The palate shows vibrant acidity with a good sense of mouthfeel. Layers of bright red and dark fruits parade with Mandarin orange rind and wild mushroom on the palate. This has a long journey ahead of it. Drink 2021-2035- 93

Chateau de Sales

I love Bordeaux houses with illustrious histories. Many might not know that Chateau de Sales has the largest vineyard holdings in Pomerol. Even more remarkable is that Chateau de Sales has been in the same family ownership since 1464.The actual chateau was created in the early 1600’s, which was usual for Pomerol at the time. The winery has a 48 hectare vineyard which was planted to 73% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 12% Cabernet Franc. I’ll most certainly look forward to a visit to this historic house later this year.

The family history here is remarkable and big changes began in the 1980s. From 1982 to 2017 Bruno de Lambert led Chateau de Sales, taking over for his father, Henri, who had managed for nearly 40 years. In 2017, when their uncle and father retired, the 14 direct cousins and co-owners of Château de Sales rallied round to take over the estate, with their parents’ approval. They appointed one of their own, Marine Treppoz, to chair the new company. At the same time, they recruited a Chief Executive Officer, Vincent Montigaud, to manage it. Originally from Libourne, he spent 23 years with Baron Philippe de Rothschild, including 16 years as managing director of Domaine de Baronarques.

Last year I was very impressed with a magnum from the 2006 vintage that I enjoyed from my personal collection. The wine was quite youthful and was a glorious wine from a challenging vintage. The new 2018 Chateau de Sales (OB, 92) has some awesome aging potential and really shouldn’t be touched for a few years. This will show off a great core of dark fruits alongside the classic Pomerol earthy tones. Learn more about this storied house at https://www.chateau-de-sales.com Here is my review of the 2018 Chateau de Sales.

2018 Chateau de Sales Pomerol- The 2018 Chateau de Sales is a gorgeous effort from this vintage. A blend of 69% Merlot with the remainder near equal parts Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, right away the wet stony tones entice aromatically, with dark currants and cedar tones also rounding out the nose. The palate is fresh and vibrant with great acidity. Layers of rich dark fruits mingle with graphite, tobacco leaf and coffee ground flavors. This has really good lift and length, as it is best enjoyed after another two to three years of bottle age. Drink 2024-2040- 92

St. Innocent

I love Oregon wines that show great quality and value. For my palate, St. Innocent has been some of the best value wines that you will find out of the Willamette Valley. Founded by Oregon Wine Pioneer, Mark Vlossak, these wines have serious poise and finesse, with extra time in the barrel. Mark has a longstanding history in the Oregon wine industry as the first single vineyard Pinot Noir made by Mark dates back to 1989 from the O’Connor vineyard. In 2006 Mark set up his winery at that same site of his first single vineyard wine, which is now named the Zenith Vineyard. Mark’s Pinots typically have a wonderful combination of elegance and richness. I’ve been sampling these wines for more than ten years and have found them to be one of the most consistent producers of Pinot Noir in Oregon. His last years releases were exceptional and this set of wines were even better.

Mark also makes some of the best Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc in Oregon. I adored his 2017 St. Innocent ‘Freedom Hill Vineyard’ Pinot Blanc (OB, 94) which is rich and dense with a terrific mouthfeel and silky texture. This is new world Pinot Blanc at its finest. I loved his new 2017  St. Innocent ‘Freedom Hill Vineyard’ Pinot Noir (OB, 94) which shows insanely good terroir and a very polished texture. I could go on and on about these beautiful wines that are so reasonably priced. But check these wines out on your own — I think you will be massively impressed with  their overall quality. Learn more about these awesome wines at https://stinnocentwine.com Here are the great new releases by St. Innocent. 

2017 St. Innocent ‘Fredom Hill Vineyard’ Pinot Blanc- Consistently one of the great Pinot Blanc wines made in North America, this 2017 edition rivals anything I have tasted over the past year. The wine shows ripe peach and lychee tones alongside sweetened Pink Lady apple and smoky minerals on the palate. With a seamless texture and beautiful length, this stunning effort will cellar well over the next seven plus years. This is very Oregon meets Alsace. Drink 2021-2028- 94

2018 St. Innocent ‘Fredom Hill Vineyard’ Chardonnay- Sourced from Dijon clone 76 and 548 Chardonnay vines, this shows off salted orchard fruits alongside wet stone and smoky undertones on the nose. The palate is very soft and seamless with a wonderful sense of mouthfeel. Layers of pretty nectarine and Japanese pear mingle with minerals, brioche and wild mushroom on this complex palate. Drink 2021-2031- 93

2018 St. Innocent ‘Fredom Hill Vineyard, Cuvee Libertee’ Chardonnay- The 2017 ‘Cuvee Libertee’ is entirely Dijonal clone Chardonnay that was barrel selected from the ‘Freedom Hill Vineyard.’ Baking spice infused Challah bread and Meyer lemon zest mingle with earthy and salty undertones on the nose. The palate is exceedingly refined with wonderful length and poise. There is an incredible sense of elegance here that lands this with the elite out of the Willamette Valley as rich orchard fruits parade with minerals, Macadamia nut and stony/salty terroir. Finishing exceedingly long, this has a very long life ahead of it. Drink 2021-2035- 95

2017 St. Innocent ‘Freedom Hill Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- Located in the foothills of the Coast Range, roughly ten miles from Salem, this wine utilizes Wadenswil and Pommard clonal plantings from 2004, as well as Dijon 777 clone from 2008. Salty and savory red fruits greet you aromatically with orange rind and peat moss tones. The palate is soft and beautifully textured. Rich red fruits parade with minerals seamlessly throughout. A complete masterpiece, this beautiful wine will provide drinking enjoyment for at least another ten years. Drink 2021-2035- 94

2017 St. Innocent ‘Temperance Hill Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The ‘Temperance Hill Vineyard’ is located in the Eola-Amity Hills AVA, roughly ten miles from Salem. Mark Vlossak utilizes Pinot Noir plantings from the early 1980s in this outstanding wine. The dusting of volcanic earth entices alongside leather, peat moss and shades of blood orange zest on this evocative bouquet. The palate is soft and elegant with a silky mouthfeel. Bright red fruits drive this wine with orange rind and shades of forest floor also making their mark. This elegant Pinot Noir is great to consume now but will cellar well for another ten to fifteen years.  Drink 2021-2035- 93

2017 St. Innocent ‘Momtazi Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The famed ‘Momtazi Vineyard’ is farmed by Mo Momtazi, and was first planted more than 20 years ago. The vineyard utilizes a combination of volcanic and marine sedimentary soils, as this brilliant new 2017 Pinot Noir showcases lovely wet volcanic rocky tones on the palate, alongside guava, cran-orange and pomegranate seed flavors. Delightful in its youth, this has a long way to go in the cellar. Drink 2021-2035- 94

2017 St. Innocent ‘Zenith Hill Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The ‘Zenith Vineyard’ is the estate vineyard for St. Innocent and was planted more than a decade ago, as this wine utilizes four different Pinot Noir clones. Shades of charcuterie and peat moss fill the nose, alongside a great core of bright red fruits. The palate combines rich red and dark fruits with tobacco, peat moss and salty undertones. This is seriously good stuff that finishes exceedingly long. Drink 2021-2035- 94

2017 St. Innocent ‘Fredom Hill Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The ‘Justice Vineyard’ is set high atop a hill in the Eola-Amity Hills AVA. The wine saw sixteen months of 21% new French oak prior to bottling. Suggestions of black truffle shavings and pine needles are woven together with wild blackberry and black cherry on the nose. The palate is soft and beautifully textured with outstanding length. The seamless expression of Pinot Noir is apparent here. Gorgeous to savor now in its youth, this has at least another ten years ahead of it. Drink 2021-2035- 94

2017 St. Innocent ‘Shea Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- One of the famed sites in the Willamette Valley. For Pinot Noir, the ‘Shea Vineyard’ is set in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA set on shallow marine sedimentary soils. The palate is fresh and lively with a great sense of salinity. Delicate guava, red cherry and cranberry tones mingle with white truffle, blood orange zest and damp earthy undertones. A delight to savor now, this has at least another decade to go.  Drink 2021-2035- 94

Lagana Cellars

I love the consistent talent that has been through Walla Walla Community College’s enology and viticulture program. Jason Fox founded Lagana back in 2013. The winery now sources from some great vineyards including Sagemoor, Eritage and Seven Hills vineyards. I have enjoyed hanging out with Jason and talking wine. Humble and conscientious, he is gaining experience and precision at his craft. Jason now partners with Todd Bernave in Lagana Cellars winemaking as Todd had a career in fine art for fifteen years prior to getting into winemaking.

They both have done a really good job with crafting mineral-driven white wines and I thoroughly enjoyed the 2018 Lagana Cellars ‘Eritage Vineyard’ Chardonnay (OB, 90) which has good finesse and a great sense of minerality. Even better was his 2018 Nox Perpetua Carmenere (OB, 91) which is gorgeous for the varietal showing good typicity and a sense of weight, alongside the veil of tension imparted. These guys have a bright future ahead. Learn more about these wines at http://www.laganacellars.com Here are the new wine releases by Lagana Cellars. 

2020 Lagana Cellars ‘Columbia Valley’ Sauvignon Blanc- The 2020 ‘Columbia Valley’ Sauvingnon Blanc shows lemongrass and kiwi tones aromatically with shades of wet stone. The palate is bright with plenty of mouth-watering acidity. Lighter pear and white grapefruit flavors mingle with suggestions of starfruit and damp earth on the palate. Drink 2021-2025- 89

2018 Lagana Cellars ‘Eritage Vineyard’ Chardonnay- The 2018 ‘Eritage Vineyard’ Chardonnay shows nice bright pear and lemon zest tones with plenty of minerals and an inviting texture. Enjoy in the short-term while the good sense of freshness remains. Drink 2021-2025- 90

2020 Lagana Cellars Rose- Brightly colored in the glass, this great new effort reveals a soft texture and plenty of nuance. Layers of watermelon and orange starburst candy mingle with shades of Yakima cherry and wet rocky soils on the palate. The great finish adds to the enjoyment. Drink 2021-2025- 90

2018 Lagana ‘Breezy Slope Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The 2018 ‘Breezy Slope Vineyard’ Pinot Noir opens with lovely teaberry and damp earth tones alongside red raspberry and red cherry. The palate is juicy and quite literally jam-packed with flavor and novelty. Damp soil and Bing cherry tones collide with minerals and smoky undertones on the palate. This is seriously good stuff that shows off its terroir. Drink 2021-2028- 91

2018 Lagana ‘Eritage Vineyard’ Malbec- A glass-staining purple, the 2018 ‘Eritage Vineyard’ Malbec opens with black tea, violets and black pepper tones on the nose. The palate is fresh and nicely textured, showing good mid-palate ripeness and flavor density. A great core of dark fruits greet you with shades of blueberry compote, tar and a dusting of white pepper. Fantastic now, enjoy this great wine over the next eight to ten years. Drink 2021-2029- 91

2018 Nox Eternelle Carmenere- Entirely sourced from the famed ‘Seven Hills Vineyard’ this Carmenere reveals classic green bell pepper and green peppercorns aromatically alongside a good core of dark fruits. The palate is fresh and vibrant with good acidity and rich dark fruits that parade with chocolate cake, espresso bean and nice herbal undertones. Drink 2021-2029- 91

Big Table Farm

For years I have been gushing about one of the famed producers in Oregon, Big Table Farm. They’ve certainly have amassed a massive amount of accolades over the past decade and continue to impress vintage after vintage. Founded by two of the great people in Oregon Wine, Big Table Farm is the brainchild of Clare Carver and Brian Marcy.  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.  Years ago I admired the wines he was crafting at Neyers and I even recently had the chance to try one of his older wines, a Chardonnay that was more than a decade old but was still holding well!

I adored the new releases were stunning across the board. I absolutely loved the new 2019 Big Table Farm ‘Willamette Valley’ Pinot Noir (OB, 93) which is silky and elegant with a seamless texture. This wine screams value. I was blown away with the 2019 Big Table Farm ‘Pelos Sandberg Vineyard’ Pinot Noir (OB, 94) which shows a downright luscious mouthfeel and has seriously good range, giving this wine an exotic edge. 2019 certainly wasn’t the easiest of vintages to make Oregon Pinot Noir but this is a prime example of what a brilliant winemaker can do in even challenging vintages. Learn more about Big Table Farm at http://www.bigtablefarm.com/ Here are the fantastic new release wines by Big Table Farm.

2018 Big Table Farm ‘The Wild Bee’ Chardonnay- Sourced from a host of Willamette Valley vineyards, this shows straw with wild mushroom and vanilla cream tones alongside bright pear and starfruit on the nose. The palate is beautifully textured with a great sense of minerality. Baking spiced Challah bread and banana tones mingle with honeydew melon on the palate with wet stone accents. Seriously good now, this will continue to evolve well over the next decade. Drink 2021-2029- 93

2019 Big Table Farm ‘Willamette Valley’ Pinot Noir- Enchanting and downright delicious, the 2019 ‘Willamette Valley’ Pinot Noir shows off a downright sexy core of red fruits that march on with red rose petals and leather undertones on this outstanding bouquet. The palate is fresh and wonderfully textured. Layers of red currants and red cherry candy mingle with minerals, damp earth and shades of exotic spices on the palate.  Gorgeous now, this has at least a decade of life ahead of it. Drink 2021-2031-93

2019 Big Table  Farm ‘Pelos Sandberg Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- Located in the the Eola-Amity Hills AVA,  the ‘Pelos Sandberg Vineyard’ is farmed by Don Sandberg. Juicy guava and orange rind tones mingle with shades of cardamom and fresh red florals on this beautiful bouquet. The palate shows a great sense of weight and length with a serious veil of tension. Ripe red cherry and cran-pomegranate tones collide with minerals, smoke and earthy undertones. Gratifying an refined, this has a long way to go in the cellar. Drink 2021-2035- 94

2018 Big Table Farm ‘Funk Estate Vineyard’ Syrah- Sourced from this esteemed site in the Walla Walla Rocks AVA, the ‘Funk Estate Vineyard’ is owned by Richard and Anita Funk. Right away the stony tones entice aromatically, alongside boysenberry preserves, Umami and green peppercorns that all take shape in the glass. The palate is fresh and beautifully textured. Black raspberry and Kalmata olives mingle with minerals, blood orange zest, smoke and menthol tones on the palate. Outstanding to savor now,  this has another eight to ten years in front of it. Drink 2021-2029-  94

Jaine

A new wine project for Matthews Winery, Jaine focuses on high quality white wines and Rose from some of the great vineyard sites in Washington State. They craft their Chardonnay from Connor Lee Vineyard and use other exciting sites like the Thunderstone Vineyard. They also have a new tasting room which was formerly used by DeLille Cellars in central Woodinville is an awesome spot to sip their wines.

I was excited with what I tasted from this new brand. I was particularly impressed with the new 2019 Jaine Rose (OB, 91) which is a terrific effort from the talented Aryn Morell. The pretty red fruits here work marvelously. Learn more about this great new project winery at https://jaine.co/ and here are my reviews of the great new wines by Jaine. 

2019 Jaine Sauvignon Blanc-  Sourced from the Columbia Valley, this shows lemon blossom tones alongside honeydew melon and shades of kiwi on the nose. The palate is soft and beautifully textured offering loads of bright acidity and citrus fruits. The finesse and sense of mouthfeel is really nice. Drink 2021-2025- 91

2019 Jaine Chardonnay-  Sourced from the esteemed ‘Connor Lee Vineyard’ the 2019 Jaine Chardonnay shows light pear and green apple tones alongside minerals and earthy undertones on the palate. Entirely aged in stainless steel, enjoy over the next several years. Drink 2021-2025- 90

2019 Jaine Rose- The 2019 Jaine Rose is sourced from the Thunderstone Vineyard. Entirely made from Grenache, this shows pretty orange blossom and red rose water aromatics with melon and wet stone undertones on the nose. The palate is soft and very pretty in the fruit quality it delivers. Layers of guava, red cherry and pomegranate all combine with shades of cantaloupe, with an underlying mineral presence. This is just brilliant stuff by Aryn Morell. Drink 2021-2026- 91

SUNU

One of the exciting new Oregon Pinot Noir houses, SUNU was created by Betz Family Wines and their love for Oregon wines. I was quite exited about this project when I first heard about it, as SUNU not only solely produces Pinot Noir but makes their Pinots from one region, utilizing vineyards throughout the Yamhill-Carlton AVA. SUNU refers to the French statement which means emphasis on vineyard as the primary engine of wine quality and character, “Sous Nous,” which means “under us.”  Louis Skinner of Betz fame crafts his wines from some outstanding vineyards in the Willamette Valley including two wines from the famed Shea Vineyard. Each site has its individual expression of Pinot Noir. Unabashedly a Burgundy lover, I  know how passionate Louis is with these wines.  Considering that he has not made Pinot Noir very long, I am really impressed what he can do with this varietal.

I am slowly starting to taste through the 2019 Oregon Pinot Noirs and no doubt wines made from this vintage will vary considerably, due to the difficult harvest conditions. The 2019 SUNU wines are well-structured and lighter than the 2018s but are extremely well-made and delicious across the board. The 2019 SUNU ‘Willamette Valley’ Pinot Noir (OB, 91) has a terrific sense of texture and mouthfeel. Even better was their 2019 SUNU ‘Shea Vineyard East Hill’ Pinot Noir (OB, 93) which showed a great dark fruit profile and beautiful finesse. Bravo to the winemaking team with creating such a great range of Oregon Pinot Noirs from this challenging vintage. Learn more about this exciting new Oregon project at https://www.sunuwines.com Here are the beautiful new Pinot Noir wines by SUNU.

2019 SUNU ‘Willamette Valley’ Pinot Noir- This shows good finesse with bright red fruits that dance with minerals, smoke and damp earth tones. Soft on the mouth, enjoy this excellent effort over the next five to seven years. Drink 2021-2028- 91

2019 SUNU ‘Lonesome Rock’ Pinot Noir- The 2019 ‘Lonesome Rock’ Pinot Noir shows off pretty saline drenched red fruits with tobacco leaf and leather, alongside shades of citrus rind aromatically. The palate is fresh and finesse driven, with light to medium-bodied red fruits, giving this a pretty profile, with shades of orange water and damp earth. Drink 2021-2029- 92

2019 SUNU ‘Lazy River’ Pinot Noir- The 2019 ‘Lazy River’ Pinot Noir impresses with its great core of red fruits and salty tones on the palate. The red floral tones add to the enjoyment. Medium-bodied, with good length, and a soft texture, this has some good cellaring potential. Drink 2021-2029- 92

2019 SUNU ‘Matteri’ Pinot Noir- The 2019 ‘Matteri’ Pinot Noir is cut from a different cloth, showing more dark fruits than red fruits, with boysenberry and even huckleberry aromatics, alongside pine needle undertones. The palate is very silky, showing ai great sense of mouthfeel. This comes off slightly more gratifying than the other bottlings, with ripe red and dark fruits, showing a nice air of salinity and forest floor tones. This is very refined stuff that will cellar well over the next decade. Drink 2021-2031- 93

2019 SUNU ‘Saffron Fields’ Pinot Noir- A relatively new site set on marine sedimentary soils, this ‘Saffron Fields Vineyard’ Pinot Noir evokes ripe cranberry and teaberry tones alongside salted meats and peat moss tones that all meld in the glass. The palate reveals ripe red cherry and red raspberry with lighter herbal and damp earth tones, as the wine finishes with good length. Drink 2021-2029- 92

2019 SUNU ‘Shea Vineyard West’ Pinot Noir- Sourced from the famed ‘Shea Vineyard’ this wine shows off very pretty red florals with exotic spices, Bing cherry and damp, salty earth aromatics. The palate is very fresh and gratifying with its seamless texture. Layers of cran-pomegranate, blood orange rind, tobacco and damp earth all wonderfully combine on the palate. Drink 2021-2031- 93

2019 SUNU ‘Shea Vineyard East’ Pinot Noir- I love the 2019 SUNU ‘Shea Vineyard East’ Pinot Noir. The black fruit profile on the palate and bouquet really impress, as this wine has a good feeling of poise and weight. Wild blackberry and huckleberry tones combine with smoky minerals, damp earth and even shades of menthol. Beautifully textured, this outstanding new wine will cellar well for at least another decade. Drink 2021-2031- 93

Structure Cellars

As we continue on Washington Wine Month we bring you one of the SoDo spots I’ve loved tasting at for years. Some seriously good value-driven wines, Structure Cellars focuses their program on high quality red wine that won’t damage your pocketbook. At the helm is Brian Grasso, a former sommelier that trained under Washington wine legend Chris Sparkman of Sparkman Cellars before starting his own winery. Brian is a really easy-going, down to earth guy. He’s passionate and dedicated to making high quality, good value wines. He and his wife have also curated a really cool sparkling wine bar called Love Beats Pagne (https://www.lovebeatspagne.com)

Stop in to Structure Cellars and you will no doubt see Brian tasting people through their lineup, with 90s hip hop playing in the background. A lot of heads will be bopping. The new wines were outstanding across the board. A killer value is his 2018 Structure Cellars ‘Foundation’ Red Wine (OB, 91) which is fresh and shows a nice range, blending Cabernet Franc and Mouvedre. I adored his 2018 Structure Cellars ‘Stillwater Creek Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon (OB, 93) which has gorgeous finesse and really nice dark fruit and non fruit tones. Learn more about these excellent wines at structurecellars.com Here are the great new wines by Structure Cellars.

2018 Structure Cellars ‘Foundation’ Red Wine- This blend comprised of Cabernet Franc (66%) and Mourvedre (34%) shows a soft. Mouthfeel with lighter herbal tones that mingle with milk chocolate, dried herbs and dark cherry syrup on the palate. Medium-bodied and delicious to savor now,  I could see this pairing magically with rack of lamb. Drink 2021-2028- 91

2018 Structure Cellars ‘Red Willow Vineyard’ Cabernet Franc- Sourced from this famed site in the Yakima Valley, pretty red florals and red currants with shades of tobacco leaf all mark the nose. The palate is fresh and vibrant with great acidity. Layers of red fruits dance with minerals, sagebrush and shades of yellow bell pepper on the palate. Tightly wound now, give this at least an hour of air if enjoying in its youth. Drink 2021-2031- 92

2018 Structure Cellars ‘Boushey Vineyard’ Cabernet Franc- Even more fragrant than the ‘Red Willow Vineyard’ bottling, the 2018 ‘Boushey Vineyard’ Cabernet Franc has a gorgeous range of red and dark florals, with cassis and blackberry compote tones all marking the nose. The palate has a lovely freshness and great finesse. This finishes very long with bright red fruits and minerals. Be sure to give this a two hour decant if enjoying now. Drink 2021-2031- 92

2018 Structure Cellars ‘Stillwater Creek Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon- For many years the ‘Stillwater Creek Vineyard’ has  been one of the unique  parcels of land that grows everything from fresh and vibrant Chardonnay to inky Syrah.  Anise, dark currant jelly and tar tones all combine brilliantly on the nose. The palate is restrained but very refined with firm tannins holding a great core of espresso bean, black fruits and tar flavors together. Try to resist this beautiful wine for another. year. Drink 2022-2033- 93

2018 Structure Cellars ‘Wallula Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon- I adore this new wine made by the talented Brian Grasso that has great freshness and mid-palate ripeness. Creme de cassis and a light dusting of salinity mingle with tar and sweet pipe tobacco tones on the palate. The finesse is really nice, as is the length, as this outstanding 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon will cellar well for at least another decade. Try giving this a two hour decant if enjoying now. Drink 2021-2033- 93

2018 Structure Cellars ‘Triomphe’ Mourvedre- The 2018 ‘Triomphe’ is 100% Mourvedre sourced from the Upland Vineyard. The smoky and rich dark fruit tones make this exceedingly easy to savor even in its youth, as salted bacon, green olives and leather tones add to the enjoyment. With a good sense of mouthfeel, this finesse-driven Mourvedre is best enjoyed over the next eight to ten years. Drink 2021-2029- 92

2018 Structure Cellars ‘Wallula Vineyard’ Syrah- This awesome and inky Syrah shows Smoked brisket with black olive tapenade and wild blackberry preserves on the nose. The palate is plush and very saturated with great mouth-watering acidity. Layers of ripe dark fruits collide with creosote, smoked pork shoulder and shades of salty damp earth all add to the enjoyment. Drink 2021-2029- 93

2018 Structure Cellars ‘Red Willow Vineyard’ Syrah- One of the iconic spots for Washington Syrah, I very fondly recall David Lake Red Willow bottling from the late 90s. This terrific rendition shows very good range on the palate from blood orange and summer sausage to iodine and black currants on the palate. Still a bit tightly wound, be sure to give this lots of air if enjoying now. Drink 2021-2029- 92