W.T. Vintners

I love tasting with Jeff Lindsay-Thorsen. A wealth of knowledge and boasting some very extensive wine and wine service experience, I always know what I am going to get when speaking with him. For years I have loved these wines and purchased many for my personal collection. The wines that he makes are not surprisingly very somm-friendly with most serving as killer foils for a range of foods. Over the years the wines have gotten better and better, as the current releases show the highest degree of consistency that I can remember from this lineup. The wines are precise with a beginning, middle and an end. 

It is hard to believe that Jeff Lindsay-Thorsen co-founded W.T. Vintners back in 2007. An advanced sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers, Jeff also serves as wine director at what was one of Seattle’s finest restaurants, RN74. For years I have leaned on his vast wine knowledge while dining there, always looking to try new ideas from obscure regions from across the globe.

Jeff’s winemaking style tends to be non-interventional, as he sources from some of the great vineyards in Washington including the Boushey Vineyard and the Stoney Vine Vineyard. I adored his new 2018 W.T. Vintners ‘Stoney Vine Vineyard’ Syrah (OB, 94) which is fresh, vibrant and has gobs of Rocks character. Nearly as good was the 2018 W.T. Vintners ‘Boushey Vineyard’ Syrah (OB, 93) whic his silky, earthy and highly refined. Learn more about these beautiful new wines at http://www.wtvintners.com Here are the great pre-release new wines by W.T. Vintners.

2018 W.T. Vintners ‘Seven Springs Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The 2018 W.T. Vintners ‘Seven Springs Vineyard’ Pinot Noir underwent a 25% whole cluster fermentation before bottling. This was aged in less than 10% new oak as this reveals ripe red cherry tones that mingle with orange blossom, red florals and red currants all dazzle together on the nose. The palate is fleshy and fresh with a great veil of tension. Sour cherry and pomegranate seed flavors meld with salty earth with blood orange zest and shades of wild mushroom all angle on the palate. This is just sensational now and will provide drinking enjoyment for another decade or more. Drink 2021-2033- 93

2018 W.T. Vintners ‘Stoney Vine Vineyard’ Syrah- Picked early and weighing in at only 12.1% alcohol, this shows gorgeous crushed wet rock aromas on the nose with green olives and smoked brisket on this outstanding nose. The palate is very refined with a silky mouthfeel and a fantastic beam of minerality. The Umami character her is fantastic with seaweed and soy sauce that mingle with venison, iron and blood orange zest. The sense of salinity here is outstanding, as this beautiful wine will cellar well for the next eight plus years. Drink 2021-2029- 94

2018 W.T. Vintners ‘Grand Cote’ Syrah- The 2018 ‘Grand Cote’ is sourced from a vineyard roughly two miles of Dick Boushey’s house from Phelps Clone Syrah planted back in 1993. The vineyard is set on loamy soils. Ripe dark currants combine with black pepper, cigar ash and creosote tones that all take shape in the glass. The palate is deep and bold with great fruit weight and concentration. Marionberry pie and Earl Grey tea and dark currants combine with tilled soils and violets on the palate. The wine is refined and bold yet has a very pretty character. Drink 2021-2031- 93

2018 W.T. Vintners ‘Boushey Vineyard’ Mourvedre- This underwent 75% whole cluster fermentation as the wine saw a longer maceration period. The smoky tones are fantastic as white pepper and brisket tones mingle with blackberry compote and creosote tones on the nose. The palate is fresh and vibrant with great acidity. Layers of wild blackberry and teaberry combine with orange rind, smoked Kielbasa and green peppercorns and stony undertones all deftly combine on the palate. Gorgeous now, this has another decade of life ahead of it. Drink 2021-2031- 93

2018 W.T. Vintners ‘Columbia Valley’ Syrah- This has just a touch of Mourvedre and Grenache blended in. The wine opens with smoked meats dusted with white pepper, alongside violets and black tea. The palate is salty and savory with good freshness. At a mere 25 bucks, this is a steal. Drink 2021-2026- 92

TOR Chardonnay

Tor Kenward knows his Chardonnay. One of the architects of Beringer’s famed ‘Private Reserve’ Chardonnay, I had the great chance to chat about him during my Instagram Live with him a month back (https://www.instagram.com/tv/CLsZUPbld8M/). For years I have admired Tor and his accomplishments. He has been making some killer Chardonnay for years and I have adored his ‘Carneros’ bottlings. He is making some incredible single vineyard Chardonnay wines as well, sourced from the ‘Beresini’ and ‘Hyde’ Vineyards. 

Tor has crafted some of the best Chardonnays in North America here. I adored the 2019 TOR ‘Cuvee Torchiana’ Chardonnay (OB, 97) which is one of the top new world Chardonnay bottlings I have had over the past year. This is reminiscent of a top Mersault. Silky smooth throughout the drinking experience with insanely good texture, finesse and range, this beautiful wine will cellar well for at least another decade. Learn more about these beautiful wines at https://torwines.com Here are the exceptional 2019 Chardonnay releases by TOR. 

2019 TOR ‘Cuvee Torchiana’ Chardonnay- The ‘Cuvee Torchiana’ is a barrel selection wine sourced from the thirty year old Beresini Vineyard. This wine is a homage to Tor’s mother and saw sixteen months in French oak prior to bottling. Golden once in the glass, the Chardonnay shows incredible aromatic complexity from salted melon fruits to lemon zest and baking spices, alongside suggestions of bergamot that all dance in unison. The palate is seamless and beautifully textured, reminiscent of a top Mersault. Layers of buttercream and Meyer lemon zest infused French bread combine with ripe banana and pineapple on the palate, giving this quite an exotic edge. Utterly sensational in its youth, this is up there with the best California Chardonnays I have savored in the past year. Drink 2021-2035- 97

2019 TOR ‘Cuvee Susan’ Chardonnay- Tor Kenward has crafted his ‘Cuvee Susan’ from the famed ‘Hyde Vineyard’ in the Carneros AVA. This barrel select wine opens with salted Macadamia nut aromatics that mingle with ripe pear and vanilla creme brûlée tones that all meld in the glass. The palate is soft, silky and beautifully textured. Layers of ginger, ripe pineapple, bananas foster and vanilla cream flavors all marvelously combine with wonderful tension and a bright sense of minerality. Gorgeous in its youth, this will evolve well for more than a decade to come. Drink 2021-2035- 96

MTR Productions

Today we have a special feature for you today out of Walla Walla. Matt Reynvaan is a man needing no introduction. Sadly,  the last time I had a chance to visit with Matt was our 2020 Washington Wine Blog Critic’s Choice of Washington.  The MTR Productions is a very limited production wine sourced from their ‘In The Rocks Vineyard’ in the Walla Walla Rocks AVA and underwent serious barrel and bottle aging prior to release. 

The 2017 ‘Memory Found’ is the best wine that I have tasted out of this collection. It is a  100% Syrah wine from the warm 2017 vintage. They have made less than 150 cases of this glorious wine. The Syrah was aged in French oak and 600L oak puncheons and then saw 36 months of bottle age. I can’t believe the combination of flavor and aromatic range here, as well as mouthfeel. This is very soft, elegant wine that is truly one of a kind. This wine needs air to show its full potential, so I recommend that you uncork the wine, let it sit for an hour or two and then enjoy over several hours. Learn more about this beautiful wine at http://www.mtr-productions.com Here is my review of the 2017 MTR Productions 'Memory Found' Syrah. 

2017 MTR Productions ‘Memory Found’ Syrah- The 2017 ‘Memory Found’ Syrah is nothing short of a masterclass by superstar winemaker Matt Reynvaan. It is hard to believe that this wine is now in its sixth vintage, started off by the spectacular 2012 bottling. The nose is smoky, stony and downright hedonistic with Kalamata tapenade and bulls blood accents. The palate is sinfully good and smooth, with a velvety sense of mouthfeel. The pillowy, opulent texture really captivates the senses. Layers of bacon fat, and red cherry Starburst candy are brilliantly woven together with cigar ash, seaweed, blackberry pie, smoldering stones and blood orange zest. After a few hours of air, the wine becomes even more silky and refined. Incredible now at the four year mark, why wait to consume this later? Drink 2021-20231- 98

Massican

Founded back in 2009, Massican is one of the truly unique wineries in the world. The brainchild of famed winemaker Dan Petroski, who sought to make old-world inspired white wines in the Napa Valley where Cabernet is king. The wines are ridiculously low priced for the quality that you get. Napa’s only white wine winery, once you’ve tried these wines I am pretty sure that you’ll admit that you’ve never tried anything quite like them.

These are high-acid wines that also are beautifully textured and are geared towards depth. They are very Italian inspired while keeping their Napa character. The new vintage from 2020 is every bit as good as the wines that I tried in 2019. Most winemakers will fully admit that making quality white wines is considerably more difficult than making great Cabernet Sauvingnon. The wines are quite beguiling and make you wonder how exactly did Dan do this?

Look to the gorgeous 2020 Massican ‘Annia’ White Wine (OB,94) which blends Tocai Fruliano, Ribolla Gialla and Chardonnay. There’s nothing quite like this wine. Try it, I don’t think you will be disappointed with its insanely good range, mouthfeel and long finish. Learn more about these novel, one of a kind wines at massican.com Here are my reviews of the gorgeous new Massican wines. 

2020 Massican Sauvignon Blanc- The 2020 edition of this wine is very old-world compared to the 2019 edition. The wine is inspired by the tension-filled Sauvignon Blancs of Northern Italy, and this 2020 Massican Sauvignon Blanc shows racy acidity with Granny Smith apple, kiwi, orange blossom and shades of pink grapefruit zest on the palate. This is very refined wine that shows off a silky mouthfeel and great veil of acidity. Gorgeous now, this will provide drinking enjoyment over the next seven years. Drink 2021-2027— 93

2020 Massican ‘Gemina’ White Wine- The 2020 ‘Gemina’ is truly incredible blend of 75% Pinot Bianco and the remainder Greco. The nose is sensational, showing wet stone and gooseberry tones alongside green melon, and suggestions of Macadamia nut that all dazzle in the glass. The palate has great freshness and weight, showing a silky mouthfeel. Ripe kiwi and white grapefruit tones mingle with damp earth, orange blossom water and lime zest. The combination of weight and freshness really makes this shine, as this finishes very long with cream and minerals.  Beautiful now, this outstanding new bottling will enjoy another eight years or more ahead of it. Drink 2021-2029- 94

2020 Massican ‘Annia’ White Wine- A blend of Tocai Friulano (61%) with Ribolla Gialla (27%) and a smaller portion of Chardonnay (12%), the 2020 ‘Annia’ is a striking, one of a kind wine that is sure to captivate. Aromatically quite intense, this unveils outstanding range from kiwi and honeydew melon to wet stone, pink grapefruit blossom and hazelnut tones that all march in unison. The palate is utterly seamless and shows great acidity and weight. Layers of baking spice infused challah bread and green papaya mingle with minerals, smoke and nutty undertones on the palate. This finishes very long. Gorgeous now to enjoy in its youth, this has another decade of life ahead of it. But why wait? Drink 2021-2029- 94

DeLille Cellars

For many years I have greatly enjoyed one of the outstanding wineries out of Woodinville, DeLille Cellars. DeLille rose to prominence under the guidance of eminent winemaker Chris Upchurch. They now rely on one or Washington’s greats, their director of winemaking Jason Gorski. DeLille Cellars was the first winery in Washington to focus on creating Bordeaux style wine blends and makes arguably the best Bordeaux style white wine in North America with its ‘Chaleur Blanc.’ This wine holds strong with any Bordeaux style wine that you will find in the new world. DeLille sources from their estate, 20-acre vineyard in Red Mountain as well as premier vineyards in the Yakima Valley. They have a gorgeous new winery built in what was formerly the Red Hook Brewery and even have a killer rooftop there with sweeping views of Mt. Ranier. My wife and I visited on a warm summer day and it was the perfect place to kick back and enjoy a glass of Rose.

I have been massively impressed with the quality of Jason’s Rose wines in over the years and the 2020 DeLille Cellars Rose (OB, 93) is one of the great Rose wines that I have tried so far this year. The texture and flavor range here is sinfully good, as is the outstanding finish. I adored the 2019 DeLille Cellars ‘Metier’ Red Wine (OB, 93) which shows fantastic range and is downright killer juice at this price point. Learn more about this fantastic winery at www.delillecellars.com Here are the great new release wines from DeLille.

2020 DeLille Cellars Rose- The 2020 Rose by DeLille Cellars has only slightly changed their blend, having 52% Mourvedre, and 43% Grenache with a splash of Cinsault. The nose is wonderfully earthy with melon, citrus blossom and watermelon tones that round out the nose. The mouthfeel and texture of the wine is seriously good. This is refreshing style of Rose with bright red fruits that shows a great sense of weight and length. Gratifying to drink now, this has some cellaring potential. Drink 2021-2028- 93

2020 DeLille Cellars Roussanne- The 2020 DeLille Cellars Roussanne is a beautiful new wine by the talented winemaking team. The nose shows great balance from banana and honeydew melon tones alongside starfruit and damp earth aromatics. The palate is fresh, vibrant and beautifully textured. The weight really entices as layers of melon and Yakima cherry mingle with minerals and earthy tones on the palate. Gorgeous now, this has a long way to go. Drink 2021-2028- 93

2020 DeLille Cellars ‘Roofline White’ White Wine- A blend of mostly Chardonnay from Oregon, this shows green papaya, wet stone and melon tones on the nose. The palate is fresh with a soft texture. This easy drinking white wine shows banana and melon tones on the palate. Drink 2021-2025- 90

2020 DeLille Cellars Riesling- Sourced from an old block in the Bacchus Vineyard that has since been removed, this one of a kind, Trocken style wine shows petrol and yellow florals on the nose with shades of Japanese pear. The palate has great tension with a wonderful sense of minerality and just a kiss of sweetness. Drink 2021-2027- 92

2020 DeLille Cellars ‘Chaleur Estate Blanc’ White Wine- The 2020 ‘Chaleur Estate Blanc’ white wine is a gorgeous blend of 73% Sauvignon Blanc with the remainder Semillon. The Semillon really seems to be showing a lot here with banana and melon alongside wet stone and lemon blossom that all mingle in the glass. The palate shows good freshness and weight with a great sense of elegance and minerality. The length adds to the enjoyment. Drink 2021-2031- 94

2019 DeLille Cellars ‘Marguarite’ White Wine- Made in cigar barrels, this special Sauvignon Blanc is a barrel-selection wine sourced from Block 5 in Sagemoor Vineyard, with vines dating back to 1972. The wine comes off big and burly with incredible texture and weight. Layers of buttercream and honeydew melon combine with baking spice infused Challah bread all impress on the palate. Drink 2021-2031- 94

2019 DeLille Cellars ‘Roofline’ Red Wine- The ‘Roofline’ is a Pinot Noir wine made primarily for restaurants. The nose brings gobs of juicy red fruits with orange rind tones. The palate has good freshness and weight, with ripe red cherry and raspberry tones alongside a good sense of minerality. Drink 2021-2027- 90

2019 DeLille Cellars ‘Metier’ Red Wine- The 2019 ‘Metier’ is a gorgeous blend of 42% Grenache and Mourvedre (36%) with smaller parts Syrah and Cinsault. The garrigue notes are gorgeous as bright red cherry and cigar box tones mingle with black olive that mingle on the nose. The palate shows good freshness with a great sense of mouthfeel. Layers of ripe red and dark fruits parade with stony and earthy tones, with sagebrush and creosote tones. This fantastic wine for the price. Drink 2021-2028- 93

2019 DeLille Cellars ‘Signature’ Syrah- The 2019 ‘Signature’ Syrah is a bold and decadent wine made from this somewhat cooler vintage. Once on the nose this takes on smoke and bacon fat tones alongside huckleberry and milk chocolate tones on this gorgeous nose. The palate is fresh and vibrant with great acidity and mouthfeel. Layers of rich dark fruits collide with minerals, smoked brisket and scorched earth tones. This is delicious now and will continue to evolve for another decade. Drink 2021-2031- 93

2019 DeLille Cellars ‘Grand Ciel’ Syrah- The 2019 ‘Grand Ciel’ Syrah is a beautiful effort that has some serious aging potential. Once on the nose this shows smoky tones a alongside black currants, tar and black olive tapenade. The palate is fresh and refined with great elegance and acidity. Ripe blackberry and black cherry tones collide with minerals, smoke and shades of dried herbs on the palate. Delightful in its youth, this has some great cellaring potential. Drink 2021-2031- 93

2019 DeLille Cellars ‘Doyenne’ Red Wine- The 2019 ‘Doyenne’ is a Provence inspired blend of 59% Syrah with the remainder Cabernet Sauvignon. Dark chocolate shavings and tar tones mine with black olives and sagebrush undertones on the nose. The palate is beautifully textured with a great sense of minerality. Layers of bright dark fruits mingle with blackberry compote, tar and anise all combine on the palate. Great in its youth, this will cellar well for another decade. Drink 2021-2028- 93

2019 DeLille Cellars ‘Minuit’ Red Wine- A blend of 68% Malbec with the reminder Cabernet Sauvignon, this shows chocolate and coffee ground tones alongside red cherry and sagebrush tones that all take shape in the glass. The wine shows generous viscosity and freshness with milk chocolate, blackberry cordial and tar flavors that mingle with salty undertones, giving this a savory edge. Drink 2021-2035- 93

2019 DeLille Cellars ‘D2’ Red Wine- The 2019 ‘D2’ Red Wine is a blend of 61% Merlot with 34% Cabernet Sauvignon and small parts Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. On the nose this shows cherry tomato and red currants that mingle with sage and mocha tones that mingle in the glass. The palate has good power and freshness with ripe red and dark fruits with chocolate and salty tones. This is beautiful wine to savor now, as this will evolve well over the next decade. Drink 2021-2031- 92

2019 DeLille Cellars ‘Le Colosse’ Red Wine- This is the second edition of this wine that is now 100% Merlot sourced from there vineyards: Boushey, DuBrul and Harrison Hill. The nose is very pretty with bright red fruits and red florals that combine with mocha and scorched earthy undertones. The palate is fresh and beautifully textured with a good sense of weight. Layers of ripe red currants and red cherry combine with chocolate, sagebrush and refined tannins. This has wonderful length despite its youth, as this outstanding new wine will c cellar well for another decade or more. Drink 2021-2035- 94

2019 DeLille Cellars ‘Red Willow’ Red Wine- The 2019 ‘Red Willow’ Red Wine combines 56% Cabernet Franc with 35% Merlot with the remainder Cabernet Sauvignon. The nose is savory showing good herbal tones alongside red rose petals and red cherry. The palate is very pretty and shows good freshness with a beautiful texture. Ripe red fruits mingle with scorched earth, sagebrush and red bell pepper undertones. The length here is outstanding as this beautiful, very pretty Cabernet Franc dominant wine will show well for decades to come. Drink 2021-2036- 94

2019 DeLille Cellars ‘Discovery Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2019 ‘Discovery Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon wine is a limited production wine that is 100% varietal. The nose is beautifully perfumed with ripe red florals that mingle with garrigue, dark chocolate shavings and shades of red bell pepper that round out the sensational aromatics. The palate is refined, showing great weight and poise. The seamless texture adds to the enjoyment, with a gorgeous core of dark fruits, dried herbs and chocolate tones. Beautiful in its youth, this outstanding Cabernet Sauvignon will cellar well for another fifteen to twenty years. Drink 2021-2036- 95

2019 DeLille Cellars ‘Four Flags’ Cabernet Sauvignon- Sourced from four distinct growing regions, this 100% Cabernet Sauvignon wine shows black currant aromatics and mocha tones that mingle with bayleaf and light red bell pepper tones that all take shape in the glass. The palate is elegant round and refined, with firm tannins holding in a great core of dark fruits and chocolate cake tones. A light dusting of salinity adds to the refinement here. Drink 2021-2033- 94

2019 DeLille Cellars ‘Shaw Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2019 “Shaw Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon is a beautiful wine by the DeLille winemaking team. On the nose this shows of Turkish coffee and creme de violette tones alongside tar and huckleberry cordial that all sing in unison. The palate takes on a seamless texture, effortlessly gliding across the drinking experience. The flavors range is also really great from a dense core of dark fruits, to coffee grounds, dried herbs and chocolate flavors. Gorgeous in its youth, this will have another two decades ahead of it. Drink 2021-2038- 95

2019 DeLille Cellars ‘Klipsun Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2019 ‘Klipsun Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon is a gorgeous offering by DeLille Cellars. This 100% varietal wine shows off rich red and dark fruits alongside Turkish coffee and creosote tones that all meld in the glass. The palate is big and bold with a seamless texture. Ripe dark currants are woven together with minerals, smoke and Black Forest cake on the palate. Gorgeous now, this has a long way to go in the cellar. Drink 2021-2036- 94

2019 DeLille Cellars ‘Grand Ciel’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2019 ‘Grand Ciel’ Cabernet Sauvignon is a limited production, 100% varietal wine that was aged in 100% new French oak prior to bottling. The palate shows good flavor density and weight, with plenty of finesse. Rich creme de cassis and anise tones meld with Turkish coffee, salty undertones and firm tannins holding everything in place. The long finish lingers. Gorgeous in its youth, this has a long way to go. Drink 2021-2038- 95

2019 DeLille Cellars ‘Chaleur Estate’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2019 ‘Chaleur Estare’ Red Wine is a blend of 65% Ciel du Cheval Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot from Klipsun Vineyard and the reminder Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. The chocolate and violet tones really impress aromatically with sagebrush and a deep wall of dark fruits. The wine is beautifully textured with a soft mouthfeel. Generous, with great length, this has some great cellaring potential. This is highly refined stuff. Drink 2021-2038- 95

2019 DeLille Cellars ‘Harrison Hill’ Cabernet Sauvignon- DeLille Cellars has been making this wine for 26 years now. Sagebrush, tar, black currant and black licorice tones all fill the nose. The palate is very elegant and refined with a soft sense of texture. Layers of cassis and anise mingle with sagebrush, milk chocolate and salty undertones on the palate. Gorgeous now, this has a long way to evolve. Drink 2021-2036- 94

Betz Family Wines ‘Domaine de Pierres’ Syrah Vertical Tasting

Over the years I have been enamored by the great wines produced in the stony terroir of the Walla Walla Rocks AVA. Certainly it all started with Christophe Baron in the stones, as he planted these iconic sites that top winemakers have sought to emulate. A great story in its own right, Betz Family Wines years ago purchased a vineyard in this AVA that needed some tender loving care. The process of reviving this vineyard has been a challenge but has reaped some serious benefits. 

The Betz ‘Domaine de Pierres’ Syrah is their lone wine from the Rocks AVA and it is a seriously good one. I have been captivated by this wine since it was first released. The wine has great stony character and marvelous flavor and aromatic range. It is silky, geared towards texture and length. I highly recommend you checking out this wine if you have never tried it.

I had the great opportunity a few weeks ago to sit down with Louis Skinner and taste through these glorious wines. I noticed that the 2016 ‘Domaine de Pierres’ Syrah (OB, 95) had already been beautifully evolved and was really peaking at the five year mark. This wine was showing more non-fruit character and was seamless and elegant with outstanding range. The 2017 ‘Domaine de Pierres’ Syrah (OB, 95) was quite different and showed a deeper core of dark fruits as did the 2018 ‘Domaine de Pierres’ Syrah (OB, 96). The 2018 edition was the finest wine of this trio for my palate. It was very young and fresh but was sinfully good to enjoy even at the three year mark. Learn more about these exceptional wines at betzfamilywinery.com Here are my reviews of the outstanding ‘Domaine de Pierres’ vertical tasting. 

2016 Betz ‘Domaine de Pierres’ Syrah- Interestingly enough, this shows some tones of a freshly baked cookie on the nose with smoked brisket, wet stone and green olives that all impress. The palate is round and generous with a silky mouthfeel and beautiful sense of texture while maintaining great acidity. Black tea and black olive tapenade mingle with a core of dark fruits, iodine and stony undertones on the palate. This has a seamless feeling throughout the drinking experience. Enjoy this great wine over the next eight years. Drink 2021-2027- 95

2017 Betz ‘Domaine de Pierres’ Syrah- The 2017 ‘Domaine de Pierres’ Surah shows quite a different bouquet than the 2016. Smoked pork shoulder and green peppercorns with summer sausage and a terrific core of dark fruits all mark the nose. The palate has a great sense of flavor density with blackberry and huckleberry flavors alongside dried herbs, wet stone and shows firm tannins. This is delicious now but the wine has some outstanding potential with its degree of weight and finesse. Drink 2021-2031- 95

2018 Betz ‘Domaine de Pierres’ Syrah- The 2018 ‘Domaine de Pierres’ Syrah is showing beautifully at the three year mark. The aromatic range here is truly outstanding. The palate is more reminiscent of the 2016 bottling being more open and plush. Layers of charcuterie and allspice mingle with black olive tapenade, smoked meats and huckleberry tones with shades of iodine on the palate. The savory and salty tones produce a great sense of acidity. This is seriously refined stuff that is drinking even more beautifully than when I first tried it. Drink 2021-2029- 96

Melville

Over the years, Melville wines have been a pillar of consistency. I’ve been tasting at Melville for more than a decade and it has grown to be one of my absolute favorite stops in Santa Barbara wine country. This outstanding property has had Chad Melville at its helm for several years after being under Greg Brewer’s guidance. Chad has been crafting some absolutely stunning wines and has created his unique winemaking style. I absolutely love the saline-driven terroir that he is able to mold into his wines. He not only makes the wines but also helps farm his 82 acre property at Melville. 

Melville’s vineyards were first planted in 1996 by his father Ron Melville and his brothers which was quite unique at the time. The vineyard was planted to 14 different clones of Pinot Noir and 4 different clones of Chardonnay, as well as Syrah and Viognier. The new releases by Chad Melville were simply gorgeous across the board, none more so than the 2085 Melville ‘Estate’ Chardonnay (OB, 93) which landed firmly on my Washington Wine Blog 2018 Top 100. This is an absolutely stunning new Chardonnay that is one to purchase by the case. I adored the new 2018 Melville ‘Estate’ Pinot Noir (OB, 93) which is a killer value out of Santa Barbara County. This is a Pinot with great richness, poise and salinity. Learn more about this outstanding producer of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah at http://melvillewinery.com Here are the gorgeous new wines by Melville. 

2018 Melville ‘Estate’ Chardonnay- The 2018 ‘Estate’ Chardonnay is a glorious new release by the talented Chad Melville.  Lemon infused Challah bead and Macadamia nut tones collide with damp earth and smoky undertones on this evocative bouquet. The palate is beautifully textured with wonderful finesse and a silky mouthfeel. The length here adds to the enjoyment as this outstanding Chardonnay will provide drinking enjoyment for at least another seven years. Drink 2021-2027- 93

2018 Melville ‘Estate’ Pinot Noir- The 2018 ‘Estate’ Pinot Noir is translucent in the glass, showing great aromatic range from salted red fruits to charcuterie and Umami tones that all impress. The palate is marvelously textured, with Bing cherry, guava and cran-pomegrante flavors alongside tilled salty soils. Beautifully textured, with a long finish, this outstanding new Pinot Noir will cellar well for another decade. Drink 2021-2029- 93

2018 Melville ‘Estate’ Syrah- Smoky,  savory and downright delicious, the 2018 ‘Estate’ Syrah is a downright awesome new wine by Melville. Dried herbs with bacon fat and smoked brisket with wild blackberry jam aromatics all meld in the glass. The palate is nicely concentrated but also highly nuanced with the herbal tones mingling with salted wet rocks, red and dark fruits as well as cran-orange tones. This is just killer Syrah for the price. Drink 2021-2029- 94

ROCO ‘RMS’ Sparkling Wine

One of the outstanding producers of new world sparkling wine, Rollin Soles is undoubtedly the sparkling wine master of Oregon. Long before the sparkling wine craze of the last few years came into play in Oregon, Rollin Soles was making killer sparkling wines at Argyle. I admired these wines for many years, especially his ‘Extended Tirage’ bottling that I would collect when I was in their wine club. Bottlings from ’98 and ’00 linger very fondly in my memory.

Rollin saw the chance to start his own winery and created ROCO. He only has recently been making sparkling wine for his winery but the results have been absolutely tremendous. These sparkling wines have been on my Top 100 consistently. For my palate the level of finesse,  texture, mousse and depth is really gorgeous. These are refined sparkling wines that are amongst the best in North America. Look to the gorgeous new Rose, the 2018 ROCO ‘RMS’ Rose Sparkling Wine (OB, 96) which has gobs of bright red fruits with great nuance and a silky texture. Learn more about these amazing wines at https://rocowinery.com Here are my reviews of the beautiful new ROCO sparkling wines. 

2017 Roco ‘RMS’ Sparkling Wine- The 2017 ‘RMS’ is a stunning new warm vintage wine that shows plenty of heft and finesse. Only 12.5% alcohol, this comes off nicely fat on the mid-palate with plenty of depth and weight. This is obviously dense but the balance here is just extraordinary. Rich layers of lemon zest dusted sourdough bread, salted Macadamia nut, marzipan and honeydew melon all entice on the palate. This is seriously hard to resist stuff by Oregon bubbles superstar Rollin Soles. Drink 2021-2035- 95

2018 ROCO ‘RMS’ Rose Sparkling Wine- Super fresh and refined, this is a stunning new bottling by superstar winemaker Rollin Soles. Bright guava, strawberry and wet stone tons all fill the nose. The palate is fresh and refined with a great beam of tension and silky mouthfeel. The palate shows really juicy red fruits with melon, and flinty tones. The wonderful feeling of mousse makes this even more refined. Drinking beautifully now, this has at least another decade ahead of it. Drink 2021-2035- 96

Boekenhoutskloof

Friends, today we share one of the outstanding producers of South Africa. And don’t miss my Instagram Live today Noon Pacific with Boekenhoutskloof winemaker Marc Kent, just check out my Instagram page @owenbargreen

I discovered these wines back in 2004 while I was in grad school and was massively impressed with the consistency of the wines. A winery with an incredible history, Boekenhoutskloof dates back to 1776. Located in the furthest corner of the beautiful Franschhoek Valley, the farm’s name means “ravine of the Boekenhout” (pronounced Bookn-Howed). The Boekenhout is an indigenous Cape Beech tree greatly prized for furniture making. In 1993 the farm and homestead was bought and restored and a new vineyard planting program was established that now includes Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Grenache, Semillon, and Viognier. Today, Marc Kent is the owner, chief winemaker, and driving force behind the dynamic farm.

I loved the new wines across the board. Soft, beautifully textured, with outstanding range, the 2016 Boekenhoutskloff Semillon (OB, 93) is one of the great new world Semillon wines that I have tried over the past year. Just as good is the smoky, savory 2016 Boekenhoutskloof Syrah (OB, 93) which is dense, chewy and downright delicious to savor now. Learn more about this storied winery at https://www.boekenhoutskloof.co.za Here are the gorgeous new wines by Boekenhoutskloof. 

2016 Boekenhoutskloof Semillon- This shows toasty brioche with melon and stony undertones aromatically. Th palate is fresh and refined with a beautiful texture and great length. Gorgeous now, this will continue to evolve over the next decade. Drink 2021-2028- 93

2016 Boekenhoutskloof Syrah- A beautiful, inky color, the 2016 Boekenhoutskloof Syrah shows off scorched earth with creme de violette, smoked brisket and blackberry pie flavors. Full-bodied, with firm tannins and a great acidity, this has a long life ahead of it. Drink 2021-2031- 93

2016 Boukenhoutskloof ‘Franschoek’ Cabernet Sauvignon- Sourced from Franschhoek, this cabernet Sauvignon shows off rich dark currants and shades of scorched earth on the nose with herbal undertones. The palate is downright juicy and densely packed with red and dark fruits with sagebrush, creosote and dark chocolate undertones, giving this an air of decadence. Gorgeous now, this will continue to provide drinking enjoyment for the next fifteen years. Drink 2021-2033- 93

2016 Boukenhoutskloof ‘Stellenbosch’ Cabernet Sauvignon-Dense and heady aromatics greet you of scorched earth and blackberry liquor as well as lovely dried herbs and shades of blueberry compote on this gorgeous nose. The palate is viscous and rich, loaded with black and blue fruits and a vibrant air of tension. Enjoy this beautiful Cabernet over the next decade. Drink 2021-2033- 93

Rochioli

Rochioli

For years I have adored one of the jewels of the Russian River Valley, Rochioli. Tom Rochioli traces his family heritage back to some of the area’s first plantings on Cabernet Sauvignon. In 1959 his father and grandfather planted Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc which was a great learning experience for them. The Cabernet Sauvignon did not grow well and was pulled out in the 1970s.  However, the Sauvignon Blanc planted became a huge success. Today these same vines are still in production and are considered some of the oldest Sauvignon Blanc vines in California. Inspired by the wines of Burgundy, Tom’s father planted Pinot Noir in 1968, as he likened the cool climate to Burgundy.
The Rochiolis began selling their grapes to Bynum winery in the 1970s and then later Williams Selyem in the 1980s but Tom was inspired to make his own wines. Then in 1987 they released their first estate wine. Utilizing a minimalistic style of winemaking, Rochioli focuses on individual blocks of wine that show subtle differences in fruit and terroir. 

I adored the new wines by Tom that show a common thread of richness with good tension. Check out the utterly gorgeous 2019 Rochioli ‘Sweetwater’ Chardonnay (OB, 95) which is dense and seamless, with a seriously good aromatic and flavor range. I adored the 2019 Rochioli ‘Little Hill’ Pinot Noir (OB, 94) which is rich with good viscosity and very pretty red fruits. Learn more about these outstanding wines at http://www.rochioliwinery.com Here are the great new wines by Rochioli. 

2019 Rochioli ‘Russian River Valley' Chardonnay- Toasted hazelnuts, brioche and creme brûlée aromatics come into play here. The wine shows off toasty hazelnut with melon and lemon zest infused sourdough bread tones aromatically. The mouthfeel here is excellent, showing off Meyer lemon zest, heavy whipping cream and brioche flavors that sit alongside a good veil of tension. The long finish lingers. Great in its youth, this will provide drinking enjoyment over the next five to seven years. Drink 2021-2027- 92

2019 Rochioli ‘River Block’ Chardonnay- The 2014 Rochioli ‘River Block’ Chardonnay is sourced from old Wente clone vines located in close proximity to the Russian River. Immediately gratifying on then nose, this shows vanilla bean and Challah bread tones that mingle with wet stone and aprociot tones that all come together brightly on the nose. The palate is fat and downright unctuous with a seamless texture. Layers of banana and Pazzaz apple combine with salted Macadamia nut and vanilla cream on the palate. The length here is exceedingly good. Great in its youth, this will cellar well for another decade. Drink 2021-2031- 94

2019 Rochioli ‘Sweetwater’ Chardonnay- The 2019 ‘Sweetwater’ Chardonnay by Rochioli is a gorgeous wine by famed winemaker Tom Rochioli. The aromatics here are deep and concentrated with baking spice infused golden delicious apple, wild mushroom and shades of roasted pineapple that all take shape in the glass. The palate is fresh, vibrant and beautifully textured. This comes off very elegant but the sense of weight here is utterly fabulous and gratifying. The exceedingly long finish adds to the enjoyment as this beautiful wine will be around for at least a decade. Drink 2021-2033- 95

2019 Rochioli ‘Little Hill’ Chardonnay- Sourced from vines that were originally planted back in 1972, the 2019 ‘Little Hill’ Chardonnay opens with rich vanilla creme brûlée woven together with marzipan, mango and shades of Shiitake mushroom, showing outstanding aromatic range. The palate is seamless and beautifully textured. Layered with rich orchard fruits, ripe pineapple, vanilla cream and toasted hazelnut flavors this complex and delicious wine is showing marvelously even at the two year mark. The feeling of weight and acidity is really outstanding. Enjoy this beautiful wine over the next decade. Drink 2021-2031- 94

2019 Rochioli ‘Russian River Valley’ Pinot Noir- The 2019 ‘Russian River Valley’ Pinot Noir is mainly sourced from Little Hill (53%), as well as a host of other Russian River Valley sites with vines ranging from six years to 40 years old. Already beautifully evolved at the two year mark, the wine shows off cherry cola and red raspberry cordial tones with wonderful damp earth and plenty of minerals on the palate. Medium to full-bodied, with gobs of finesse, this is a sensational entry level release that will provide plenty of enjoyment over the next decade. Drink 2021-2031- 93

2019 Rochioli ‘Little Hill’ Pinot Noir- The 2019 ‘Little Hill’ Pinot Noir is an outstanding new wine by the talented Tom Rochioli. Right away the heady aromatics of bright strawberry and guava combine with orange zest and peat moss tones that all really impress. The palate is soft and round with great acidity and mid-palate density. A wonderful core of pretty red fruits parade with minerals, damp tilled earth, rose water, fresh herbs and orange rind on the palate. With outstanding length, this beautiful wine will cellar well for the next fifteen plus years. Drink 2021-2035- 94  

2019 Rochioli ‘Sweetwater’ Pinot Noir- The 2019 Rochioli ‘Sweetwater’ Pinot Noir is a gorgeous effort that is very youthful but has gobs of aging potential. Once on the nose this takes on beautiful red rose petals and damp river rock tones that mingle with shades of cinnamon and cloves with a good core of ripe red fruits. The palate is soft, round and beautifully textured. Lithe, and light on its feet, this shows a great wall of bright red fruits with shades of blood orange zest and stony minerals. Gorgeous to savor in its youth, this has a long life ahead of it. Drink 2021-2035— 94

2019 Rochioli ‘River Block’ Pinot Noir- The 2019 ‘River Block’ shows off a deeper core than the ‘Sweetwater’ bottling and also shares more dark fruit aromatics with tilled soils and wintergreen tones on the nose. The wine has marvelous depth and concentration with exquisite finesse. Rich huckleberry and black raspberry flavors combine with flinty minerals, peat moss and a rich veil of salinity. The terroir here is just exceptional. Gorgeous in its youth, this will continue to evolve well over the next fifteen years. Drink 2021-2036- 95

FIGGINS Riesling Vertical Tasting

One of the outstanding Riesling wines produced in Washington, I’ll admit that I was a bit surprised initially when Chris Figgins released his first Riesling wine. Chris described why he planted Riesling. “The decision to plant some Riesling at FIGGINS was manyfold.  First, I had one small panel of the property that was perfectly plantable, but I didn't feel would be warm enough to ripen Bordeaux varieties due to its NW aspect and a draw that directs cold air towards it.  So I focused on varietals I knew I could get ripe and thus Riesling.  I thought since FIGGINS is a vineyard of place inspired by legacy....what better to do that honor the very startup of Leonetti which had Riesling for the first four or five vintages.  I distinctly remember as a very young child drinking freshly squeezed Riesling juice from the mouth of the press and how amazing it was!  I've really enjoyed working with Riesling and feel like it was the right decision to plant in this small parcel.”

For those who have never tried the FIGGINS Riesling, it shows a mesmerizing sense of minerality regardless of vintage. The wines have slowly been becoming less sweet and are made more in the Trocken style than the Kabinett style. Flavors typically range from green apple and green papaya to pretty white florals and lemon/lime. One thing I noticed as I tasted a vertical of the Riesling is the older bottling were even more refined and soft. They might not have the same degree of tension but were very round on the mouth. I adored the 2015 FIGGINS Riesling (OB, 94) which is absolutely singing now at the six year mark. This wine is extremely refined and is a remarkable achievement from what was not an easy vintage for white wines. The new wine the 2020 FIGGINS Riesling (OB, 93) is fresh and vibrant with a stony edge. This is truly one of the great Riesling wines you will find in North America. Learn more about this very special project at http://www.figginswine.com Here are my notes from the FIGGINS Riesling vertical tasting. 

2015 FIGGINS Riesling- The 2015 FIGGINS Riesling is showing marvelously now at the six year mark. A beautifully golden hue, this opens with petrol and green apple notes alongside wet stone and orange blossom that all take shape in the glass. The palate is beautifully refined with a silky texture. This is very ‘Trocken’ style with a seamless texture and wonderful sense of weight. The wine is quite astonishing considering the challenges of the vintage but the feeling of weight mid-palate is particularly inviting. Gorgeous now, this is really drinking in its perfect place. While I think this has several years to go, why wait? Drink 2021-2026- 94

2018 FIGGINS Riesling- The 2018 FIGGINS Riesling is a remarkable achievement from this fantastic vintage. Right away the wine is very perfumed with lemon blossom, gardenia and white peach, with lighter petrol undertones, all giving this plenty of exotic appeal. The palate is fresh and lively with bright acidity and a gorgeous sense of mouthfeel. The length here is outstanding as melon and citrus rind tones combine with wet stone and shades of wild mushroom on the palate. Gorgeous now, this has a long way to go. Drink 2021-2031- 93

2019 FIGGINS Riesling- The 2019 FIGGINS Riesling is really singing now at the two year mark. The nose is particularly high-toned with white flowers and orange rind aromatics that mingle with shades of cardamom and beeswax on this complex bouquet. The palate is lithe and beautifully textured with great length and acidity, showing honeydew, lemon oil and stony undertones. Gorgeous now, this has a long way to go, just like the 2018. Drink 2021-2031- 93

2020 FIGGINS Riesling- The new release by FIGGINS coming from the 2020 vintage is utterly fantastic now in its playful youth. Once on the nose this takes on layers of lemon zest and honey, alongside baking spices, ginger and shades of damp earth that all meld in the glass.  The palate reveals just a kiss of sweetness with lemon cake, marzipan, quince and stony undertones. Seriously esteemed and bright in its youth, this has another decade to go. Drink 2021-2031- 93

Champagne Christophe Baron (CCB)

I have been pining to try the new Champagne Christophe Baron releases which are unlike any other in Champagne. These are all zero dosage bottlings that showcase Pinot Meunier. Like Christophe, I love great Pinot Meunier producers like Charles Mignon, MV Krug (usually has a high PM percentage), and Egly-Ouriet. Pinot Meunier might be the unsung hero of champagne but when it is done right, the varietal produces nothing short of world-class wines. 

Christophe himself is born into an exceedingly long line of Champagne vignerons, with a history that dates back as far as 1677. His expertise was honed through training in Avize (Champagne) and Beaune before moving to the United States and founding one of North America’s iconic brands, Cayuse Vineyards. Christophe’s estate in champagne includes 3 hectares (7.5 acres) surrounding the villages of Charly-sur-Marne, Crouttes-sur-Marne and the hamlet of Porteron, and its vineyard holdings are made up of only very old parcels of Pinot Meunier.

His new champagnes are wines that are highly nuanced that need either a Riesling or Sauvignon Blanc glass, or a Riedel tasting glass to grab the beautiful layers that each wine provides. I was also pleased how well these champagnes showed in a Burgundy glass, although the expression of bubbles was obviously muted in the glass. One more point on temperature this time, because these are so finesse-driven, it is important to serve them a bit warmer where the full range of flavors and aromatics can be enjoyed. For several hours I experimented with temperature in the wines and found that they were much better warmed in the 42-45 degree range. They also showed well above 45 degrees. Give them time to develop once opened in part because they come from a very young vintage that is now at the five year mark. 2016 was a tricky vintage as a whole because of the very warm temperatures in August as well as some rains during harvest. 

These wines have been given high praise by Antonio Galloni and I can say that I also adored the new 2016 vintage wines by Christophe Baron across the board. I felt that the consistency was just remarkable considering the vintage in general. The wines will evolve well for decades to come but are a delight to savor in their youth. Here are my tasting notes of the glorious new 2016 champagnes by Champagne Christophe Baron and learn more at https://champagnechristophebaron.com/

2016 Champagne Christophe Baron ‘Les Dessus du Bois Marie’ Brut Nature- The 2016 Champagne Christophe Baron ‘Les Dessus du Bois Marie’ shows amazing finesse and a Krug-like minerality with gorgeous lemon oil tones woven together with chalky and diatomaceous earth, with starfruit infused sourdough bread and a light dusting of salinity from the soils that adds to the complexity. The silky mousse impresses and the sense of weight will be eye-catching particularly when warmed and given a good amount of air. Enjoy this gorgeous new champagne over the next fifteen plus years. Drink 2021-2036- 95

2016 Champagne Christophe Baron ‘Les Hauts Blances’ Brut Nature-This Brut Nature Pinot Meunier Champagne shows off almost a salmon hue. Aromatically complex, this reveals kumquat and bergamot aromatics with red raspberry tones that are deftly woven together in the glass. The palate comes off big and juicy with a soft mousse. The weight is particularly gratifying here. Ripe Yakima cherry and pomegranate seed combine with shades of Gravenstein apple and kiwi tones all impress on the palate. Gorgeous now, this will evolve well over then ext fifteen years. Drink 2021-2036- 96

2016 Champagne Christophe Baron ‘Les Alouettes’ Brut Nature- The ‘Les Alouettes’ is a gorgeous, fresh and vibrant expression of Pinot Meunier. Like the other wines in the collection, the feeling of weight here is seriously good, with ginger and quince tones mingling with plum, nectarine and lemon zest on the palate. Don’t serve this too cold and this shows brilliantly in a Burgundy glass. Vibrant and racy in its youth, this has a long way to go in the cellar. Drink 2021-2036- 95

Turnbull

A winery with some serious history, Turnbull has been perched in the Napa Valley for the past 35 years. Today the winery owns over 200 acres in the Napa Valley and produces approximately 30,000 cases per year. Their original co-founder William Turnbull was an architect from the San Francisco Bay Area and designed his winery as well as many others including part of Cakebread Cellars. Later in 1993 Patrick O’Dell purchased Turnbull Johnson and renamed the winery to Turnbull Cellars. At the helm is Peter Heitz who is a fourth generation vintner. Peter applied his trade at Beringer, crafting some world class Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon under the guidance of legendary winemaker Ed Sbragia, before coming to Turnbull more than a decade ago. 

I loved the new wines by Turnbull. Check out the 2020 Turnbull ‘Oakville’ Sauvignon Blanc (OB, 90) which is fresh, vibrant and shows a great sense of texture. Their top wine, the 2018 Turnbull ‘Black Label’ Cabernet Sauvignon (OB, 96) is sinfully good even now. This wine has incredible power and finesse, as well as some seriously good aging potential. These are beautiful wines that are not to be missed. Learn more at www.turnbullwines.com Here are my reviews of the new Turnbull wines. 

2020 Turnbull ‘Oakville’ Sauvignon Blanc- Fresh, lithe and inviting, the 2020 Turnbull Sauvignon Blanc delivers plenty of kiwi, pink grapefruit and starfruit flavors alongside a good sense of minerality. Medium-bodied with good structure and a soft texture, this is best enjoyed over the next several years. Drink 2021-2026- 90  

2018 Turnbull Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2018 Turnbull Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon shows good weight, with rich chocolate and dark fruit flavors alongside a great veil of tension and light dusting of salinity. Dense and rich, this has some heft and structure to age gracefully for another ten plus years. Drink 2021-2033- 92       

2018 Turnbull Oakville Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2018 Turnbull Oakville Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is a beautiful, finesse-driven wine that is already showing beautifully in its youth. Right away the cassis and anise tones capture your attention as tilled soil undertones also arouse aromatically. The palate is fresh and vibrant with gobs of acidity and medium-bodied dark fruit, tobacco and damp earthy tones. Great enjoy now, this has a long way to go in the cellar. Drink 2021-2035- 93

2018 Turnbull ‘Black Label’ Cabernet Sauvignon- Big without being massive, the 2018 Turnbull ‘Black Label’ is a gorgeous wine made by Peter Heitz. Made from only Oakville fruit, and mainly sourced from their Leopoldina Vineyard, this shows off exotic spices and dark plum that mingle with espresso bean and loamy soil aromatics that all take shape in the glass. The palate is lively and fresh with good acidity and really nice mid-palate density. Gorgeous to savor in its youth, try your best to resist this beautiful new wine for at least another year. Drink 2022-2040- 96

Domaine Serene

I love Oregon wineries with a storied history. It is hard to believe that it has been nearly twenty years since I first set foot at Domaine Serene. I fondly recall first tasting at Domaine Serene back in 2002. I have tasted many of their lineups over nearly twenty years and I am always impressed with the consistency of each wine. Domaine Serene wines are focused, having a beginning, middle and end. Texturally, these are consistently beautiful wines. 

It was more than thirty years ago Domaine Serene was founded by Dundee Hills pioneers Grace and Ken Evenstad, One of the most beautiful wineries in the Pacific Northwest, Domaine Serene is an absolute must visit for any Oregon wine lover. I fondly recall my first visit to Domaine Serene in 2002 and was absolutely blown away not only with the sweeping views of the Willamette Valley but the stunning wines. I love how these wines age as well. Over the past few months I’ve tried Domaine Serene wines from the 2011, 2012 and 2014 vintages, all showing marvelously. Drink your 2011s now and the 2012 wines might even need a touch more time. The 2014 wines are right in their wheelhouse!

Before coming to Domaine Serene, I loved the wines that Michael Fay made at Goldeneye. I have admired the wines made by Michael Fay for quite some time, as he made some downright awesome wines for Goldeneye before being hired by Domaine Serene as head winemaker. Michael does a masterful job with crafting his Pinot Noirs which come from another warm vintage, 2018, that saw August heat spikes and then a cool fall. I adored the new 2018 Domaine Serene ‘Evenstad Reserve’ Pinot Noir (OB, 95) is dense, and shows a wonderful core of dark fruits with great acidity. Even better was the sinfully good 2018 Domaine Serene ‘Grace Vineyard’ Pinot Noir (OB, 96) which is nowhere near its peak but shows incredible cellaring potential. The ’18 Grace will have decades of life ahead of it.  I am quite honestly blown away with the consistency of the new lineup. Learn more about this famed Oregon estate at http://domaineserene.com/ Here are the incredible new release wines by Domaine Serene.

2018 Domaine Serene ‘Cote Sud’ Chardonnay-  The gorgeous new ‘Cote Sud’ Chardonnay shows off brioche and lemon zest aromatics woven together with cardamom dusted Japanese pear tones that meld in the glass.  The sense of weight and texture here is outstanding, as is the lift and wonderful mid-palate weight. The exceedingly long finish adds to the enjoyment, as this outstanding Chardonnay is best enjoyed over the next decade. Drink 2021-2033- 95

2018 Domaine Serene ‘Etoile’ Chardonnay- The ‘Etoile Vineyard’ is set at roughly eight hundred feet, as this dry-farmed site is set on Jory soils. One whiff and you admire the volcanic terroir here with white pepper and a dusting of volcanic stones that deftly combine with ripe melon and pear tones on the nose. The palate is beautifully structured, focused, lively and juicy. Kiwi and pink grapefruit tones mingle with sourdough bread and baking spices on the palate. Showing great verve now, this has a long way to go in the cellar. Drink 2021-2033- 95

2018 Domaine Serene ‘Yamhill Cuvee’ Pinot Noir-The 2018 ‘Yamhill Cuvee’ shows plenty of bright red fruits with orange zest and salty undertones aromatically. The palate is ripe and juicy with bright red fruits and a forward, delicious approach with good minerals holding things up. Enjoy this good value over the next five to seven years. Drink 2021-227- 91

2018 Domaine Serene ‘Evenstad Reserve’ Pinot Noir- The 2018 Domaine Serene ‘Evenstad Reserve’ Pinot Noir is a barrel selection of vineyards throughout the Domaine Serene portfolio, the heady aromatics capture your attention with loganberry preserves, thyme, peat moss and suggestions of pomegranate seed and fennel that all sing in unison. The palate is big, broad-shouldered and loaded with bright red and dark fruits. With more air the tilled earth and salty tones enter the fray, with blood orange zest accents. The feeling of weight and bright acidity of this wine suggest some serious aging potential. Try to give this beautiful wine at least an hour of air if consuming now. Drink 2021-2036- 95

2018 Domaine Serene ‘Cote Sud Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The 2018 Domine Serene ‘Cote Sud’ is an awesome new Pinot Noir by superstar winemaker Michael Fay. Sourced from a six acre vineyard set on a south-facing slope of the Evenstad Estate that ranges from 510 to 790 feet in elevation, the wine shows off pomegranate seed and guava tones alongside salted damp earth. And baking spices that all take shape in the glass. The palate is juicy and beautifully balanced, with a soft mouthfeel and great length. Laters of very pretty red fruits mingle with rose water, charcuterie and orange rind tones on the palate. This is gorgeous stuff to enjoy now, as the 2018 ‘Cote Sud’ will provide drinking enjoyment for the next fifteen years. Drink 2021-2036- 95

2018 Domaine Serene ‘Abbey Oaks Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- Abbey Oaks is the lone property that Domaine Serene owns in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA. Set on Willakenzie soils, this is an earlier ripening site for Pinot Noir. Right away the wine shows a great combination of red and dark fruits that mingle with salty damp earth and peat moss aromatics. The palate is soft and beautifully textured with great length and a very pretty set of red fruits (think guava, pomegranate and Bing cherry). Full-bodied and delicious, this is great stuff to enjoy its youth, as the 2018 ‘Abbey Oaks’ will cellar well over the next fifteen years. Drink 2021-2036- 95

2018 Domaine Serene ‘Two Barns Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The ‘Two Barns Vineyard’ is one of the rare sites in the Dundee Hills that shares a combination of Jory and Willakenzie soils. Once on the nose this takes on layers of teaberry and cran-pomegranate, woven together with smoke,  and pretty red florals that all meld in the glass. The palate shows off its silky, generous texture, with good length. Ripe red currants march on with red rose water, Mandarin orange zest and suggestions of iodine on the palate. Firm tannins hold everything in place. The combination of weight and bright acidity here makes this an awesome match for a juicy fillet. Drink 2021-2036- 95

2018 Domaine Serene ‘Triple S Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The ‘Triple S Vineyard’ is set on Jory soils at approximately 450 feet in elevation, and is exclusively planted to clone 777 Pinot Noir. The dusting of volcanic earth catches your eye, with ripe red and dark fruits that mingle with damp earth aromatics. The palate is fresh and vibrant with a beautifully generous texture. Layers of pomegranate seed and wild blackberry cordial collide with minerals, damp earth and smoky undertones. Gorgeous in its youth, be sure to give this at least an hour of air if enjoying its nascent phase. Drink 2021-2036- 95

2018 Domaine Serene ‘Members’ Limited Edition’ Pinot Noir- A first time bottling,  the 2018 ‘Members’ Limited Edition’ is a tribute by Ken and Grace Evenstad to their wine club members. The wine drinks beautifully right out of the bottle and doesn’t need a decant to gain momentum. The color here is quite dark with ripe dark cherry and tobacco notes that mingle with shades of salty damp earth on the nose. The palate is generous and beautifully textured, with good length. Rich red  and dark fruits parade with minerals, smoky and earthy. Undertones on the palate. With good length, this beautiful bottling will cellar well for at least another decade. Drink 2021-2033- 93

2018 Domaine Serene ‘Grace Vineyard’ Pinot Noir-  Majestic, finesse-driven and jam-packed full of cellaring potential, the stunning 2018 Domaine Serene ‘Grace Vineyard’ Pinot Noir is a gorgeous new wine that will live on for decades. The ‘Grace Vineyard’ is set on very deep Jory soils,  as this wine and vineyard is named after Domaine Serene co-founder Grace Evenstad. Right away the wine shows beautiful red florals with cardamom, Bing cherry and pomegranate seed tones aromatically. The palate is dense, chewy and downright delicious. The wine greets you with a massive wall of red and dark fruits, with lovely balance, poise and focus. The combination of viscosity of verve and viscosity really drives this wine, as this scintillating new Pinot Noir bottling will be best enjoyed over the next decade — or more. Try to resist this for at least a year and if opening now, give it at least a three hour decant to develop its true grandeur. Drink 2022-2042- 96

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