Massalto

I am a sucker for the unabashedly bold wines of Washington State. Just as the name suggests, Massalto is a bigger style of Washington wine that is crafted by Matias Kusulas. Michael Ruhland, and winemaker Kusulas have founded this project that is now has been running for several years. The first wines were not as good as what is currently released — these have improved considerably since the winery’s inception.

Matias sources from some top sites in the Royal Slope AVA, including the Thunderstone and Stoneridge Vineyards. The wines are unabashedly large but also show wonderful minerality to back things up.

Matias was very excited about the new wines when I tasted with him. I absolutely adored the new 2020 Massalto ‘Facade’ White Pinot Noir (OB, 94) which is very subtle and nuanced, showing amazing flavor range. Don’t miss out on the 2020 Massalto ‘Side Effect’ Syrah (OB, 95) which is wonderfully stony and shows insanely good texture and flavor range, coming from the famed Stoneridge Vineyard. Learn more about these beautiful new wines at massalto.com and here are my reviews of the new Massalto wines.

2020 Massalto ‘Facade’ White Pinot Noir- Coming from the Solaksen Vineyard in the Royal Slope AVA, this spent 22 months in 30% new French oak before bottling. Macadamia nut, kiwi and juicy pear on the nose. The palate is big and bold with serious flavor density, showing gorgeous nutty and earthy character alongside melon fruits. Drink 2023-2030- 94

2021 Massalto ‘Extravaganza’ Cinsault- This 2021 comes from the Thunderstone Vineyard which is neighboring the Stoneridge Vineyard. Whole cluster fermented, this shows creosote, red currants and sandalwood notes on the nose. The palate shows good weight with lovely underlying finesse. Rich and displaying a gorgeous core of red fruits, this is juicy and delicious stuff that will cellar well for another seven plus years. Drink 2023-2029- 93

2020 Massalto ‘Artisan’ Malbec- Coming from the Scarline and Stoneridge Vineyard, this 100% Malbec was stored in 30% new French oak before bottling. The nose is smoky and deep with creosote and violets that combine with dark chocolate shavings and espresso grounds. The palate is very fresh with wonderful concentration and verve, showing some nice stony and salty nuance. Beautiful volume and weight, this is showing great right now. Drink 2023-2030- 93

2020 Massalto ‘Interstellar’ Mourvedre- This 2020 Mourvèdre comes from the Thunderstone Vineyard and saw 40% whole cluster fermentation. Iodine, white pepper dusted bacon and black plum notes all evolve on the nose. The texture from the 30% new French oak shows beautifully. Concentrated and very geeky with serious flavor and aromatic range, this is beautiful wine that is drinking great right now. Drink 2023-2029- 93

2020 Massalto ‘The Point of No Return’ Grenache- This was aged for 22 months in 30% new French oak, this 2022 Grenache from the Thunderstone Vineyard shows off great richness and texture. Layers of pretty red fruits with creosote, wet stone, and cardamom all greet you alongside blood orange zest, giving you a beautiful sensation of sweet and sour. Drink 2023-2030- 94

2020 Massalto ‘Side Effect’ Syrah- Coming from the famed Stoneridge Vineyard in the Royal Slope AVA, this 2020 Syrah was aged in 30% new French oak before bottling. The nose shows insanely good range with beef drippings, white pepper and suggestions of baking spices laced with Hoisin sauce. The palate is deep and concentrated with insanely good flavor range and serious underlying tension. This is serious stuff that is already beautifully evolved. Drink 2023-2030- 95

TOR

It is more than apparent that Tor Kenward knows Napa Chardonnay. As 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 few years back (https://www.instagram.com/tv/CLsZUPbld8M/) about his hand in the ‘Private Reserve’ program while he was at the helm for Beringer Vineyards. Tor has a new book out that is a truly outstanding read for any lover of Napa Valley wine. While he might be most famous for Cabernet Sauvignon, Tor has been making some incredible Chardonnay for many years now. Winemaker Jeff Ames deftly crafts these big Chardonnay bottlings from some of the finest area sources including the old vine‘Beresini’ and ‘Hyde’ Vineyards.

Tor has crafted some of the finest Chardonnays in North America here. I absolutely loved the 2021 TOR ‘Cuvee Torchiana’ Chardonnay (OB, 96) which is one of the finest new world Chardonnay bottlings I have enjoyed over the past year. This is highly eminiscent 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 spring 2023 releases by TOR.

2021 TOR ‘Cuvee Torchiana’ Chardonnay- The incredible new ‘Cuvee Torchiana’ comes from the three-acre Beresini Vineyard which was planted roughly 30 years ago. The wine was stored in Saury and Damy medium-toast oak barrels prior to bottling. This is an incredible golden hue on the glass, offering toasted hazelnut on the nose alongside banana, grilled pineapple, and shades of lemon rind dusted brioche bread. The palate is absolutely seamless throughout the drinking experience. Melon and citrus fruits combine with vanilla creme brûlée, baking spices and an opulent texture on the palate. Wait for the minute-long finish! Drink 2023-2033- 96

2021 TOR ‘Cuvee Susan’ Chardonnay- The 2021 ‘Cuvee Susan’ comes from the famed Hyde Vineyard which was planted by Larry Hyde three decades ago. Stored in 20% new French oak, this offers incredible aromatic range from white grapefruit blossom, pastry crust, ripe peach and salty undercurrents. The palate is dense and showing beautiful underlying finesse with a silky texture. Rich Japanese pear, juicy starfruit and salted Macadamia nut flavors combine with cardamom spiked sourdough bread on the palate. This is a complete stunner that has both the stuffing and finesse to show well for at least another decade. Drink 2023-2033- 96

2021 TOR ‘Oakville’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The sensational ‘Oakville’ comes from some famed sites in the Oakville AVA including the Tench Vineyard. Very brooding in the glass, this displays incredible aromatics with black tea, exotic spices, blackberries, anise, red bell pepper and shades of freshly tilled loamy soils. The palate is concentrated and comes off very seamless with incredible elegance throughout the drinking experience. This is amongst the finest entry level Napa Cabernets that you will find in the valley as it will easily cellar for another fifteen years but will also reward early drinking. Drink 2023-2040- 95

The Missoula Flood

Today we share one of the most exciting new sparkling wine brands you will find on the west coast. Andrew Reichers was Matthias Pippig’s first employee at Sanguis, one of Santa Barbara’s storied producers. Reichers has since gone on to create beautiful wines for his own winery. Pippig was inspired by the Columbia Gorge and the wines from this windy region. He saw a great potential for making sparkling wines from this region with its potential for tension. “After studying the geology I think this has altitude and diverse soils that is a bit like Santa Ynez. I don’t want to duplicate Sanguis and the wines that IS really liked from this region were the sparkling wines that seemed to punch above their weight. We were in Portand and had a few bottles of champagne. We realized that we needed to do that in the Gorge.” After visiting ten vineyards, Matthias decided to choose two sites in the Gorge.

At the time Andrew was at Lingua Franca and they sought to make their wines there prior to the winery being sold. The vintage that I tasted was made at Argyle with winemaker Nate Klostermann. “We were not a good fit in terms of size and these were like 50 case production wines. We were done putting wines into bottle in two hours” he said.

All wines come from the 2020 vintage. He stated “That was intentional and in the future the follow up releases will be wines that are a combination of 2021 and some 2020.” All of the wines are extra brut as dosage trials “Was not based on dogma and it is chic to do zero dosage and neither Andrew nor I believe in that. We want to make wines that have personality.”

He stated “Dosage trials were interesting and we went back to a half gram of sugar addition for Hummingbird, a light polishing. Just taking the edge off. Still Waters is all the way up to 6 grams and settled on 3. For Kaleidoscope since we don’t have a rule book, we did a still wine edition, 2% from a perpetual Chardonnay barrel that we have in house. 1% was skin-fermented Roussanne. We tried some other things to see what happens and that combination was knockout. This does add some sweetness but lends a generosity and these were all bottled at lower than six atmospheres.” Roughly 50% of his crop was lost in 2020. He stated “We had no experience with smoke taint and we submitted samples but results weren’t ready in time.”

There will be more wines to come in the future, including a Blanc de Noirs. For now, don’t miss out on the incredible 2020 The Missoula Flood ‘Kaleidoscope’ Sparkling Wine (OB, 95) and as the name suggests, the flavor range is absolutely incredible from red fruits to tart green fruits, nutty undertones and everything in between. Learn more about this outstanding new wine project at https://themissoulaflood.com/ and here are my exclusive reviews of the new wines by The Missoula Flood.

2020 The Missoula Flood ‘Hummingbird’ Sparkling Wine- This wine was picked at only 17 brix and was given half a gram of dosage. Lees were stirred frequently for the texture as this wine is mostly coming from a vineyard formerly known as Acadia, the ‘Hummingbird’ shows brilliant nerve on the palate with loads of lemon rind, sourdough bread, peach sour patch kids candy and shades of peat moss. This is just an incredible sushi wine. Drink 2023-2035- 94

2020 The Missoula Flood ‘Kaleidoscope’ Sparkling Wine- The 2020 ‘Kaleidoscope’ comes from the Columbia Gorge AVA and is nearly all Chardonnay from three blocks in the Celilo Vineyard with 2% Chardonnay from Santa Barbara County and 1% Roussanne from the same region blended in. Mango, red raspberry, crushed wet gravel and Gravenstein apple flavors combine with salted nutty undertones on the palate. Showing excellent length, this beauty is absolutely humming now. Drink 2023-2035- 95

2020 The Missoula Flood ‘Still Waters’ Sparkling Wine- The 2020 ‘Still Waters’ comes from block 9 in the Celilo Vineyard and is 100% Chardonnay.  This shows rich buttered French bread notes on the nose with Marcona almond and shades of green papaya. This shows bright kumquat zest and green apple flavors on the palate alongside stony and nutty undertones. Showing good length and a soft mousse this is seriously good, refined bubbles. Drink 2023-2035- 94

Castiglion del Bosco

A famed property in Brunello, Castiglion del Bosco is named after the bosco,(wood), surrounding the Castiglion (walled castle), is the domain of deer, boars, pheasants and vineyards planted with Sangiovese that is set on gravel and clay soils. The property boasts a hotel and golf club as well with a scenic backdrop that is as good as it gets for Tuscany.

The new wines that I tasted were the entry level Brunello as well as their ‘Campo del Drago’ which is their cru wine from the Capanna area, spanning 1.5 hectares at a high elevation site. 2018 was not the easiest vintage to navigate with cool weather and rains at early summer which was followed by a hot and dry later summer. Wines were stored for 24 months in French oak and I was very impressed with both new bottlings. My feeling is that both wines need several hours of air before consuming at the moment. The 2018 Castiglion del Bosco ‘Campo del Drago’ Brunello (OB, 95) which is heady and intense but also shows incredible nuance and a silky texture. Learn more about this amazing Tuscan property at https://wine.castigliondelbosco.com/ and here are my reviews of the incredible new wines by Castiglion del Bosco.

2018 Castiglion del Bosco Brunello di Montalcino- The outstanding 2018 Castiglion del Bosco Brunello di Montalcino comes from this vintage that saw a very warm end to summer. Dark truffle shavings combine with dried herbs, white pepper and shades of Nori on the nose. The palate is soft and inviting with silky tannins that frame a beautiful core of red fruits, orange rind and truffle shavings. This is seriously good stuff for the price that is already providing plenty of drinking enjoyment. Drink 2023-2037- 94

2018 Castiglion del Bosco ‘Campo del Drago’ Brunello di Montalcino- The 2018 Castiglion del Bosco ‘Campo del Drago’ Brunello di Montalcino is a stunning new bottling that is already showing great now at the five year mark. Once on the nose this shows off beautiful red rose petal notes alongside potpourri, allspice, blood orange zest and shades of Linzer torte. The palate is concentrated and wonderfully earthy with refined tannins and great concentration. The combination of weight, verve and flavor range is amazing. Seriously good to consume now, this will cellar well for another fifteen to twenty years to come. Drink 2023-2040- 95

Browne Family Vineyards

Browne Family wines is inspired by the story of William Bitner Browne, the late grandfather of proprietor Andrew Browne. The winery had its first vintage in 2015 focusing on high quality red wines from great sites across Washington. Browne has tasting rooms sprinkled across the state,  including one in SoDo in Seattle that I have visited. It is a great location to visit before a Seahawks or Mariners game.

Winemaker John Freeman crafts many of the Browne red wines to spend 23-30 months in French oak. The resultant wines have a soft texture and mouthfeel from the oak treatment. Joh has a diverse background spending seven years at Franciscan Vineyards and an additional five spent as the Cellar Master at Miner Family. John decided to move to Washington in 2002 and has been Browne winemaker since 2015.

They have a very diverse lineup of wines. I really enjoyed the 2022 Browne Family Vineyards ‘Bitter Estate’ Rose (OB, 90) which shows really good flavor range. Just as good is the 2020 Browne Family Vineyards ‘Bitner Estate’ Cabernet Sauvignon (OB, 90) which is soft and generous with a smooth mouthfeel and plenty of herbal tones. Learn more about this great lineup at https://brownefamilyvineyards.com Here are my reviews of the new Browne Family Vineyards wines

2022 Browne Family Vineyards ‘Willow White Blend’ White Wine- The ‘Willow White Blend’ combines freshness and texture, showing melon and starfruit flavors alongside shades of gooseberry and minerals on the palate. Enjoy now. Drink 2023-2027- 89

2020 Browne Family Vineyards ‘Willamette Valley’ Pinot Noir- This shows a bitter edge with red currants and red cherry flavors alongside shades of tar and menthol. Drink 2023-2027- 87

2020 Browne Family Vineyards‘Forest Project’ Red Wine- This Columbia Valley red shows a bit lean with sweet tea, black currants and herbal tones on the palate. Drink 2023-2026- 86

2020 Browne Family Vineyards ‘Columbia Valley’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2020 Browne Cabernet Sauvignon is well-balanced but a bit too linear mid-palate with light herbal and blackberry notes. Drink 2023-2026- 86

2020 Browne Family Vineyards ‘Forest Project Paso Robles’ Cabernet Sauvignon- For each bottle sold of this wine, Browne will plant a tree. A bit lean in color, this offers jammy red fruit flavors with light tilled soil and salty accents on the palate. Drink now. Drink 2023-2027- 88

2020 Browne Family Vineyards ‘Tribute Bitner Estate’ Red Wine- Coming from this challenging vintage in the Columbia Valley, the 2020 Browne ‘Tribute Bitner Estate’ Red Wine offers black currants and dark chocolate shavings on the palate with a smooth mouthfeel. Medium-bodied and well-balanced, enjoy now and over the next five to seven years. Drink 2023-2028- 90

2022 Browne Family Vineyards Viognier- Sourced from the Columbia Valley, this 2022 Viognier offers jasmine and juicy peach on the nose alongside shades of wet stone. The palate is soft and refined with good richness and salty undertones alongside a bright beam of tension. Drink 2023-2029- 91

2022 Browne Family Vineyards ‘Cabernet Franc’ Rose- A limited production bottling from the Columbia Valley, the 2022 Browne Family Wines ‘Cabernet Franc’ Rose shows a smooth texture with ripe teaberry and red raspberry on the palate alongside shades of juicy kumquat. Drink 2023-2027- 89

2022 Browne Family Vineyards ‘Bitter Estate’ Rose- Made from Grenache, the 2022 ‘Bitner Estate’ Rose shows off a smooth mouthfeel on the palate. Bright pear and guava notes combine with salty and stony soil accents on the palate. Nicely nuanced, this is really good stuff for a hot summer day. Drink 2023-2028- 90

2022 Browne Family Vineyards ‘Willow White Blend’ White Wine- The ‘Willow White Blend’ combines freshness and texture, showing melon and starfruit flavors alongside shades of gooseberry and minerals on the palate. Enjoy now. Drink 2023-2027- 89

2020 Browne Family Vineyards ‘Willamette Valley’ Pinot Noir- This shows a bitter edge with red currants and red cherry flavors alongside shades of tar and menthol. Drink 2023-2027- 87

2020 Browne Family Vineyards ‘Forest Project’ Red Wine- This Columbia Valley red shows a bit lean with sweet tea, black currants and herbal tones on the palate. Drink 2023-2026- 86

2020 Browne Family Vineyards ‘Columbia Valley’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2020 Browne Cabernet Sauvignon is well-balanced but a bit too linear mid-palate with light herbal and blackberry notes. Drink 2023-2026- 86

2020 Browne Family Vineyards ‘Forest Project Paso Robles’ Cabernet Sauvignon- For each bottle sold of this wine, Browne will plant a tree. A bit lean in color, this offers jammy red fruit flavors with light tilled soil and salty accents on the palate. Drink now. Drink 2023-2027- 88

2020 Browne Family Vineyards ‘Tribute Bitner Estate’ Red Wine- Coming from this challenging vintage in the Columbia Valley, the 2020 Browne ‘Tribute Bitner Estate’ Red Wine offers black currants and dark chocolate shavings on the palate with a smooth mouthfeel. Medium-bodied and well-balanced, enjoy now and over the next five to seven years. Drink 2023-2028- 90

2020 Browne Family Vineyards ‘Bitter Estate’ Cabernet Sauvignon- Inky in the glass, the 2020 ‘Bitner Estate’ Cabernet Sauvignon offers black cherry, tar and black raspberry flavors alongside bitter chocolate notes on the palate. Well-structured, this is very nice considering the challenges of the vintage. Enjoy now. Drink 2023-2028- 90

2020 Browne Family Vineyards‘The Homecoming’ Cabernet Sauvignon- Coming rom the Walla Walla Valley, the 2020 ‘The Homecoming’ shows medium-bodied wild blackberry, tobacco and graphite notes on the palate with good poise and a touch of bitterness towards the back end. Drink 2023-2027- 89

2020 Browne Family Vineyards‘The Continent’ Cabernet Sauvignon- This wine comes from the Williamson block on the Browne Walla Walla Estate Vineyard. Sour black cherry and black raspberry notes combine with dried herbs and tar notes on the palate. Enjoy now. Drink 2023-2027- 89

2020 Browne Family Vineyards ‘Liberation of Paris’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2020 ‘Liberation of Paris’ is source from the Wittenberg Block of their estate vineyard in Walla Walla. This displays medium bodied black currants that mingle well with minerals and a smoky edge on the palate. Drink 2023-2027- 89

2020 Browne Family Vineyards ‘The Farm’ Cabernet Sauvignon- Coming from the Dottie Block of their Walla Walla Estate Vineyard, this offers medium bodied coffee ground and blackberry notes alongside light minerals and a touch of bitter chocolate on the palate. Drink 2023-2027- 89

Leonetti Cellar Sangiovese Vertical Tasting

I have a soft spot for Leonetti Sangiovese. Easily one of the finest examples of new world Sangio, there are really only a few wineries that can produce this varietal at this level. In Washington there are no other wineries that come close to producing this level of Sangiovese in terms of depth, concentration and flavor/aromatic range. These wines can age so gracefully as I found as I tasted through a range of their 2013-2018 vintages.

Leonetti Sangiovese needs a few years after it is released to fully mature. In its youth the wine is typically too tannic and the acidity also needs a bit more time to soften. Trust me, after several years of bottle age, you will be well-rewarded. Tasting through the vintages of Leonetti Sanigo, I had little surprises. I adored the 2012 Leonetti Sangiovese (OB, 95) which is really peaking now at the ten year mark and is wonderfully round, soft and generous. 2013 is an overlooked vintage but the vintage for reds has turned out to be every bit as good as 2012 — if not better! I adore where the 2014 Leonetti Sangiovese (OB, 96) is drinking. This beauty has 5% Aglianico blended in and is very well-structured, having a long way to go now. I would consider drinking the excellent 2015 Leonetti Sangiovese (OB, 94) which is an awesome wine made in a tough vintage. Learn more about these beautiful wines at leonetticellar.com and here are my reviews of the incredible Leonetti Sangiovese vertical tasting.

2013 Leonetti Cellar Sangiovese- The recent wines tasted from the 2013 remind me that this year is every bit as good as the heralded 2012 vintage. The 2013 Leonetti Sangiovese is a beautiful example of this warm vintage. It is texturally seamless and polished with refined tannins that frame a brilliant core of red fruits, menthol and espresso grounds. No need to cellar this any longer as this outstanding Sangiovese will be best enjoyed now and over the next five to seven years. Drink 2023-2030- 95

2014 Leonetti Cellar Sangiovese- Ripe and plump, the 2014 Leonetti Cellar Sangiovese has 5% Aglianico blended in. Store for 22 months in once filled French oak and neutral oval botti, this displays a fantastic bouquet with purple rose petals, black tea, exotic spices and dark raspberry notes. The palate is fresh and smooth with great viscosity. Layers of rich black and red fruits parade with chocolate and shades of black licorice on the palate. Seriously good now, this will easily go for another ten years. Drink 2023-2033- 96

2015 Leonetti Cellar Sangiovese- The 2015 Leonetti Cellar Sangiovese comes from this challenging vintage for red wines that saw a record early harvest. This edition has a high percentage (13%) of Aglianico blended in. It is very soft and round on the mouth, with good concentration and underlying acidity considering the heat of the vintage. Roasted dates, ripe fig and milk chocolate flavors with dusty tannins all combine on the palate. Enjoy this beautiful wine now and over the next eight plus years. Drink 2023-2031- 94

2016 Leonetti Cellar Sangiovese- This 100% varietal 2016 Sangiovese was stored for 22 months in new and once-filled French oak barrels and neutral French oak barrels, puncheons, and oval botti before bottling. The nose comes off outrageously good. Black plum, cardamom, freshly tilled soils and shades of red rose petals all combine on the nose. The palate is very seamless with fantastic underlying tension. Deep and concentrated, with salty and stony undertones, this is gorgeous wine that is really peaking right now. Enjoy this beauty over the next decade. Drink 2023-2033- 96

2017 Leonetti Cellar Sangiovese- This is now the second time in a year that I’ve had to visit this beautifully-structured wine. The downright delicious 2017 Leonetti Cellar Sangiovese shows beautifully after about 30 minutes of air. Dark plum, pipe tobacco, and milk chocolate flavors all combine with copious minerals, refined tannins and excellent viscosity. Medium to full-bodied, this thing is really singing now at six years of age. Drink 2023-2035- 95

2018 Leonetti Cellar Sangiovese- The utterly fabulous 2018 Leonetti Cellar Sangiovese was sourced from the Holy Roller, Seven Hills and Loess vineyards. It is still very youthful and fresh once on the mouth and really needs about an hour of air before consuming. Ripe red currants, wet stone and shades of black licorice with tobacco leaf notes all combine on the palate. Showing brilliantly, this is going to be the most cellar-worthy wine of the tasting set. Enjoy now and over the next fifteen plus years. Drink 2023-2038- 96

Meerlust

Today we venture down to South Africa and share one of the jewels of Stellenbosch. Meerlust fine wines on the Meerlust Estate have spanned the Myburgh family for eight generations, starting back in 1756. A tour of the estate has a historic manor house, with a classical style wine cellar, rose gardens, family cemetery, dovecote and bird sanctuary. This property was first owned by a German immigrant, Henning Huising, who settled there in 1693. He named his new-found home Meerlust, meaning pleasure of the sea, as the manor house sits on a granite outcrop only 5 km from False Bay, and in the warm summer months the vineyards are refreshed by ocean breezes and evening mists which roll in from the coast.

I was really impressed with their new wine which is a Bordeaux style blend that was first produced back in 1980. The 2018 Meerlust ‘Rubicon’ Red Wine (OB, 93) is all about balance, with good richness and outstanding flavor range. It is a beautiful effort by Meerlust. Learn more about this great winery at https://www.mmdltd.com/producers/meerlust-estate/ and here is my review of the outstanding new Meerlust ‘Rubicon’ Red Wine.

2018 Meerlust ‘Rubicon’ Red Wine- The 2018 Meerlust ‘Rubicon’ combines mostly Cabernet Sauvignon (67%) with smaller portions Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. It is an awesome effort by former winemaker Chris Williams. Rich and decadent, this shows great flavor range from fresh sage and anise to flavors of dark currants, tobacco leaf and coffee grounds. Complex and delicious, enjoy now and over the next ten plus years. Drink 2023-2033- 93

Seven Hills

Today it is my pleasure to share one of the outstanding historic wineries in the Walla Walla Valley. Seven Hills was started all the way back in 1988, and is a Walla Walla mainstay that makes consistently great Rose and well-balanced red wines. I’ve visited this winery many times and have always been impressed with the consistency of their lineup.

At the helm is winemaker Bobby Richards whom I visited with this spring. Richards  is a Pacific Northwest native, originally from Albany, Oregon. It was back in 2009 when he worked a harvest at Benton Lane that he fell in love with both his current wife and the wine industry. Richards worked a harvest at Tranche Cellars before joining Seven Hills as a harvest intern in 2013 and after working his way up — today serving as Winemaker.

I love the new 2022 Seven Hills ‘Columbia Valley’ Sauvignon Blanc (OB, 91) which is a classy effort that has great flavor range and minerality. Even better is the 2020 Seven Hills ‘Pentad’ Red Wine (OB, 94) which is dense and chewy with loads of dark fruit flavors. Learn more about this historic winery at https://www.sevenhillswinery.com and here are my reviews of the new wines by Seven Hills.

2022 Seven Hills ‘Columbia Valley’ Sauvignon Blanc- White peach, kiwi and gooseberry mark the nose on this 2021 Sauvignon Blanc. The palate is soft with copious minerals and lovely melon and citrus fruits backing things up. Drink 2023-2028- 91

2022 Seven Hills Rose- One of the consistently great value Rose wines that I have tasted over the past decade, the 2022 Seven Hills Rose offers white peach and stony mineral notes alongside ripe red raspberry on the palate. With a soft texture, enjoy now and over the next five years. Drink 2023-2028- 91

2020 Seven Hills ‘SHW Founding Vineyard’ Merlot- This comes from their founding vineyard which was plated in the early 1980s. This is smooth with ripe red cherry, freshly tilled soil and blackberry flavors. Enjoy now and over the next few years. Drink 2023-2028- 91

2021 Seven Hills ‘Walla Walla Valley’ Merlot- Coming from this warm vintage, the 2021 ‘Walla Walla Valley’ Merlot  offers black raspberry and chocolate notes alongside salty soils and plenty of mouth-watering acidity. Enjoy now and over the next eight to ten years. Drink 2023-2031- 92

2020 Seven Hills ‘Founding Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2020 Seven Hills ‘Founding Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon shows a smooth texture with black tea an exotic spices on the palate, with a brilliant core of black fruits and pipe tobacco flavors. Enjoy now. Drink 2023-2029- 92

2021 Seven Hills ‘Walla Walla Valley’ Cabernet Sauvignon- For years this has offered great value, as the 2021 edition shows savory herbs alongside a brilliant core of black cherry, blackberry and copious minerals with espresso ground accents. Drink 2023-2033- 92

2020 Seven Hills ‘Pentad’ Red Wine- The 2020 ‘Pentad’ blends all five Bordeaux varietals. Despite the obvious challenges of the vintage, the 2020 ‘Pentad’ is shining brightly with bold black tea and mountain huckleberry flavors that mingle well with freshly tilled salty soils and Turkish coffee notes on the palate. Full-bodied, enjoy now and over the next five plus years. Drink 2023-2030- 94

Interview with Ryan Pennington, COO of L'Ecole No. 41

On Monday there was some huge news out of the Walla Walla Valley as it was announced that Ryan Pennington was named COO of L’Ecole No. 41. Pennington has a wealth of experience in the Washington wine industry as I have known him for a decade. Pennington joins L’Ecole No 41 after ten years at Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, most recently serving as Vice President, Communications & Corporate Affairs. Prior to Ste. Michelle, Pennington served for five years as Communications Director for the Washington Wine Commission. Speaking today with Pennington he is exceedingly excited for this new challenge. Here is my interview with Ryan Pennington, COO of L’Ecole No. 41 Winery. 

OB: How did you decide to join L’Ecole?

RP: It came up fairly quickly. and I wasn’t necessarily looking to leave Ste. Michelle, and it was a hard decision, but this was an opportunity I just simply couldn’t pass up. About five or six years ago, when Debbie Frol retired, Marty Clubb was looking for a replacement and he approached me about the job. At the time my kids were much younger and relocation to Walla Walla wasn’t an option. When it came up again, the process went quickly, and I think this is the right move for me at the right time. I am going to be based in Walla Walla and I will do a lot of back and forth to Seattle this year, which gives us time to figure out a permanent arrangement. I have always had such respect for Marty and for L’Ecole. There are so few brands in Washington that have this pedigree but also this platform to build from, and I really believe that this brand can be a real flagship for Walla Walla and Washington — and we can raise the bar even more.

OB: Can you talk about your experience at Ste. Michelle and the value that brings value to L’Ecole? 

RP: I had the great fortune of being involved in a lot of aspects of the Ste. Michelle business. On the brand side and all across the portfolio from the behemoth of Chateau Ste. Michelle to the boutique of Col Solare, and even on the import side. And then functionally in marketing, PR, brand strategy, and trade relations. I like to think that I earned my MBA in Washington wine from the University of Ste. Michelle. With L’Ecole’s portfolio, they have everything from 20 dollar Chenin Blanc to 70 dollar Ferguson Vineyard Red Wine. I am familiar with managing a broad portfolio, and L’Ecole is already in 49 states and 11 different countries.

OB: How do you get L’Ecole more involved in international markets?

RP: Being in 11 international markets now is a good achievement, but it is a big world and we have great opportunity. I think what we need to do is focus on Washington, Walla Walla, and L’Ecole at that ultra- premium level and putting our best wines out there on the world stage and competing on quality and character and not competing on price. Around the world there are a lot of good wines from Spain, Italy and France that we can’t compete with on with price. But nobody can compete with our terroir and the quality that we can express from that terroir. I think we can complete with the best wines in the world. Now it is just a matter of getting out there and making the effort to work these markets and sell both the region and the brand.

OB: Can you share some seminal moments that you have had with L’Ecole?

RP: I feel so thrilled at the potential from Ferguson Vineyard. I think that wine is one of the most distinctive wines from Washington and I think that it already is and yet still can be an even greater benchmark for what’s possible from Washington. I am excited about leading the brand from the top, and this wine has such intense fractured basalt character and beautiful minerality. I love Merlot and I think that the quality of Merlot from L’Ecole matches the great wines of Bordeaux and Bolgheri. I have had the chance to taste some of the older wines from the L’Ecole library which showed such longevity and were just outstanding.

OB: L’Ecole has been synonymous with value just as many of the wines that you worked with at Chateau Ste. Michelle. Can you talk about working with one of the great value brands on the west coast, the entry level wines by L’Ecole? 

RP: L’Ecole is able to deliver some of the best wines at great prices. Marty is looking at vineyard sourcing for those wines and we want to get the best fruit to express Washington at that introductory level. We will continue to focus on the quality and the expression of those wines even at that entry level. The broad sourcing and scale allows us to maintain the approachable price point. Ste. Michelle does this, as well, but I want to put a finer point on it at L’Ecole, building the winery at the top of the portfolio. The top wines are always going to be limited in quantity, but thinking about Ferguson, Apogee, and Perigee, I want to help make sure that those are absolutely the best that they can be each year. That will reinforce the quality that we are able to reinforce for our Columbia Valley wines, as well. I never want to be distracted by chasing volume on the Columbia Valley wines. And I am so fortunate that L’Ecole has a 40 year history of producing amazing wines.

Seghesio

One of the historic producers of outstanding Zinfandel, Seghesio family has been involved in wine for more than 120 years. In 1895 Italian immigrant and winemaker Edoardo Seghesio planted his first Zinfandel vineyard in what is now Seghesio’s Home Ranch Vineyard in Sonoma County’s Alexander Valley. Edoardo and his wife Angela survived Prohibition as one of roughly100 wineries to survive that era. Following prohibition, Seghesio sold bulk wine and it was only under 4th generation owner, Ted Seghesio when a focus on premium wines evolved. In a short period of time in the 1990s, Seghesio became synonymous with some of the highest quality Zinfandel available on the retail market. Their success led to the 2011 sale of Seghesio Family Vineyards to Crimson Wine Group. 

Today their wines are as good as ever. I love the new 2021 Seghesio ‘Home Ranch’ Barbera (OB, 92) which is very juicy and delicious with its core of blue fruits. Even better is the fantastic 2021 Seghesio ‘Rockpile’ Zinfandel (OB, 93) which shows great tension and flavor density. Learn more about these outstanding Zinfandel wines at seghesio.com and here are the beautiful new wines by Seghesio.

2021 Seghesio ‘Home Ranch Vineyard’ Barbera- Coming from the Alexander Valley, this unique Barbera bottling displays concentrated blueberry fruit flavors on the palate, with tobacco leaf and milk chocolate notes. Seriously good, with lovely viscosity and texture, enjoy this over the next five to seven years. Drink 2023-2029- 92

2021 Seghesio ‘Rockpile’ Zinfandel- This 2021 bottling comes from the Rockpile AVA where low yielding vines are set against the mountain. Neatly textured, this displays ripe boysenberry preserves, black tea and Yakima cherry flavors alongside good tension. The stony undertones intense, as this is really enjoyable Zinfandel to consume now. Drink 2023-2033- 93

2021 Seghesio ‘Keyhole Ranch Vineyard’ Zinfandel- This 2021 Zinfandel comes from the Keyhole Ranch with is located in the Russian River Valley. Fresh and soft on the mouth, this shows dill and bramble notes alongside red raspberry and red cherry flavors. Soft and generous, this is beautiful wine to enjoy over the next eight plus years. Drink 2023-2031- 92

Babs Wine Company

A new brand out of Santa Barbara, Babs Wine Company which is a partnership between Adam Lee and Santa Barbara County vineyard owner John Wagner. The brand is a torwback to a time before there was wine tourism in this area. It was all the way back in the early 1990s when Adam Lee started his Siduri brand (later sold to Jackson Family in 2015).

After the sale Lee consulted for three years for Jackson Family and then decided to make wine with Wagner who is one of the largest landowners in the Santa Rita Hills. Wines come from the famed John Sebastiano Vineyard as well as the Peake Ranch Vineyard and the Sierra Madre Vineyard. The wines are made with a good amount of whole cluster fermentation and are absolutely delicious — and downright killer values. Learn more about this exciting project at claricewinecompany.com and here are my reviews of the new wines by Babs Wine Company.

2021 Babs Wine Company ‘Dial Tone’ Pinot Noir- Rich and heady, with great vibrant acidity, the 2021 Babs Wine Company ‘Dial Tone’ Pinot Noir is a knockout bottling that is already showing brilliantly. The wine is loaded with tart red fruits that collide with copious minerals and salty soil flavors. Quite literally bursting with flavor, no reason to cellar this stellar 2021 Pinot Noir. Drink 2023-2031- 93

2021 Babs Wine Company ‘Busy Signal’ Pinot Noir- The 2021 ‘Busy Signal’ Pinot Noir is another insanely good value by Babs Wine Company. Unlike the ‘Dial Tone’ this shows more of a black fruit profile on the palate with wild blackberry and black cherry notes alongside shades of sassafras, dried herbs and plenty of mouth-watering acidity. Really good now, enjoy over the next eight plus years. Drink 2023-2031- 93

Interview with Sidney Rice, Co-Founder of Dossier

Today we share a really incredible interview with former NFL all-pro Sidney Rice. Sidney is part of the Super Bowl winning team from 2013. He also made a Pro Bowl and he talks about his career as well as his inspirations in the wine industry. He has recently started one of the most exciting wine brands of the Pacific Northwest, Dossier, with his business partner Tim Lenihan. Without further adieu, here is my exclusive interview with NFL legend Sidney Rice.

OB: What were some of your seminal moments as a member of the Seattle Seahawks?

SR: I definitely would have a top 2, winning the first Super Bowl for the City of Seattle and the parade afterwards. That experience was absolutely amazing and I get chills thinking of that parade. Every single angle you looked down those streets you saw people screaming and yelling. I show videos of people with their faces painted and these six or seven year olds with their shirts off and it is freezing cold. That was something.

Number two has to be the game winning catch against the Patriots. I think that was our turning point as a team to make us realize that we can compete with any team in the NFL. We were a young team at the time and it was Russ’s first year as quarterback and that game was our major turning point. The play was a double move, about 55 yards, and I had him beat and I am like I am not dropping that ball. It was raining hard outside so it was extra tough. I still have the photo where I am holding the ball as tight as ever falling to the ground.

OB: How did you first get interested in wine? Did you enjoy wine with your teammates?

SR: I think that it was definitely post-football where I am more interested. I was hanging around and tasting more with my buddies. During my career I was not that interested in wine. Tequila was my go-to but in 2018 me and a friend decided to visit the Napa Valley and taste some wines. The next year we did that again. Chris Cab signed with Pharrell when he was really young and he is one of my really good friends. We had visited his place in the Bahamas and he calls his dad and they had this amazing wine that we were impressed with. His dad said that he can open whatever he wants and Chris starts pulling out these crazy wines. Pulls out this 2003 Chateau Margaux and I am thinking that this is amazing stuff.

Our Napa trip was two months later and we had a great time — enjoyed diners at the restaurant at Meadowood and we were popping some crazy wines. The following year we did the same thing and went to French Laundry. Covid hit and that is when people started drinking a bit more and my choice of drink became wine. I was into more wines and started posting some of the wines that I was drinking and all of these random people started reaching out. I wanted to really learn and over the year and a half I tasted over 300 different wines. I was learning, you go down a rabbit hole and it is so fun and interesting. Different regions of the world and at that point Tim Leniham was seeing my posts and he said that I had to start drinking some Washington wines. He was bringing the Washington wines over. We would hang out at my house and his house. I mentioned one day wanting to start a label and he just lit up. He said that all of his friends are in the wine industry and has always wanted to do that. I said that I would love to partner with him and about five more times hanging out then we had to do this. I learned his passion for wine and that is how Dossier came about.

OB: Who are some of your most inspired people who have made their careers in the NFL and now the wine industry?

SR: You have to go with Charles Woodson, he is a legend in the wine industry and what he has accomplished in the NFL. I knew what Drew Bledsoe was doing with his Doubleback label and doing so well. What he has built and continues to build has been awesome. Charles has done an amazing job and that was one of the things that when Tim and I started to start Dossier. We were thinking of names and my main thing was I didn’t want to slap my name on a label and say that this is my wine. I didn’t want to have anything to do with the football career for what I did on the field. I wanted to create something special and let the wines speak for themselves. Tim and I feel like Washington is on the map but it is not getting the notoriety that it deserves. Last night I was at an event and someone was talking about the French wines and Italian wines and they said that Washington was their second favorite region. I think we will be hearing a lot more about that in the future. I want to continue to push that forward.

The terroir in Washington is amazing and the goal is continue to move that needle forward and help gain more notoriety to our region. One of my favorite things about the industry is the willingness for other people in the state who have done wine, the pioneers in the industry, they are inclusive. Most of the time in industries there is competitions but I have been impressed by the willingness for others to help in the industry. These guys who have been in it for a long time, and it is not like ‘he is new and I am not going to help him’ but literally Drew, Mark McNeely, Chris Figgins, Chris Upchurch, Gilles Nicault, they are like ‘if you never need help, give me a call’ and they are resources and it is so cool to have that community here and people willing to support each other.

OB: Talk about Billo Naravane, an incredibly talented guy. What do you like about the wines that he makes?

SR: I love the style of wines that he makes. But the thing that had us hooked was tasting through the wines, there was the consistency of all of his wines that he tasted. We were amazed how good that the wines were and they were completely different from the others that we interviewed. The wines are well-rounded from start to finish. I was like ‘this is it’ and I was thinking that this guy is really special. At the time I didn’t realize that he was a Master of Wine and it definitely shows in the bottle.

OB: People are curious to know what your cellar is like? Do you have some special bottles? What have you been enjoying now?

SR: When I started getting more and more into wine I immediately went on a huge Napa run and then jumped into France — fell in love with a lot of the first growths. Chateau Margaux and Chateau Latour. I have a few 2000 Chateau Margaux in the cellar and I have a bunch of 2010 Chateau Margaux. I have a 1990 Latour and 1982 Petrus and ’90 Petrus. I have some older champagnes. I am recently been down a champagne hole and I am in love with Jaques Selosse, been drinking Rose and Initial and fortunately I have some good friends who have been impactful of myth wine journey as well. These guys are like over the moon with these wines. I recently got lucky to get like 12 bottles of ’07 Cristal for a great price. I have some Burgundy as well, some DRC La Tache from the 90s and also DRC Richebourg from the 90s.

Clarice Wine Company

Adam Lee has his hands in many projects. The former founder of Siduri, Adam has made wines for 25 years from Oregon to the Santa Rita Hills. A unique winery project, Clarice Wine Company has a membership of over 600 people. As part of their community members have the chance to interact with each other, sharing wine opinions and wine list guidance, as well as recommendations for wine travel, restaurants, hotels, events and more.

Lee got his start in Texas and was working in wine sales in the 1990s. In 1993 he and his wife, moved to California and, while working in direct sales at various wineries. It was 1994 when they started Siduri which became one of the state’s top producers of Pinot Noir. Their brand grew from 107 cases in 1994 to 25,000 cases in 2015 when they sold to Jackson Family Wines.

Clarice Wine Company is named after Lee’s grandmother who was his closest friend growing up. The wines are sourced from the Santa Rita Hills and come from some of the state’s great vineyards. I adored the new 2021 Clarice Wine Company Pinot Noir (OB, 94) which is beautifully textured and shows fantastic underlying finesse. Learn more about this exciting newer winery project at https://claricewinecompany.com/ and here is my review of the new 2021 Pinot Noir by Clarice and winemaker Adam Lee.

2021 Clarice Wine Company Pinot Noir- The outstanding 2021 Clarice Wine Company Pinot Noir comes from the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA (Rosella’s and Gary’s Vineyards). Stored in 30% new French oak, this is rich and layered Pinot Noir that is already drinking beautifully. Tart pomegranate seed flavors combine with wet stone, crushed mint, cloves and shades of satsuma orange zest. This is quite simply delicious juice that will cellar well for another decade or more. Drink 2023-2035- 94

Louis Roederer 'Cristal' Champagne

It was a cool January afternoon as I pulled up to Champagne Louis Roederer. Louis Roederer only produces their ‘Cristal’ Champagne in specific vintages that work for their style and I was very excited to taste the latest edition. The first ‘Cristal’ Champagne was created back in 1876 to satisfy the demanding tastes of Tsar Alexander II. The emperor asked Louis Roederer to reserve the House’s best cuvée for him every year as he was fond of Louis Roederer’s style. This Champagne was initially distinguished by being presented in a flat-bottomed, transparent lead-crystal bottle. The ‘Cristal’ brand was named after the lead-crystal bottle, which is particularly transparent and luminous. 

‘Cristal’ Champagne blending is typically around 40% Chardonnay and 60% Pinot Noir, although that varies on the vintage. Cristal is aged for 6 years in Louis Roederer’s cellars and then left for a further 8 months after disgorgement. The ‘Cristal’ Rose Champagne is always composed of estate fruit and the wine is primarily fermented and aged in steel, but roughly 15-20% of the blend is aged in oak. Dosage in this wine has slowly gone down.

I had the chance to taste the new edition, the 2015, against the stunning 2014. The 2014 is amongst the finest wines from the vintage and I have little doubt that the 2015 will also be one of the wines of the vintage. 2015 saw a lot of warmth but the wine maintains an incredible tension throughout the drinking experience. The marvelous 2015 ‘Cristal’ (OB, 97) is dense and fleshy just as the 2014 is. This style reminds me more of the 2009 vintage which was a remarkable achievement in a hot year. Both the 2014 and 2015 considerably benefit from 20-30 minutes in the decanter Learn more about this great Champagne at http://www.louis-roederer.com/en/wine/cristal

2014 Louis Roederer ‘Cristal’ Champagne- This is now the third opportunity I have had to taste the thrilling 2014 Louis Roederer ‘Cristal’ Champagne which remains a much headier, riper style of this wine somewhat akin to the incredible 2009. On the nose this shows off stony minerals that collide with wet stones, kumquat zest, pastry crust and shades of salted cantaloupe. The palate is very dense and hearty with serious tension that holds everything together neatly. Massive in terms of richness and quite literally fat on the mouth, this delivers impeccable mouth-watering acidity that combines with the heady ore of citrus zest and brioche flavors. A joy to drink now, this really needs 30-40 minutes of air to fully evolve. Don’t drink this beauty too cold!  Drink 2023–2040- 97

2015 Louis Roederer ‘Cristal’ Champagne- The scintillating new 2015 Louis Roederer ‘Cristal’ Champagne is a stunning blend of 60% Pinot Noir with the remainder Chardonnay. Coming from this hot vintage, this edition has Pinot Noir wines sourced from Ay, Verzenay, Verzy, Beaumont-sur-Veslewhile, while Chardonnay comes from Avize, Mesnil as well as Cramant. Harvest for this wine began in early September, as the 2015 ‘Cristal’ was given 7G/L dosage. A massive amount of Pink Grapefruit zest greets you alongside the refined mousse, with diatomaceous and chalky soils, jasmine and wafts of Gravenstein apple. The palate is big and burly, with outstanding flavor density, and comes off extremely tightly wound at first. After 30 minutes of air this really sings with its Meyer lemon oil and salty core, showing toasted hazelnut undertones. This is a stunning achievement in a hot vintage and just as the 2014, this will cellar well over the next fifteen to twenty years to come. Drink 2023-2040- 97

Force Majeure

Winemaker Todd Alexander has taken the Washington wine scene by storm. He is even making a ridiculously good Chateauneuf du Pape. I first met Alexander when he moved up from California and was lured from the Napa Valley to craft wines from Red Mountain, the Force Majeure Vineyard. I can understand why he was interested in this partnership. Set at 960 to 1,230 feet, this special vineyard is planted to mainly Rhone and Bordeaux varietals and the fruit off this vineyard has been nothing short of incredible. It was Todd’s deft hand that have crafted world class wines for Force Majeure, putting them on the map with other Washington top producers. Todd formerly made wine at famed Bryant Family Vineyard in the Napa Valley where he worked with vineyard manager David Abreu as well as consultant extraordinaire, Michel Rolland. Since that partnership has started, I have been blown away with what Todd has produced across the board. His wines are seamless and show a wonderful combination of acidity, mouthfeel and dense fruit flavors. He is also making some of the finest Tempranillo in North America.

I absolutely adore the new 2020 Force Majeure ‘Paravata’ Red Wine (OB, 97) which might just be the finest Rhone inspired red blend made in Washington State. The flavor and aromatic range here is insanely good. Do not miss out on the 2020 Force Majeure Tempranillo (OB, 98) which is up there with the 2018 as the finest edition of this wine. Massive and heady with a brilliant core of acidity, this very dense and nervy wine is a must-purchase for any lover of Washington wine. is really singing with its massive concentration of dark fruits, with plenty of finesse and smoky tones. Finally, the finest wine of the new release has to be the 2020 Force Majeure ‘Red Mountain’ Cabernet Sauvignon (OB, 99) which is near perfection in a bottle. Considering the challenges of the vintage, this is a masterpiece. Learn more about these great wines at  https://forcemajeurevineyards.com Here are the fantastic new wines by Force Majeure. 

2020 Force Majeure ‘Parvata’ Red Wine- 2020 marks the first vintage of the Parvata that is Grenache dominant (52%), as this edition includes a good portion of Mourvèdre  (30%) with 18% Syrah. The nose shows off white pepper, with Asian spices, brisket and shades of wild blackberry. The palate is very dense but also seamless and elegant on the mouth. Weightless with its rich core of roasted dates and boysenberry alongside menthol, scorched earth and salty undertones, this is rich and viscous Rhone inspired wine that will live on for another eight to ten years. Drink 2023-2031- 97

2020 Force Majeure ‘Walla Walla Estate’ Syrah- This vineyard in the Walla Walla Valley was purchased by Force Majeure in 2018, as this site is partially located in the Rocks District and has a portion of cobblestones and silty loam soils. Planted back in 1998, this vineyard has both Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine shows beautiful salty and stony tone on the palate, exuding class with its earthy elegance. Freshly tilled loamy soils combine with bacon fat, violets, Chinese five spice, and shades of oyster sauce on the palate. Right now this is really a joy to savor, as the 2020 ‘Walla Walla Estate’ is best consumed over the next seven years. Drink 2023-2030- 97

2020 Force Majeure ‘Red Mountain’ Syrah- The very heady new 2020 ‘Red Mountain’ Syrah bottling has a touch of Viognier blended in. Stored in 25% new French oak before bottling, this comes from 10 different blocks of Syrah which was planted on a steep, rocky hillside. This wine is absolutely seamless throughout the drinking experience. Iodine, white pepper, bulls blood, creme de violette and wet stone. Muscular and full-bodied, this is absolutely scintillating stuff that is drinking marvelously right now. Drink 2023-2031- 98

2020 Force Majeure ‘SJR Vineyard’ Syrah- The 2020 ‘SJR Vineyard’ Syrah is an insanely good bottling that truly speaks to this famed vineyard, set on ancient cobblestones. This wine absolutely pops right now on the nose displaying dizzying aromatic range. Wet stone, Nori, , boysenberry and violet rose petals combine with shades of menthol. The palate is soft and seamless, with incredible elegance. Very concentrated, with a brilliant core red and black fruits, alongside Hoisin sauce, smoked pork shoulder and stony tones, this is sensational Syrah that is drinking brilliantly right now. Drink 2023-2030- 98

2020 Parabellum ‘Coulee’ Red Wine- This Syrah dominant wine was stored in 35% new French oak before bottling. This comes off wonderfully dense and soft on the mouth, with beef blood, iodine, black currants and brisket notes on the palate. Rich and viscous, this is a killer value that is already beautifully evolved. Enjoy now. Drink 2023-2029- 93

2020 Force Majeure ‘Epinette’ Red Wine- This 2020 edition of the Epinette combines 52% Merlot with 26% Cabernet Franc and the remainder Cabernet Sauvignon with a touch of Petit Verdot. This is beautifully structured wine with plenty of power, evoking both a pillowy mouthfeel and beautiful underlying verve. Dark currants and milk chocolate flavors combine with dried herbs, loamy soils and wild blackberry tones on the palate. Elegant and delicious, enjoy this beauty now and over the next eight plus years. Give this an hour in the decanter if consuming in its youth. Drink 2023-2033- 97

2020 Force Majeure ‘Walla Walla Estate’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The outstanding 2020 ‘Walla Walla Estate’ Cabernet Sauvignon comes from vines set on loamy soils that was planted all the way back in 1998. Super seamless and elegant on the mouth, this comes off very soft and generous with loamy soils, tar, tobacco leaf and black licorice notes on the palate. This is fantastic stuff to consume now, as you can enjoy this beauty over the next ten years. Drink 2023-2033- 97

2020 Force Majeure ‘Red Mountain’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2020 ‘Red Mountain’ Cabernet Sauvignon is a stunning new bottling that is showing beautifully even so young. Right now the wine is unbelievably good, with a brilliant combination of weight, texture and bright underlying acidity. A fantastic melange of black and blue fruits greet you on the palate, with chocolate, creosote and espresso ground accents. Give this plenty of air before consuming, as this beauty is already signing its high octane. Drink 2023-2033- 99

2020 Force Majeure ‘Red Mountain’ Tempranillo- This astonishingly good 2020 Tempranillo was stored in mostly new French oak and has a touch of Cabernet Sauvignon blended in. This is seamless and massively concentrated wine that is already drinking beautifully right now. Black cherry compote, soy sauce, graphite, and juicy blackberry flavors all brilliantly combine with scorched earth undertones. Salty and savory, this is incredible, highly-extracted Tempranillo that will provide drinking enjoyment over the next decade. Only 80 cases made of this memorable wine, so grab some while you can. Drink 2023-2031- 98

2020 Parabellum ‘Alluvio’ Red Wine- The 2020 ‘Alluvio’ is a beautiful new wine that combines mostly Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot with smaller parts Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Ripe dark currants combine with mocha, tar and red bell pepper notes on the palate. Refined and elegant, with a silky texture, this is beautiful wine that is already nicely evolved. Drink 2023-2029- 92

Larkmead

For years I have been enamored by wines by Larkmead Vineyards, one of the oldest Napa wineries that began back in 1895. Over the years they have gained an international reputation for their world-class Cabernet Sauvignon wines. Their estate vineyard is located between Selby Creek and the Napa River at the conjunction point of two colluvial fans that extend from the Mayacamas and the Vaca mountain ranges. Vines are set on an ancient gravel riverbed gravel which lies directly beneath the topsoil.

Former winemaker Dan Petroski has crafted insanely good wines for Larkmead and in 2021 they hired a new winemaker as Dan began focusing on his Massican project. Larkmead Winemaker Avery Heelan was formerly Petroski’s assistant winemaker so she knows this program exceedingly well. Heelan has an M.S. degree in Agricultural and Environmental Chemistry, with a specialization in Viticulture & Enology at Davis. Her academic program included experience as a harvest cellar intern (in 2015) at CADE Estate Winery in St. Helena. After completing her degree, Avery worked harvest positions for two harvests in 2016, first at Capel Vale Winery in Western Australia as vintage assistant winemaker and then at Domaine Yves Boyer Martenot in Meursault, France as vintage enologist. She then served as cellar master at Screaming Eagle from 2017 to 2019 before joining the Larkmead Vineyards team in mid-2019.

2020 was the hottest vintage on record for Larkmead. Heelan noted “The worst thing was the nights were warmer and we usually have cooler nights which didn’t happen this vintage. We had 67 days over 105 degrees. We started to think about how to make one or two blends to optimize picks for some earlier components and later components. We ended picking everything by September 15th. Merlot and Cabernet started their picks in August and things have really moved up the pipeline.” In 2020 all of the Larkmead production fruit was brought in and yields were down that vintage roughly 50%. She stated “We laboriously studied the wine, we sent the numbers in and wanted to see what would be the best thing for the brand. Our wine didn’t have smoke, it tasted delicious and we didn’t want to make the reserve wine so our estate Cab had a lot of the best blocks. We felt we would regret not releasing the wine. I love the wine and I think that it has really good balance with some nice bright fruits and violets, some good tannin structure and good freshness.”

I absolutely love the new 2020 Larkmead Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon (OB, 94) which is a downright killer effort in a hard vintage. Learn more about this storied Napa estate at https://larkmead.com Here is the beautiful new wines by Larkmead Vineyards.

2021 Larkmead ‘Lillie’ Sauvignon Blanc- This 100% oak barrel fermented Clone 1 Sauvignon Blanc is a bright and beautiful effort from this exciting new vintage in the Napa Valley. Smooth and very soft texturally, the wine shows nectarine and juicy pear flavors that combine with shades of green melon on the palate. Nicely structured and balanced, this beautiful wine is already singing at the two year mark. Drink 2023-2033- 93

2020 Larkmead Cabernet Sauvignon- Nicely concentrated and very smooth, the 2020 Larkmead Cabernet Sauvignon combines 18% Merlot and a touch of Cabernet Franc. It is a downright awesome effort considering the challenges of the vintage. Violets and shades of Black Forest cake fill the nose with roasted dates and espresso grounds. The palate is soft and refined with a silky texture and beautiful sense of length. This is very clean and refined Napa Cab that is seamless throughout the drinking experience and will be best consumed now and over the near future. Drink 2023-2030- 94

Dom Perignon

It has now been more than 100 years since the first vintage of Dom Perignon Champagne was produced. Not long after its release, Moet & Chandon acquired the Dom Perignon brand name. For years I have admired the dedication put into these wines that seem to shine in even the most challenging vintages. I have a soft spot for the 2003 and 2009 Dom Perignon Champagnes — definitely a more burly style of wine but wines that come from hot vintages that were remarkably good.

The latest edition of this wine comes from the tough 2013 vintage. Cool weather prevailed throughout the spring which led vines to be two weeks behind but summer brought some warmer weather. Pinot Noir appeared to perform better than Chardonnay in many parts of this vintage. Havest was late at Dom Perignon, starting on September 28th. The 2013 Dom Perignon Champagne (OB, 94) is not quite as dense and racy as the incredible 2012 — however the wine is a remarkably good effort in a tough vintage. I think that this wine will go down as one of the finest from this year, and is certainly one of the best that I have tried yet from ’13. This beauty is already really nicely evolved.

improved, albeit involving a very deliberate unraveling process. Once aroused this evokes such a pretty red fruit profile alongside the incredible musty and earthy character of the wine. Refined bubbles make this such a delight to consume and at more than 400 USD, this is no cheap treat. Learn more about this very special wine at https://www.domperignon.com/product/vintage/2013 and here is my review of the outstanding 2013 Dom Perignon Champagne.

2013 Dom Perignon Champagne- The 2013 Dom Perignon Champagne is a monumental effort from a tough vintage that saw a very late harvest. A proprietary blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, this offers brioche bread and baking spices on the palate alongside kumquat rind, and shades of Macadamia nut and star jasmine water. A complex wine, with its smooth texture and silky mousse, this 2013 is already wonderfully evolved. Enjoy now and over the next ten years to come. Drink 2023-2033- 94

Dineen Vineyards

Beautiful photo of Dineen Vineyards by Richard Duval.

Today we highlight one of the great sides in the Yakima Valley. Dineen Vineyards was founded by Pat and Lanie Dineen who made an initial investment in a 12-acre apple orchard back in 2001. The trees were removed and the first Dineen vines were planted in what is now known as Catherine’s vineyard, named after Pat’s mother.

They made a much larger investment in 2002, acquiring a 80-acre parcel was purchased becoming the second vineyard in the portfolio and home to the Dineen Vineyards tasting room. All of the blocks at this site are named for members of our immediate family. I have admired the wines from Lauren Ashton for years that have showcased this site. Dineen wines are made by David Rodriguez who was trained as a lawyer prior to dedicating his life in wine. He has worked in Argentina before coming to Washington. Originally an intern at Dineen, he now serves as viticulturist and winemaker. The new wines were really good across the board. I love the 2022 Dineen Riesling (OB, 90) which is fresh and shows good tension. Even better is the 2022 Dineen Semillon (OB, 91) which is neatly textured and shows good flavor range. Learn more about theses wines at dineenvineyards.com and here are my reviews of the new Dineen wines.

2022 Dineen Riesling- This estate 2022 Riesling offers good freshness with peach and lychee flavors alongside stony undertones. Made in the dry, Trocken style, enjoy now and over the next few years. Drink 2023-2028- 90

2022 Dineen Semillon- Dineen is one of the few vineyards in Washington that still has Semillon planted. This edition is neatly textured with nectarine, walnut and shades of brioche flavors that combine with a good sense of tension. Drink 2023-2029- 91

2022 Dineen ‘Condriesque’ White Wine- The ‘Condroesque’ is a great Rhone-inspired bottling. Showing a soft mouthfeel, this is loaded with peaches, Pink Lady apple and sourdough bread flavors alongside shades of green papaya. Drink 2023-2029- 91

2020 Dineen ‘Heritage Blend’ Red Wine- The 2020 ‘Heritage Blend’ offers black currants, tobacco leaf and anise flavors that mingle with creosote undertones. Showing a soft mouthfeel, this medium-bodied red sipper is drinking nicely now. Drink 2023-2028- 90

Caparzo

It was a brisk winter afternoon as I descended on the gates of Caparzo. Following the long driveway we came to an ancient structure where we started a brilliant tasting of their range of wines. Caparzo is easily one of Brunello’s most recognized brands in the United States. You can usually find this Brunello at Costco or many restaurants throughout the states. I have long admired these wines for their approachability young. When I visited the estate I had a chance to taste many older wines, as these are also really built to age.

The new wines from Caparzo came from the wam 2018 vintage. They are delicious to consume now after a long decant. Do not miss out on the incredible 2018 Caparzo ‘La Casa’ Brunello (OB, 95) which is dense and chewy, coming from this older vineyard. Everything is harmonious here with outstanding flavor range. Learn more about this storied Tuscan brand at  http://www.caparzo.it/mobile-eng.html and here are the outstanding new releases by Caparzo.  

2018 Caparzo Brunello di Montalcino- The outstanding 2018 Caparzo Brunello di Montalcino shows dusty tannins that collide with blood orange zest, white pepper and shades of black truffle on the nose. The palate is smooth and viscous with ripe red fruit flavors alongside bright acidity and kumquat zest fruits. Medium-bodied and well-structured, this will easily cellar well over the next ten years. Drink 2023-2035- 92

2018 Caparzo ‘La Casa’ Brunello di Montalcino- The amazing 2018 ‘La Casa’ comes from the Caparzo Estate Vineyard that was first bottled as such in the late 1970s. This is dense and beautifully-structured Brunello with charcuterie notes that mingle well with blood orange zest, menthol, Enoki mushroom and shades of ripe red raspberry on the palate. Deep and concentrated, yet showing firm tannins and bright acidity hold things marvelously in place, this is a show-stopping Brunello that will provide drinking enjoyment over the next few decades. Drink 2023-2043- 95

Marques de Caceres

It is my pleasure sharing one of the outstanding houses of Rioja that has been readily available throughout the United States. Marques de Caceres has made their name by providing beautiful value-driven Rioja wines since the 1990s. I was first enchanted by these Reserva and Gran Reserva wines more than fifteen years ago and was absolutely blown away with how the wines age. A few years back I visited the winery when I was in Spain which was a wonderful journey back into time. At the time they had no formal tasting room but it was a marvelous tour and a gorgeous valley setting.

Located in the Rioja Alta region, In 1970 Enrique Forner founded the winery which was an alliance between the the Cenicero region in the La Rioja Alta. This family had been focused on the wine trade for five generations, sourcing from some of the great growers and vineyards in the region in a Bordeaux like concept. Cristina Forner is the fourth generation owner of this wine family. They produce a great Grand Reserva, but their Reserva is also consistently good and commands a lower price tag. These wines have increasingly been available at Costco at a price that makes them one of the better wine buys in the retail market. I adore the 2015 Marques de Caceres ‘Gran Reserva’ Rioja (OB, 95) which is dense and heady and absolutely a joy to consume right now. Learn more about these special Rioja wines at https://www.marquesdecaceres.com Here are the beautiful new wines by Marques de Caceres.

2021 Marques de Cacers ‘Made with Organic Grapes’ Rioja- This shows forward and juicy red fruit flavors with black tea and allspice notes. Enjoy now. Drink 2023-2028- 88

2018 Marques de Caceres ‘Gaudium’ Rioja- The 2018 ‘Gaudium’ is a stunning new wine that is loaded with dense black fruits and tobacco. With more air this shows of wet stone, boysenberry and citrus rind accents that all wonderfully come together. Gorgeous to consume now, this has both the stuffing and bright acidity to cellar well over the next ten to fifteen years. Drink 2023-2038- 94

2015 Marques de Caceres ‘Gran Reserva’ Rioja- The absolutely incredible 2015 Marques de Caceres ‘Gran Reserva’ Rioja comes from this warm vintage in Rioja. On the mouth, this is plump and decadent, with silky tannins that frame a beautiful core of black and red currants, menthol, milk chocolate and freshly tilled salty soils. A total show-stopper, this is a stunning Gran Reserva that will live on for decades to come. Drink 2023-2038- 95