Cristom Vineyards

It had been several years since I had sat down in the board room at Cristom Vineyards and tasted their beautiful wines. A producer that is all about sustainability and taking care of their land, Cristom Vineyards hosted me for a tour and tasting last week. This is one of the beautiful spots in the Willamette Valley, with incredible views and soil diversity. Standing at the top of the vineyards, this windswept location looked nothing like the soils at the bottom of the hill where the winery sits. There has been more of a focus made on their Chardonnay program and I loved the releases that they crafted from the 2021 vintage (https://owenbargreen.com/blog/2023/5/15/cristom-vineyards).

But it is clear that Cristom is known for their Pinots. Their Mt. Jefferson Cuvee can be found at top restaurants across the world, and I have even seen this bottling at Daniel NYC. Back in 2019 they hired a new winemaker from Sonoma. Daniel Estrin serves as both winemaker and vineyard manager, having formerly served at Red Car as well as Craggy Range in New Zealand before landing his position Littorai. I am very excited to see his impact on the Cristom portfolio.

The new wines I tried were all from the 2021 vintage, one that had consistently warm weather during the summer. Check out their entry level 2021 Cristom Vineyards ‘Mt. Jefferson Cuvee’ Pinot Noir (OB, 92) which is a sensational value and packs a punch for under 50 bucks. I adored the new 2021 Cristom Vineyards ‘Louise Vineyard’ Chardonnay (OB, 95) which is already showing its depth and concentration, with citrus rind accents and a smooth texture. Check out more about these outstanding wines at https://www.cristomvineyards.com and here are my reviews of the new releases by Cristom.

2021 Cristom ‘Mt. Jefferson Cuvee’ Pinot Noir- Stored in 22% new French oak for 11 monnths,, this undercut 44% whole cluster fermentation. Always one of the great values in Oregon, the 2021 ‘Mt. Jefferson Cuvee’ shows really good aromatic range with dried herbs and cranberry notes alongside shades of teaberry. The palate is fresh and shows a smooth texture, with good length. Drink 2023-2031- 92

2021 Cristom ‘Jesse Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The outstanding 2021 Cristom ‘Jesse Vineyard’ Pinot Noir comes from this very steep site in the Eola-Amity Hills. Stored in 38% new French oak before bottling, and given 52% whole cluster fermentation, the Pinot Noir takes on layers of savory herbs alongside bright red currants, Nori and shades of freshly tilled salty soils. Very structured, with refined tannins, this beautiful wine is already showing brilliantly. This shows a ton of aging potential with its weight and bright underlying acidity. Drink 2023-2040- 94

2021 Cristom ‘Marjorie Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- Stored in 35% new French oak, this saw 46% whole cluster fermentation gorgeous ‘Marjorie Vineyard’ Pinot Noir shows dried cranberry with wild strawberry alongside blackberry tones. The palate is plush and soft with a seamless mouthfeel and great underlying finesse. Finishing long, this is lively, lovely stuff to enjoy now and over the next fifteen plus years. Drink 2023-2038- 94

2021 Cristom ‘Louise Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The 2021 ‘Louise’ is beautifully perfumed with red rose petals alongside Nori and shades of tart red fruits. The palate displays loads of mouth-watering acidity with serious freshness and lovely citrus rind flavors that combine with tart pomegranate seed and red raspberry. Showing serious tension, this is brilliant Pinot Noir that has a long way to go in the cellar. Drink 2023-2038- 95

2021 Cristom ‘Eileen Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- Stored in 34% new French oak before bottling. This comes from the highest portion of the Cristom Estate. The wine displays a dizzying array of red fruits on the nose alongside potpourri and shades of kumquat zest and baking spices. Very juicy and dense with loads of crunchy red fruit flavors alongside menthol, dried herbs and shades of orange rind, this is drinking beautifully already. Given its structure and flavor density this will easily go for another fifteen plus years. Drink 2023-2038- 95

2021 Cristom ‘Paul Gerrie Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- This was stored in 45% new French oak before bottling. This wine comes from the northern end at the Cristom Estate. The smooth texture entices as layers of boysenberry fruit combine with stony soils, white pepper, soy sauce and plenty of Umami accents. Finishing long with great power and verve, this is going to be a twenty year wine. Drink 2023-2043- 95

King Estate

Sitting across from winemaker Brent Stone, we tasted and chatted about the warm 2021 growing season It had been several years since we had sat together and tasted on their sun-soaked patio. This edition of tasting was done indoors, as the rain fell from the late August sky. Such is not a typical occurrence at King Estate as temperatures this time of year usually are 90 degrees-plus.

Pinot Gris might be thought by Oregon wine lovers as the least expressive of Oregon wines but decades ago visionary Ed King realized that this end of the valley was perfect for making a world-class Pinot Gris. Winemaker Brent Stone has now been at the helm since 2011. He has been doing a fantastic job with the wines that range in SKUs from Sauvignon Blanc and Rose to Sparkling Wines and inky Syrah. King Estate is quite simply a must-visit, as arguably Oregon’s most beautiful winery.

For this tasting I feel that these are quite possibly the finest overall wines that I have tasted from this house in the past ten years. I love the new 2021 King Estate ‘Domaine’ Pinot Gris (OB, 94) which is the top Gris bottling from this house. In this wine Brent Stone selects only the top 1-2% of barrels as this wine exudes class with its flavor range and silky mouthfeel. I also loved the new 2021 King Estate ‘Domaine’ Pinot Noir (OB, 94) which is just an infant in the glass, with loads of aging potential and fantastic concentration. Learn more about this famed Oregon estate at https://www.kingestate.com and here are my tasting notes from the new King Estate wines.

2021 King Estate ‘Domaine’ Pinot Gris- This outstanding Pinot Gris was stored entirely in stainless steel with weekly battonage before bottling. The winemaking goes through weeks of grading and trials for this wine. The 2021 ‘Domaine’ shows buttered brioche tones on the nose alongside green papaya, Macadamia nut and shades of cantaloupe. The palate is soft and refined with bright underlying acidity. Finishing long, this is beautiful wine that has another ten plus years to go in the cellar. Drink 2023-2033- 94

2021 King Estate ‘Seven Rows’ Pinot Gris- The ‘Seven Rows’ saw two different frementaitons that saw five days cold soak on the skins at 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Red florals combine with red cherry and shades of red raspberry on the nose. This saw Sur lie aging with weekly battonage. The palate shows a silky mouthfeel with ripe red and melon fruits that combine with the bright acidity on the palate. Drink 2023-2031- 92

2021 King Estate ‘Havlin Vineyard’ Gruner Veltliner- The Havlin Vineyard is located in the Van Duzer Corridor, as this was stored in natural oak and this saw weekly battonage before bottling. Green papaya and mango notes combine with suggestions of baking spices and wet stone. The palate is soft and refined with bright underlying finesse. This is really one of the best wines of its kind in Oregon. Drink 2023-2029- 92

2021 King Estate ‘Kennel Vineyard’ Chardonnay- This 2021 Chardonnay comes from the Kennel Vineyard which is led by John and Jeremy Kennel. This is not far from Croft and Freedom Hill Vineyards, as mid-Willamette Valley wine was stored in 26% new French oak before bottling. Aged for 18 months, this offers toasty brioche on the nose alongside nutmeg dusted apple, and shades of ripe pineapple on the nose. Showing a seamless texture this has beautiful underlying finesse with lemon oil and ripe tropical fruit flavors. Drink 2023-2033- 94

2021 King Estate ‘Domaine’ Pinot Noir- The 2021 King Estate ‘Domaine’ Pinot Noir was stored in 26% new French oak before bottling and represents the top one percent of Estate Pinot Noir barrels. Red currants combine with freshly tilled soils, Black cherry and shades of dried herbs. The palate is soft and refined with silky tannins that frame a core of red and dark fruit flavors. Finishing long, with good viscosity, this is already sgiwubg beautifully right now. Drink 2023-2040- 94

2021 King Estate ‘Dijon Clone 777’ Pinot Noir- The 2022 ‘Dijon Clone 777’ Pinot Noir is a gorgeous effort from this warm vintage. Once on the nose this takes on layers of dark raspberry that combines with black truffle, and shades of wild blackberry on the nose. The palate is deep and concentrated with silky tannins and a rich core of dark fruits that combine with bright acidity, citrus blossom water and shades of stony terroir. This will age gracefully for another fifteen plus years. Drink 2023-2038- 94

2021 King Estate ‘Chehalem Mountains Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- This comes from a legacy vineyard that was planted back in 1968. This is the first vintage that King Estate has made this wine. Pretty guava and red currants combine with salty, stony soils. Fresh and vibrant with a soft texture, this is already nicely evolved stuff that will live on for decades. Drink 2023-2038- 94

2021 King Estate ‘GSM’ Red Wine- This is sourced from the Rogue Valley as well as the Columbia Valley. This was stored in a small portion of new French oak before bottling. Fresh and lively, this shows a soft mouthfeel, with savory and salty tones alongside black cherry and blackberry flavors. Drink 2023-2031-91

Ayoub

Today we share one of the Oregon greats that continues to fly under the radar. Ayoub is the brainchild of Mo Ayoub who has been producing world class Pinot Noir wines for more than a decade. Back in 2001 Mo Ayoub planted his namesake vineyard and began crafting his wines in 2004. Each Pinot Noir artfully showcases its individual site as these are highly memorable and terroir-driven Pinot Noir wines. Mo made the great decision to work with with one of the great winemaking talents in Oregon, consulting winemaker Robert Brittan. Mo makes a range of brilliant bottlings, including new bubbles which I tasted with him during my visit there last week.

Mo is very reflective and self-critical. He is one of the honest people in our industry that seeks nothing less than to craft stunning wines year after year. He has definitely achieved that. I recently had the chance to review all of the new releases from the 2021 vintage. I adored the new 2021 Ayoub Vineyards Chardonnay (OB, 95) which might just be the best Chardonnay bottling that Mo Ayoub has made. This is rich and layered with tons of aging potential. Even better is the single barrel Pinot Noir, the 2021 Ayoub ‘Latifah’ Pinot Noir (OB, 96) which is named after Mo Ayoub’s mother.  This is very dense and heady, having potential to be a 20 year wine. Learn more about the beautiful Ayoub wines at https://www.ayoubwines.com Here are the great wines by Ayoub.

2021 Ayoub ‘Dundee Hills’ Chardonnay- Another year, another incredible Chardonnay bottling by Mo Ayoub. This 2021 edition comes from the Dundee Hills AVA and shows wonderfully flinty tones on the nose alongside Japanese pear and Key lime zest. The palate is beautifully textured, showing an amazing combination of weight, acidity and texture. Finishing exceedingly long, this is a blockbuster effort that is not to be missed. This beauty will easily go for another ten plus years. Drink 2023-2033- 95

2021 Ayoub ‘Memoirs’ Pinot Noir- Year after year, the Memoirs Pinot Noir is one of the most emotionally resonant Pinots made in the region, as it is a tribute to Mo Ayoub’s relatives that have passed on. This edition displays a family photo from 1964 on a beach in Lebanon. This edition is jam-packed full of flavor. Rich red fruits parade with blood orange rind, cigar ash and shades of red rose water on the palate. A stunning new wine that comes in at a reasonably price, enjoy the 2021 Memoirs now and over the next ten plus years. Drink 2023-2035- 94

2021 Ayoub ‘Avant-Garde Vineyard’ Cabernet Franc- Undoubtedly one of the unique wines made in the Willamette Valley, this Cabernet Franc comes from this Dundee Hills AVA vineyard. Herbal and loaded with tannins, with pretty good mid-palate depth, this shows bright black and blue fruit flavors with chocolate and coffee ground undertones. Well-done! Drink 2023-2035- 92

2021 Ayoub ‘Anonimo Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- This concentrated and delicious 2021 Pinot Noir opens with beautiful red and black florals that combine with stony and silty soil tones on the nose. The palate is plush and shows beautiful tension, weight and power. It is quite honestly a stunning new bottling that is already beautifully evolved with its core of red and dark fruit flavors. I can see this beauty cellaring well for another fifteen years to come. Drink 2023-2038- 95

2021 Ayoub ‘Estate Whole Cluster’ Pinot Noir- The rich and layered 2021 Ayoub ‘Estate Whole Cluster’ Pinot Noir is a big and burly, warm-vintage rendition of this wine. It displays gobs of crunchy red fruits on the palate, with pink grapefruit, loamy soil and light tannins framing everything nicely. Quite primary and heady right now, give this at least another year in the bottle to fully evolve. Drink 2024-2036- 95

2021 Ayoub ‘Estate’ Pinot Noir- The gorgeous new 2021 ‘Estate’ Pinot Noir by Ayoub beautifully showcases this rich vintage in the Willamette Valley. Once on the nose this shows off potpourri with intense red currant and pomegranate seed notes that combine with stony soils. The palate is soft and seamless, with refined tannins and a very lengthy finish. A complete wine, this is already nicely evolved — and will show marvelously for another fifteen years to come. Drink 2023-2038- 95

2021 Ayoub ‘Latifah’ Pinot Noir- The gorgeous 2021 ‘Latifah’ is a fitting tribute to Mo Ayoub’s mother who sadly is no longer with us. This beauty is very pure with a literal cornucopia of red fruits that greet you — from strawberry and raspberry to tart pomegranate seed notes that collide with shades of forest floor and white truffle shavings. Salty and savory with a seamless mouthfeel and wonderful length, this beauty is absolutely singing in its heady youth. Only one barrel made, so get this while you can. Drink 2023-2038- 96

King Estate

The southern end of the Willamette Valley is a remote, beautiful and desolate location that houses one of the great estates in Oregon. Ed King had the vision to start his winery here many decades ago and built the winery into a national industry power. It is quite remarkable that King Estate is one of the few wineries in North America (potentially the only one) where more vines of Pinot Gris are grown than any other varietal. There is a reason for this — year after year King Estate delivers two of the best Pinot Gris bottling in the state, with their entry level wine and their top of the line ‘Domaine’ Pinot Gris. I have had every ‘Domaine’ Pinot Gris back to 2011 and I have been pretty overwhelmed with the quality in this bottling which shows amazing texture and range. These also age marvelously as I did a retrospective on these wines a few years back and found them to be standout wines in even hot vintages.

One of the most beautiful Oregon wineries, I have cherished my visits with winemaker Brent Stone, who has been at the helm since 2011. He originally came to King Estate to serve as lab manager and moved his way up to head winemaker.  Brent crafts some beautiful Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir wines but is now also making some fantastic sparkling wines. This brand has been synonymous with value. His ‘Willamette Valley’ collection of wines has been synonymous with value. I adore the fresh and vibrant 2022 King Estate Pinot Gris (OB, 91) which offers nice texture and finesse, showing excellent varietal character. Also fantastic is the 2022 King Estate Rose (OB, 91) which also is nicely textured and shows a very pretty core of red fruits with earthy undertones. This is a perfect wine to enjoy during the last warm moments of summer. Learn more about this famed Oregon estate at https://www.kingestate.com and here are my tasting notes from the new King Estate wines.

2022 King Estate ‘Oregon’ Sauvignon Blanc- You don’t see too many Sauvignon Blancs with the ‘Oregon’ designation. This 2022 edition of the wine has 5% Semillon blended in and mainly comes from the Willig and Barrel vineyards. Fresh and soft on the mouth, this delivers green apple and lemon peel flavors that mingle with copious stony minerals on the palate. Enjoy now. Drink 2023-2027- 90

2022 King Estate ‘Artisan Series’ Pinot Gris- This 2022 Pinot Gris comes from a range of sites in the Willamette Valley and was aged in stainless steel before bottling. It comes off wonderfully juicy with mango and kiwi fruit flavors alongside a good sense of tension on the palate. Very fresh and fragrant, this beautiful wine is good to go right now and is begging for a hot summer day. Drink 2023-2028- 90

2022 King Estate ‘Willamette Valley’ Pinot Gris- Mainly coming from the King Estate Vineyard, the 2022 King Estate Pinot Gris is another fantastic bottling from this storied house. Once on the nose this offers a smooth texture with bright Japanese pear and Mandarin orange zest flavors alongside shades of gooseberry. This is a delicious effort that is best consumed now in its bright youth. Drink 2023-2028- 91

2022 King Estate Rose- Made entirely from Pinot Noir grapes, this mostly was sourced from the King Estate Vineyard as well as the Pfeiffer and Bradshaw vineyards. Juicy and round on the mouth, this offers cranberry, wild mushroom and strawberry flavors with racy acidity and a smooth texture. This is brilliantly done. Drink 2023-2029- 91

2021 Inscription ‘Willamette Valley’ Pinot Noir- Coming from a range of sites including the King Estate, Stagger and Greiten Vineyards, this offers juicy red currant and red cherry flavors with tobacco leaf and orange peel notes. Juicy, showing good finesse, this awesome value is a delight to drink right now. Drink 2023-2028- 90

2019 The Soldier ‘Columbia Valley’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2019 ‘Columbia Valley’ Cabernet Sauvignon has 15% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc blended in. Coming from this cooler vintage, the wine reveals a soft mouthfeel with great balance and poise. Medium-bodied dark currants dance with tobacco leaf, coffee grounds and shades of menthol. This is really good stuff for the price. Drink 2023-2030- 91

Kobayashi

As I sat across from winemaker Travis Allen, I was glowing with delight. This was now the second time they had made their famed ‘Minzunera’ bottling, using eight thousand dollar oak barrels that came from ancient Japanese forests. It is quite a remarkable journey for Allen and his wife Mario Allen. Over the last several years the Allens have taken the Washington wine scene by storm. A trained nurse-anesthetist, Allen crafts highly novel, single vineyard bottlings that are made in limited production. The wines have a wonderful harmony to them, showing wonderful poise, weight and structure.

Last night I tried the new Kobayashi wines and I had to write about them immediately. I am blown away with his new 2022 Kobayashi Marsanne-Roussane (OB, 97) which is amongst the finest white wines I have tasted in the past year from the Pacific Northwest. A wine that is nothing short of perfection in the bottle is the absolutely thrilling 2021 Kobayashi ‘Mizunara’ Cabernet Franc (OB, 100) which will blow your mind. One sip and you will see that there is nothing like this beauty in the world. It is not quite Biserno or Cheval Blanc — it is a wine all its own. Learn more at https://kobayashiwinery.com and here are my reviews of the sensational new wines by Kobayashi winery. 

2021Kobayashi Viognier- This 2021 ‘WeatherEye Vineyard’ bottling took a bit more time to ferment and was released a bit later than typical. This also spent more time in the barrel, as this is the last vintage that utilized any new French oak. On the nose this takes on honeysuckle notes alongside shades of green papaya, star jasmine and starfruit notes. The palate is fresh and also very viscous with a silky texture and incredible length. The mouth-watering acidity is truly amazing here. Drink 2023-2031- 96

2022 Kobayashi Marsanne-Roussane- The 2022 Kobayashi Marsanne-Roussane comes from the WeatherEye Vineyard. A gorgeous combination of of 59% Marsanne with the remainder Roussanne, This saw a week on the skins in the cold room and then was aged in 40% new French cigar-shaped barrels prior to bottling. This also saw battonage at the beginning of oak aging. The nose really pops with aromas of ripe peach and apricot notes alongside allspice dusted pastry crust, and suggestions of Macadamia nut. The palate is seamless throughout the drinking experience. This comes off fat on the tongue, showing saline drenched peach and shortbread flavors. This is truly up there with the finest white wines of the Pacific Northwest. Enjoy now and over the next eight years. Drink 2023-2031- 97

2021 Kobayashi ‘Skin Contact’ Marsanne- This spent a whopping 41 days on the skins in stainless steel. The wine was just drained into a sandstone vessel. This has just a kiss of sweetness with a literal cornucopia of flavors. Nectarine, red currants, strawberry, and sweetened kiwi flavors with refined tannins all combine on the palate. Showing impressive viscosity, freshness and length, this beauty is not for the weary. Enjoy now and over the next few years. Drink 2023-2029- 96

2021 Kobayashi Cabernet Franc- Mostly sourced from the Blue Mountain Vineyard, the 2021 Kobayashi Cabernet Franc is the finest edition of this wine made yet. The wine was stored in 1200L oval foudre before bottling. This shows a touch of wintergreen on the nose with bright black fruits, alongside baking spices and suggestions of loamy soils. This is utterly seamless on the palate with refined tannins and underlying garrigue notes. Dark currants, creme de violette and baking spices all come together in unison on the palate. Give this at least an hour of air before consuming. Drink 2023-2031- 96

2022 Kobayashi ‘WeatherEye Vineyard Sans Soufre’ Syrah- The outrageously good 2022 Kobayashi ‘WeatherEye Vineyard Sans Soufre’ Syrah is a world-class wine that is drinking marvelously now. This was 100% whole cluster fermented and was stored in 100% neutral oak puncheons before bottling, with no punchdowns or pump-overs. Very dark in the glass, the wine is outrageously perfumed with white pepper dusted bacon, green olive tapenade, black currants, espresso grounds, purple rose petals and shades of pencil lead. This is seamless and elegant wine with sensational flavor range and viscosity. Round and generous on the palate, with fantastic length and underlying finesse, this is a total stunner that will drinking marvelously now and over the next eight plus years. Drink 2023-2031- 98

2021 Kobayashi ‘WeatherEye Vineyard’ Syrah- Another incredible effort, the 2021 ‘WeatherEye Vineyard’ Syrah has a touch of Viognier (2-3%) added, as this was stored in almost all neutral oak prior to bottling. Immediately gratifying on the nose, this shows off creosote aromatics alongside beef drippings, green peppercorns and shades of blackberry pie, with light red florals from the Viognier. The palate is very fresh and shows tremendous viscosity, coming off fat on the mouth. This is just incredibly gratifying to drink right now in its heady youth. This has both the viscosity and underlying freshness to cellar well into the next decade. Drink 2023-2033- 97

2019 Kobayashi ‘Extended Barrel Age’ Syrah- This beautiful wine was stored for 41 months in new 500L puncheon barrels before bottling. Potpourri and plenty of freshly cracked white pepper combine with soy sauce, boysenberry torte, Korean short ribs and suggestions of exotic spices all meld together in the glass. The palate is seamless and heady with plenty of exotic appeal in its outstanding flavor range. Generous and broad-shouldered, this elegant and intense Syrah will cellar well over the next eight plus years. Drink 2023-2031- 98

2021 Kobayashi ‘Mizunara’ Cabernet Franc- This is now the second edition made of this wine following the incredible 2019 bottling. The 2021 ‘Mizunara’ is the only wine of its kind, as the barrel costs a whopping 8 thousand dollars including shipping. As one of the most expensive wines in Washington State, it is also one of the finest that you will find. Cedar and exotic spices combine in this downright explosive nose with red currants, coffee grounds, pipe tobacco and hints of fresh sage. Seamless and elegant, with serious savory notes, refined tannins and downright insane flavor range, you won’t find anything like this in the world. Try to procure a bottle if you can, as there are only 100 cases made. Drink 2023-2043- 100

Chateau Pavie

Today we share one of the great tales of Bordeaux. Chateau Pavie dates all the way back to Roman times and is named after orchards of peaches ("pavies") that were formerly grown on the property. Over the years Ferdinand Bouffard in the late 19th century purchased several plots of land to create the current estate.

Grapes on the estate later began to suffer from phylloxera and the winery was later sold to Albert Porte and later Alexandre Valette in 1943. The winery remained in the family until 1998 when it was sold to Parisian businessman Gerard Perse in 1998.

Perse bought new equipment and made drastic changes in the vineyard, as well as used the talents of winemaking consultant Michel Rolland. It was then in 2012 that Pavie was promoted to Premier Grand Cru Classé (A) status, which made it one of four such Saint-Émilion producers.

I had the chance to taste the absolutely epic 2015 Chateau Pavie (OB, 100) which is a wine that is nothing short of perfection in the bottle. The wine is showing so beautifully right now but will easily live on for another thirty years. 2015 was seen as a really good vintage, with a hot spring and a hot and dry July, with some rains in August but generally hot late summer conditions. This is a very ripe, fleshy Pavie, one that is very different than the 2014 and 2013 that I have tasted. It is absolutely not for the weary and if you prefer something a bit less full-throttle, let it sit for another ten years. As for me, I enjoyed every hedonistic sip of this delightful elixir. Learn more at https://www.vignoblesperse.com/en/chateau-pavie/home and here is my review of the scintillating 2015 Chateau Pavie.

2015 Chateau Pavie Bordeaux- A ripe vintage wine that is absolutely ebullient and glowing, the 2015 Chateau Pavie is a sensational effort from this full-throttle vintage. On the nose this takes on plenty of delightful non-fruit character with tar, tobacco leaf and scorched earthy tones alongside aa massive wall of black fruits. Tannic and dense, with serious viscosity and weight, the wine is held together by a refined sense of minerality. Showing impressive length, this beauty is only starting to hit its stride — and will live on for another thirty years to come! Drink 2023-2050- 100

Airfield Estates

A winery that quite literally screams value, Airfield Estates has produced another outstanding lineup of Yakima Valley wines. I fondly recall visiting this winery prior to my job as a wine critic. It was the late 2000s and the wines were consistently great across the board. If someone new was in town, I usually took them to Airfield Estates so they could get a good feel for the quality and value that Washington wine consistently produces.

A winery that seems to do everything well from Sauvignon Blanc to Viognier to Syrah to dessert wine, Airfield Estates is one of the more established producers in the Yakima Valley, located in Prosser. The Miller family has a longstanding history in the valley, as in 1951 H. Lloyd Miller became the chairman of the Roza Irrigation Canal Board, and began farming on his property, Airport Ranch, where the winery now sits. His son, Don, took over the estate, planing a range of crops including asparagus, alfalfa, potatoes, onions, oats, hogs, cattle, mint, and sugar beets. In 1968, Don planted Riesling, Gewurztraminer, and Cabernet Sauvignon marking the early beginnings of the Airfield Estate vineyard. Don’s son, Mike Miller, gradually transitioned their farm into what it is today which consists of 830 acres of wine grapes and 350 acres of Concord juice grapes. In 2005, Mike founded Airfield Estates Winery, and he brought his son, Marcus, and daughter, Lori, on board to help manage the daily operations. 

Former winemaker Marcus Miller has served as president for Airfield Estates for many years. He is a fantastic, down to earth guy. Travis Maple serves as winemaker making a range of fantastic value wines. His top wines are really excellent. Don’t miss out on the new 2021 Lone Birch Syrah (OB, 90) which punches above its weight class and is a classy effort for well under twenty bucks. I love the new 2020 Airfield Estates ‘Michael Miller’ Red Wine (OB, 94) which is chewy and round, showing a seamless mouthfeel.  This beauty comes off clean and is a must-buy for any lover of Washington Rhones. Learn about this great historic Yakima Valley winery at http://www.airfieldwines.com Here are the great new wines by Airfield Estates.

2022 Lone Birch Riesling- The 2022 Lone Birch Riesling is a total knockout wine for the price. Made in the ’Trocken’ style, the Riesling just offers the slightest kiss of sweetness, as nectarine and kiwi friuits combine with stony accents. Enjoy now. Drink 2023-2027- 90

2022 Lone Birch Rose- Made entirely from Syrah grapes, this 2022 Rose offers rich red fruit flavors with sweetened peach notes and a smooth texture on the palate. Drink 2023-2027- 89

2021 Lone Birch Syrah- Very dark in the glass, the great value 2022 Lone Birch Syrah shows smoked BBQ beef rib flavors alongside lavender and boysenberry preserves on the palate. Drink 2023-2029- 90

2021 Airfield Estates ‘Blanc de Noirs’ Brut- The 2021 Airfield Estates ‘Blanc de Noirs’ Brut is a blend of 88% Pinot Noir, 12% Pinot Meunier that spent 13 months en tirage before disgorgement. Given 7G/L dosage, this offers wonderful richness and dense pear, nectarine and apricot flavors on the palate, showing stony minerals and salty undertones. Delicious to consume now, this has both the stuffing and finesse to age gracefully over the next decade. Drink 2023-2033- 92

2022 Airfield Estates Sauvignon Blanc- Coming from their Yakima Valley estate vineyard, this 2022 Sauvignon Blanc offers a smooth mouthfeel with plenty of mouth-watering acidity on the palate. Kiwi, gooseberry and pink grapefruit flavors all brilliantly combine here. This is a killer value that is best served on the slightly warmer side to take in the outstanding texture and range of flavors. Drink 2023-2029- 91

2021 Airfield Estates ‘Donald Miller’ Chardonnay- The 2021 ‘Donald Miller’ is a barrel selection wine that is a tribute to owner Marcus Miller’s grandfather. Showing off its golden hue, this is just as rich as the color suggests. Honeydew melon, ripe peach and baking spice dusted pastry crust flavors all brilliantly combine on the palate, with nutty accents. This is silky throughout the drinking experience as this beautiful 2021 Chardonnay is best consumed on the slightly warmer side. Drink 2023-2031- 93

2022 Airfield Estates Rose- Made entirely from estate Sangiovese grapes this has a touch of sweetness with guava and strawberry fruits alongside citrus rind accents on the palate. Nicely textured, enjoy now and over the next few years. Drink 2023-2028- 90

2021 Airfield Estates ‘Dauntless’ Red Wine- The 2021 ‘Dauntless’ is a compelling blend of 50% Merlot wth 30% Cabernet Franc and the remainder Cabernet Sauvignon. It is soft and very approachable now with a smooth texture. Red currants and red bell pepper notes combine with suggestions of chocolate cake and loganberry flavors. Really good, this will cellar well for another eight plus years to come. Drink 2023-2031- 91

2021 Airfield Estates Merlot- The 2021 Airfield Estates Merlot shows off roasted figs, baking spices and red. Cherry on the palate, with hints of tobacco leaf. Medium-bodied and nicely textured, enjoy now and over the next few years. Drink 2023-2030- 91

2021 Airfield Estates ‘Reserve’ Merlot- The 100% varietal ‘Reserve’ Merlot is a barrel selection by the Airfield winemaking team. Cocoa powder and ripe black plum flavors nicely complement the toasty oak and rich baking spices that combine on the palate. Finishing long, with good weight, this is delicious, already nicely evolved Merlot that will cellar well for another decade. Drink 2023-2033- 92

2020 Airfield Estates ‘Reserve’ Cabernet Sauvignon- Soft and generous on the mouth, the 2020 Airfield Estates ‘Reserve’ Cabernet Sauvignon is a really good wine in this tough vintage. Ripe cassis and anise with shades of milk chocolate and menthol all combine on the palate. Everything is deftly balanced here like a fine Swiss-made watch. Drink 2023-2029- 92

2020 Airfield Estates ‘Michael Miller’ Red Wine- The absolutely delicious 2020 ‘Michael Miller’ is mainly comprised of Syrah (80%) with smaller parts Grenache, Mourvèdre and a splash of Viognier. This Rhone-inspired blend pays homage to Michael L. Miller, who founded Airfield Estates Winery and also was responsible for expanding their estate vineyard. This comes off nicely concentrated with voluptuous red and dark fruit flavors, showing sagebrush, chocolate and coffee ground notes. This is quite simply a masterful, very heady effort in this vintage that is drinking marvelously right now. Drink 2023-2030- 94

2019 Airfield Estates ‘H. Lloyd Miller’ Red Wine- The really good 2019 ‘H. Lloyd Miller’ is a Cabernet Sauvignon (60%) based blend that also utilizes Merlot and Cabernet Franc with just a touch of Petit Verdot. This shows the coolness of the vintage with its herbal tones on the palate, unveiling rich dark currant, tobacco leaf and chocolate pie flavors. Drinking marvelously now, with good viscosity and underlying finesse, this will easily cellar for another fifteen years to come. Drink 2023-2038- 93

The Metropolitan Grill Seattle: Flat Out Fabulous Steakhouse Dining

It was a warm summer evening as we descended downtown to the Metropolitan Grill — one of Seattle’s premier fine-dining establishments. This is a big year for the Met Grill as it is commonly referred to by Seattelites, as they are now celebrating 40 years in service.

I was really excited to peruse their famed wine list as the Met Grill has earned Wine Spectator’s Grand Award for six consecutive years. Steaks are the focus at Met Grill as they come from the Double R Ranch and are prime graded. Mine was particularly melt in your mouth delicious.

As we sat down we were greeted by our server who has been at Met Grill for more than 15 years. He was awesome — just incredibly engaging and attentive throughout the dining experience.

I instantly grabbed the wine list and began my read. Wine director Chris Lara is incredibly talented and I have known him for his time as wine director at John Howie. I took my time enjoying the many thoughtful selections from the Pacific Northwest as they have a really excellent selection of reds and whites by the glass.

We had a lot to celebrate with our night on the town sans baby and I ordered the incredible 2006 Billecart-Salmon ‘Nicolas Francois Billecart’ Champagne which comes from a warm, somewhat challenging vintage. This 2006 edition of the ‘Nicolas Francois Billecart’ was the finest of many that I had tasted from my personal collection. Wine service was excellent and we immediately had our glasses of champagne in our white wine stems.

Ah, the wine was such a pleasure to enjoy. I savored each sip as I chose my dining selections which had to include steak! My wife and I rarely share a main course but we had to in this case and opted for the incredible Chateaubriand for two.

I am such a sucker for steak tartare and was so excited to taste this dish that was absolutely incredible. The texture and range of flavor in the dish was insanely good. As I write this I can’t wait to go back and try this for a second time. Toast that accompanied was also perfectly cooked fresh bread.

Similarly, one of my ATF dishes is Dungeness crab cakes. This cake that they served was wonderfully moist on the inside and also was filled with flavor and succulent crab meat. I can assure you that this crab cake tasted every bit as good as it looks. So many times that you order this dish at local restaurants, the crab cakes are filled with filler. Such is not the case at Met Grill.

We ordered the bone marrow which was also delicious. With so many healthy choices available in dining it was really fun to order something so hedonistic and delicious. I love the tart onion that matched the creaminess in the dish.

I had brought a very special wine from Cayuse Vineyards. The winery makes some world-class Syrah and this bottling from 2019 was absolutely vibrant and youthful, with insanely good flavor range. It was a joy to drink with the bone marrow and also the steak.

We shared the French onion soup which was a knockout dish. The broth was so rich and dense and the topped Greyere was just fantastic to complement. I think this was easily the best French onion soup I have tasted in the past year.

Now to the show-stopper the steak dish. I am a stickler for things being cooked correctly in a fine dining setting. This steak was cooked absolutely perfectly. It melted in your mouth and was paired with Bernaise which also was cooked marvelously with lovely egg and cream flavors. We were extremely happy with our Chateaubriand selection.

We finished with dessert and I have to make my plug on the cake selections that they had. The chocolate cake was incredibly moist and delicious but we were absolutely blown away with their white cake selection the White Chocolate Coconut cake. This is a must try for anyone who is crazy for a top dessert.

In short, if you want some outstanding service, mouth-watering steaks, incredible apps and world-class service, a visit to the Metropolitan Grill Seattle is an absolute must. I will definitely be back soon.

Dunham Cellars

For many years I have fondly recalled my tasting memories as a Senior at Whitman College. It was there when I first began tasting wine and visiting wineries. One of my first stop in 2002 was Dunham Cellars, one of Walla Walla’s iconic wineries. Dunham Cellars was founded by the Dunham family in 1995. Over the years I have found that Dunham crafts some of the most consistently good overall lineups in the state. These are wines that exude value and consistently overdeliver for the price.

Dunham relies on the talented hands of winemaker Rob Campisi, who was formerly assistant winemaker at Dunham. Rob trained under eminent Washington winemaker, Dan Wampfler and he crafts quite a wide range of wines including Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Trutina (Bordeaux style blend), Three Legged Red (red table wine) and the "Shirley Mays" Chardonnay, a dedication to Eric's grandmother.  

Do not miss out on the new 2022 Dunham Cellar Rose (OB, 92) which is fresh and vibrant from this warmer vintage. I am enamored by the fantastic value 2020 Dunham Cellars ‘Trutina’ Red Wine (OB, 93) which is an alarmingly good achievement in this highly challenging vintage. Learn more about these beautiful wines at dunhamcellars.com Here are the great new wines by Dunham Cellars.

2022 Dunham Cellars Rose- The 2022 Dunham Cellars Rose is very pale in color and is highly nuanced, as this shows considerably better at a warmer temperature. Red rose water combines with orange zest, pretty red raspberry and guava tones on the palate. Laden with minerality, and showing nice heft, enjoy this beautiful wine now and over the next several years. Drink 2023-2028- 92

2021 Dunham Cellars ‘Shirley Mays’ Chardonnay- The 2021 ‘Shirley Mays’ was sourced from the Lewis Estate and Kenny Hill Estate Vineyards. Stored for eight months in only 20% new French oak, this offers really nice concentration on the palate with loads of mouth-watering acidity. Bright pear and allspice dusted pastry crust notes combine with suggestions of starfruit and wild mushroom on the palate. A total winner, this offers serious value under thirty dollars. Drink 2023-2029- 92

2021 Dunham Cellars ‘Three Legged Red’ Red Wine- A downright killer value and appearing very dark in the glass, the 2021 Dunham Cellars ‘Three Legged Red’ Red Wine is a proprietary blend of Cabernet, Malbec and Syrah. Immediately gratifying once poured, this revels in its forward and juicy dark cherry, black raspberry cordial, mocha and tar notes on the palate. The bright acidity and soft mouthfeel entices, as this is best enjoyed now and over the next few years. Drink 2023-2028- 91

2020 Dunham Cellars ‘Trutina’ Red Wine- The 2020 ‘Trutina’ combines near equal parts Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon that was sourced from a range of Columbia Valley vineyards. Stored for eighteen months in only 18% new French oak, this delvers really nice concentration and mouthfeel upon entry. Black currants parade with copious minerals, kirsch, cigar box and shades of espresso grounds on the palate. This is seriously delicious stuff considering the challenges of the vintage. Enjoy now. Drink 2023-2028- 93

2019 Dunham Cellars ‘Columbia Valley’ Cabernet Sauvignon- Really good considering the harvest conditions, the 2019 Dunham Cellars ‘Columbia Valley’ Cabernet Sauvignon is now in its 25th edition. This version has 5% Merlot blended in and was stored in 32% new French oak and 18% new American oak before bottling. This wine is deep and rich but is all about balance.   Turkish coffee notes combine with sandalwood, violets, and loamy soils on the palate. Finishing long with rich roasted figs and copious minerals, enjoy this beauty now and over the next ten plus years. Drink 2023-2036- 94

2020 Dunham Cellars ‘Columbia Valley’ Syrah- One of the great value Syrahs that you will find over the past fifteen years, the 2020 ‘Columbia Valley’ Syrah is a great wine made in a challenging vintage. This comes off very inky and savory — punching well above its weight with glorious creme de violette, tobacco leaf, worn leather and espresso ground flavors, alongside a fantastic core of bright dark fruits. Full-bodied, and showing a smooth texture, this is one of the brilliant editions of this wine that is a testament to this world-class winemaking team. Drink 2023-2028- 93

2019 Dunham Cellars ‘Lewis Vineyard Artist Series’ Syrah- The gorgeous and very generous 2019 ‘Lewis Vineyard Artist Series’ Syrah is the best wine out of this new fantastic spring 2023 lineup. Iodine, tar, creme de violette and smoked brisket notes all collide on the palate with serious weight and a beautiful core of black fruits. Very smoky and savory, with a light dusting of salinity, this is world-class Syrah that will cellar well over the next fifteen years to come. Drink 2023-2038- 95

Meyye Wines

A winery that honors Native American traditions, Meyye Wines was founded by Rob Campbell who is a member of the Coastal Miwok/Southern Pomo tribe. “I may be the only Native American winemaker who also owns his own label” Campbell noted. Each wine has different birds that are honored. “I’m intentionally using the Coast Miwok language since the language was considered ‘officially dead’ in the past” he said.

After serving as winemaker for Robert Story for 11 years, Campbell wanted to start his own winery. The wines he made were seriously good, having a beginning, middle and an end. I adored the 2020 Meyye Wines ‘Kuluppis’ Chardonnay (OB, 92) which shows off this special site and offers beautiful balance and texture. Learn more about these at meyyewines.com and here are my reviews of the new Meyye Wines.

2020 Mayye Wines ‘Kuluppis’ Chardonnay- Coming from the Sangiacomo Vineyards, this 2020 Chardonnay offers a smooth texture with beautiful weight and poise, with bright pear and brioche tones on the palate. Drink 2023-2031- 92

2019 Meyye Wines ‘Omay’ Pinot Noir- The 2019 ‘Omay’ was sourced from the Petaluma Gap AVA. Showing a soft mouthfeel, this reveals bright cranberry, citrus rind and freshly tilled soil flavors. Medium-bodied, this has good poise and is ready to go right now. Drink 2023-2029- 91

2018 Mayye Wines ‘Sokootok’ Red Wine- The 2018 ‘Soootok’ combines Grenache (50%) with smaller parts Syrah, Petit Sirah, Counoise and Zinfandel all from the Amador County. Juicy, with bright acidity, this offers pomegranate seed flavors alongside salty soils, tobacco leaf and shades of Mandarin orange zest on the palate. Medium-bodied, enjoy now. Drink 2023-2029- 91

2015 Meyye Wines ‘Palachchak’ Zinfandel- This excellent 2015 Zinfandel has 5% Syrah blended in. It comes off round and smooth on the palate, with loads of mouth-watering acidity. Ripe red fruits combine with shades of kumquat zest and loamy soils on the palate. Enjoy now. Drink 2023-2029- 91

Lingua Franca

One of the standout producers of Oregon Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, Lingua Franca was founded by Larry Stone and David Honig. Earlier this year the winery was sold to Constellation Brands and this will be an exciting development for the future. At the helm is Thomas Savre who is one of the state’s finest winemakers. As this winery expands it will be very interesting to see how these wines develop. Savre crafts very age worthy wines that show good richness and tension. I’ve had the chance to taste some older wines and have been really impressed with their aging potential.

The new wines come from the warm 2021 vintage which was a welcome change across the valley after 2020. Last year Savre made some incredible wines from that smoke-filled vintage that were arguably the wines of the vintage. This edition of wines he has hit another total home run. HIs 2021s show good depth, concentration and flavor density with fantastic underlying finesse. They are already beautifully evolved wines.

Check out the gorgeous 2021 Lingua Franca ‘Avni’ Chardonnay (OB, 94) which shows incredible concentration and flavor complexity. This is far from your typical entry level Oregon Chardonnay. Even better is the thrilling 2021 Lingua Franca ‘Lingua Franca Vineyard’ Chardonnay (OB, 96) which rivals the finest Chardonnays in this region. Massively complex, stony and heady, with great finesse, this is one for any serious collector of Oregon wines. Learn more about Lingua Franca at https://www.linguafranca.wine Here are the beautiful new releases by Lingua Franca.

2021 Lingua Franca ‘Avni’ Chardonnay- The 2021 ‘Avni’ is an outstanding entry level Chardonnay by Lingua Franca. Sourced from a range of sites including the Lingua Franca Estate, Bunker Hill, LSV and sites in the Chehalem Mountains and Yamhill-Carlton, this beautiful wine was was aged in combination of 21% new, 600-liter puncheons and mainly in old French oak barriques (63%) before for eleven months before bottling. This is lifted and wonderfully stony on the nose with white grapefruit zest, chamomile tea, nectarine zest and shades of Gravenstein apple. Nicely textured, the flinty tones shine through on the palate, with fantastic underlying finesse and plenty of lip-smacking acidity. This is a marvelous accomplishment in this warm vintage as each sip makes this more impossible to resist. Enjoy now and over the next eight to ten years. Drink 2023-2031- 94

2021 Lingua Franca ‘Lingua Franca Estate’ Chardonnay- Rich and very polished, the 2021 Lingua Franca ‘Lingua Franca Estate’ Chardonnay is a totally stunning wine that is already nicely evolved. Coming from this site in the Eola-Amity Hills this beauty was stored in 21% new, lightly toasted 500-liter puncheons and barriques, as well as 79% old French oak puncheons and barriques from a range of coopers. Crushed wet rock, pink grapefruit blossom, lemon zest and shades of pastry crust all meld on the nose with Japanese pear notes. The plate is rich and plush with a silky texture and glorious sense of length. Wiat for the minute-long finish. This beauty will go for another two decades. Drink 2023-2039- 96

2021 Lingua Franca ‘Bunker Hill’ Chardonnay- Always one of the unique Chardonnays made in the Willamette Valley, the 2021 ‘Bunker Hill’ comes from this super unique place that was planted all the way back in 1995. The nose displays the classic wet stone and volcanic ash notes that comes form this special location. Meyer lemon oil and starfruit aromatics combine with suggestions of mango, toasted hazelnut and a light dusting of white pepper. The complex aromatics go on and on. Despite the warmth of the vintage, the wine displays a dazzling verve as this deftly glides throughout the drinking experience. Like the ‘Lingua Franca Estate’ this shows remarkable length as well as flavor density. Quite simply a joy to drink, this will live on for another twenty years — if you can wait! Drink 2023-2043- 96

2021 Lingua Franca ‘Avni’ Pinot Noir- The 2021 ‘Avni’ Pinot Noir comes from several vineyards in the Willamette Valley that showcases stony soil sites. This edition is very juicy and rich with a smooth texture and good underlying finesse. Ripe red currants parade with Mandarin orange zest, salty soils and shades of red licorice. Complex and delicious, this beauty is absolutely singing right now. Drink 2023-2033- 93

2021 Lingua Franca ‘Lingua Franca Estate’ Pinot Noir- Deeply perfumed and showing off its rich hue in the glass, the 2021 Lingua Franca ‘Lingua Franca Estate’ Pinot Noir is a total knockout wine from this hotter vintage. The nose is filled with beautiful black florals with shades of black truffle, gunpowder, flint and kumquat rind notes that all take shape in the glass. The palate is soft and refined with a silky texture. This shows good elegance but also a great concentration of red and dark fruit flavors, with stony and herbal accents. Considering the stuffing and underlying finesse I can see this easily being a 20 year wine. Drink 2023-2043- 95

2021 Lingua Franca ‘The Plow’ Pinot Noir- A big wine from a warm vintage, the 2021 Lingua Franca ‘The Plow’ Pinot Noir does not stand translucent in its glass. The beguiling nose offers serious range from pretty orange rose petals to wet stone, cigar box, garrigue and suggestions of wild blackberry. The palate is soft and seamless, as this effortlessly glides throughout the drinking experience. Generous and rich, with good nerve, this beautiful wine will have another twenty years in front of it. Drink 2023-2043- 95

Laurent-Perrier Champagne

One of the famed champagne houses, Laurent-Peerier was established in 1812 and is located in the heart of Champagne, in Tours-sur-Marne. Vines are set on limestone soil, highly chalky and showing the distinctiveness of the region. The chalk subsoil holds sufficient water, during dry spells and due its porous nature also provides good drainage when it is wet to prevent roots of becoming water logged, acting a bit like a sponge.

Laurent-Perrier produces a beautiful range of champagnes including one of the world’s most popular Rose champagnes. Their new NV Laurent-Perrier Brut Rose Champagne (OB, 93) is a masterful effort with incredible flavor range. I adored the 2012 Laurent-Perrier Brut Champagne (OB, 93) which shows off the brilliant richness of this vintage. Chef du cave Michel Fauconnet has been with Laurent-Perrier since August 1973. He had a great deal of work experience in the cellars after getting a certificate in agricultural engineering at the Agricultural College of Rethel (in the Ardennes region). He has served as Production Director and 'Chef de Cave', Laurent-Perrier’s Cellar Master, a position held since February 2004. A truly inspired story, he first began working for the company as a manual worker from 1974-76 before being promoted to the technical staff in 1980. A year later, he received the accolade of 'Chef de Cercle' and was responsible for Laurent-Perrier’s winery and the fermentation process of all of Laurent-Perrier’s wines. Michel Fauconnet took over from Alain Terrier, who retired after 30 years and to whom he was Executive Deputy. Learn more about this historic Champagne house at http://www.laurent-perrier.com/en/the-wines/

NV Laurent-Perrier ‘La Cuvee’ Brut Champagne- The outstanding NV Laurent-Perrier ‘La Cuvee’ Brut Champagne is composed of mostly Chardonnay with smaller parts Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, with 15-30% reserve wines blended in. This is generous and rich on the mouth with toasted hazelnuts, pastry crust and shades of Pink Lady apple. Drink 2023-2029- 91

NV Laurent-Perrier Brut Rose Champagne- Bright and wonderfully salty, the NV Brut Rose Champagne shows a silky mousse and is loaded with rich red fruit flavors on the palate. Showing serious tension and depth, this is a stunning example of NV Rose Champagne that is best consumed now and over the next ten years. Drink 2023-2033- 93

NV Laurent-Perrier ‘Ultra Brut’ Champagne- The NV ‘Ultra Brut’ was first made back in 1981. This zero dosage wine combines Chardonnay (55%) with Pinot Noir (45%). This is very fresh and finesse-driven with sourdough bread, Key lime rind, and notes of Gravenstein apple. Ripe and round on the mouth, this is a delicious rendition that would be a sensational match for fresh uni sushi. Drink 2023-2029- 92

NV Laurent-Perrier ‘Blanc de Blancs’ Brut Nature Champagne- The brilliant new Laurent-Perrier ‘Blanc de Blancs’ Champagne is sourced from the Côte des Blancs and Montagne de Reims. Once on the nose this takes on layers of white grapefruit zest, woven together with lemon rind dusted shortbread and shades of cardamom. The palate is rich and viscous with serious underlying tension. Fantastic to consume now, this will live on for another ten plus years. Drink 2023-2033- 93

2012 Laurent-Perrier Brut Champagne- Coming from this outstanding vintage, the 2012 Brut Champagne benefits from a bit of air once opened. Layers of baking spice dusted French bread, Japanese pear, white peach and juicy honeydew melon all combine on the palate, with ginger accents. This is really a joy to drink right now at a slightly warmer temperature. Drink 2023-2033- 93

Saviah Cellars

Today we share one of the outstanding Walla Walla houses that somehow manages to fly under the radar. Saviah Cellars was founded back in 2000, starting with only 300 cases produced. Today they particularly gain fame from their Syrah wines that are sourced from their two estate vineyards in the Walla Walla Rocks District. Saviah was started by winemaker Richard Funk and his wife, Anita, who are both natives of Montana who moved to Walla Walla in 1991 and later planted their first vineyard in 2001. Saviah is a family name from Anita’s great-grandmother, a schoolteacher, artist and author, who settled in western Montana in the early 1900s. 

Richard is one of the great people in Washington wine. I had such a nice visit with him before he did a little pre-harvest trip to Italy. Rich makes some truly outstanding wines. With him I toured his two great estate vineyards, ‘The Stones Speak’ and ‘The Funk Estate’ vineyards. With a foundation  in microbiology, Richard previously worked as the Environmental Health Specialist with the Walla Walla County Health Department and is a self-taught winemaker. Richard has assisted several wineries with their start-up processes and served as the winemaker for Watermill Winery from 2006-2009, àMaurice winery from 2005-2006 and also has served as a consulting winemaker for several new wineries.

I love the new wines across the board. Check out the 2019 The Jack Syrah (OB, 91) which is one of their value wines and this Syrah over performs for the price. I adored the new 2020 Saviah ‘The Funk Estate’ Syrah (OB, 95) which is a masterful effort from a tough vintage. Learn more about this outstanding winery at https://www.saviahcellars.com/ Here are the outstanding new wines by Saviah.

2022 The Jack Sauvignon Blanc- Very fresh and smooth, the 2022 The Jack Sauvignon Blanc shows gooseberry and kiwi notes on the palate, with stony undertones. Showing good richness and persistence, enjoy this great value now and over the next several years. Drink 2023-2026- 90

2021 The Jack Chardonnay- Another really good value, the 2021 The Jack Chardonnay displays Meyer lemon cream, brioche and shades of banana on the palate, with good underlying. verve. Enjoy now. Drink 2023-2028- 90

2019 The Jack Syrah- The 2019 The Jack Syrah shows nice stuffing considering the coolness of the vintage. Black olives and brisket notes collide with black currants and stony undertones on the palate. Enjoy now. Drink 2023-2028- 91

2020 The Jack Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2020 The Jack Cabernet Sauvignon shows off blackberry compote and black licorice notes alongside allspice on the palate. Medium-bodied, with a neat texture, enjoy now. Drink 2023-2026- 90

2020 Saviah ‘GSM’ Red Wine- Mainly Grenache (75%) with smaller portions Syrah and Mourvedre, this offers an ebullient core of bright red fruits alongside wet stone, and blood orange zest. With a polished texture, this is drinking marvelously now.  Drink 2023-2029- 93

2020 Saviah ‘Walla Walla Valley’ Syrah- The beautiful 2020 Saviah ‘Walla Walla Valley’ Syrah is another standout bottling from this longtime producer.  Smoked meats and bulls blood flavors combine with ripe boysenberry on the nose. Drink 2023-2029- 93

2020 Saviah ‘The Stones Speak Vineyard’ Syrah- The brilliant 2020 Saviah ‘The Stones Speak Vineyard’ Syrah is a beautiful showing that comes off very clean from a challenging vintage. Crème de violette, smoldering stone, black truffle, Oyster sauce and Nori notes all combine on the palate. This is hugely complex stuff that will satisfy now and over the next five plus years. Drink 2023-2029- 95

2020 Saviah ‘The Funk Estate Vineyard’ Syrah- Not to be outdone, the gorgeous 2020 Saviah ‘The Stones Speak Vineyard’ Syrah comes from this difficult vintage and is a standout wine of The Rocks District. Black currants combine with espresso grounds, wet gravel, Kalamata olive  and smoked short rib on the palate. Delicious and also very fresh, enjoy this beauty over the next few years. Drink 2023-2029- 95

2020 Saviah ‘Hunt & Gather’ Red Wine- The outstanding 2020 Saviah ‘Hunt & Gather’ Red Wine combines 60% Cabernet Sauvignon with the remainder Syrah all sourced from The Funk Estate Vineyard. Salty and savory, the 2020 ‘Hunt & Gather’ shows off black tea and loganberry notes on the nose alongside seaweed and shades of Hoisin sauce on the nose. Generous, with good length, this is drinking beautifully right now. Drink 2023-2029- 94

2019 Saviah ‘Reserve’ Cabernet Sauvignon- A barrel select wine sourced from the Walla Walla Valley, the 2019 Saviah ‘Reserve’ Cabernet Sauvignon comes off wonderfully stony on the palate with rich black cherry and black raspberry flavors with salty river rock alongside Earl Grey tea and garrigue notes. Drink 2023-2029- 94

Cayuse Vineyards 'Impulsivo' Tempranillo Vertical

One of the outstanding and novel wines produced in North America, Cayuse might be best known for their Syrahs but they make sensational Tempranillo. Vigneron Christophe Baron was raised in Champagne and was was the youngest heir of the famed Champagne house, Baron Albert. His ancestors had worked the land at Baron Albert since 1677. As a young boy Christophe worked harvests and eventually studied viticulture in Burgundy and Champagne. After some travels he was drawn to the Willamette Valley, and was set on making great Pinot Noir. One day he was outside of Walla Walla and saw terroir inspired by the stony galets of Chateauneuf du Pape. We are all thankful that he decided to plant his vineyard back in 1997 and the rest has been history. Christophe has had unparalleled success in the Walla Walla Valley since that time, crafting stony wines that show an incredible combination of tension, range and terroir.

He made the brave decision to plant Tempranillo in the stones which and was the first of his kind to do so. He saw the potential for this earthy varietal to flourish in his vineyards. While his Tempranillos might not share the glamour of his famed ‘Bionic Frog’ Syrah and others, he and director of winemaker Elizabeth Bourcier are crafting some of the finest Tempranillo you will find in North America, rivaling the best in Rioja and Ribera del Duero.

2020 was a hard vintage with the smoke event impacting the vineyards throughout the Pacific Northwest. Many Oregon Pinot Noir producers did not make red wines in 2020. His 2020 Cayuse Vineyards ‘Impulsivo’ Tempranillo (OB, 96) is one of the best wines made this vintage. Stony and savoy with loads of texture and mouth-watering acidity, this beautiful wine is drinking marvelously right now. I really enjoyed tasting this wine alongside the 2019 and 2018 editions of the ‘Impulsivo.’ The 2018 and 2019 are quite different animals, with the 2018 being fleshy and dense — more hedonistic — while the 2019 has better finesse and bright acidity. I scored both of these wines 97 points, as they are truly unique wines of epic proportion. These wines can be found at select wine shops, on the Cayuse mailing list or online and learn more at cayusevineyards.com. Here are my reviews of the incredible 2018-2020 Tempranillos by Cayuse Vineyards.

2018 Cayuse Vineyards ‘Impulsive’ Tempranillo- A blockbuster effort, the 2018 Cayuse Vineyards ‘Impulsivo’ Tempranillo is a dense and heady wine that really needs about an hour of air to fully get going. Once on the nose this takes on layers of bacon fat, black currants, tar and black licorice notes with plenty of stony undertones. The palate comes off fat and viscous with a tremendous texture and great underlying tension that runs through its veins. Rich and layered, with tobacco leaf and black olive accents, this is an astonishingly good wine that will live on for at least another ten years. Drink 2023-2033- 97

2019 Cayuse Vineyards ‘Impulsivo’ Tempranillo- A virtuoso performance in this slightly cooler vintage, the very stony and delicious 2019 ‘Impulsivo’ is up there with the finest wines of its kind in North America. Deeply colored in the glass, this reveals wet rock, violets, black tea and exotic spices on the palate, with menthol and concentrated boysenberry flavors. Complex and delicious, with great weight, length and finesse, this beautiful wine will provide drinking enjoyment over the next decade. Drink 2023-2033- 97

2020 Cayuse Vineyards ‘Impulsivo’ Tempranillo- The sensational 2020 ‘Impulsivo’ is a powerful wine from a tough vintage. On the nose this shows dried herbs and freshly tilled rocky soils alongside black plum and baking spices. The palate is deep and concentrated, yet maintains beautiful freshness and a strong douse of salinity. Complex, novel, enjoy this one of a kind Tempranillo now and over the next six years. Drink 2023-2029- 96

Catena Zapata

Today we share the story of Catena Zapata, one of the finest producers of Malbec and Chardonnay in Argentina. The story begins with the long journey of Nicola Catena who sailed from Italy to Argentina in 1898. Nicola is known for planting his first Malbec vineyard back in 1902. Malbec had previously been a blending grape in Bordeaux and Nicola and he saw its potential in high-elevation Mendoza.

Nicola’s grandson, Nicolas, took over the winery in the 1960s but was faced with inflation and political turmoil in Argentina, so he took a job as a visiting economics professor at UC Berkeley. He then came back to Argentina and wanted to focus on the winery, deciding to plant Chardonnay and Malbec at a 5,000 feet elevation. This was an unusual vineyard practice at the time but the risk paid off. Soon Nicolas was crafting incredible wines from these vines that became blind tasted ahead of epic wine projects like Chateau Latour and Opus One. 

In 2001 Nicolas' daughter Dr. Laura Catena took over the Research & Development program at Bodega Catena Zapata. An Emergency Room physician, with degrees from Harvard and Stanford, Dr. Laura Catena brought a very strong science background to the family winery's R&D project. She immediately set about working with the high altitude Malbec that her father had planted and has achieved incredible success at the winery since taking over. I have met Dr. Catena many times and she is an incredible person who has done wonders for her brand. I first started tasting Catena wines twenty years ago and they have been a pillar of quality. At the helm is the Malbec Magician, Alexander Vigil. Vigil came to Bodega Catena Zapata in 2002 as head of Research & Development. In 2003 he joined the enology department and he has served as winemaker for many years now.

The new wines by Catena Zapata are incredible across the board. Look to their sensational 2019 Catena Zapata ‘White Bones’ Chardonnay (OB, 97). This was an absolutely epic Chardonnay that shows insanely good terroir with its salty and stony tones. I am enamored by the new 2019 Catena Zapata ‘Nicolas Catena Zapata’ Red Wine (OB, 96) which is dense, chewy and hedonistic — a delight to savor now and over twenty years. Learn more about these wonderful wines at http://www.catenawines.com Here are the gorgeous new releases from Catena

2019 Catena Zapata ‘White Stones Adrianna Vineyard’ Chardonnay- One of the unique wines from this region, the 2019 Catena Zapata ‘White Stones Adrianna Vineyard’ Chardonnay comes from a select 27 rows within Block 1 of the Adrianna Vineyard which is set on small, oval white stones. Wonderfully stony and flinty on the palate, this shows a gorgeous combination of depth, tension and length, with a finish that just won’t quit. Lemon peel flavors combine with pastry crust and shades of green apple with wet stone all combine on the palate.  This is a wonderful foil for top Chablis and do not serve cold. Drink 2023-2035- 96

2019 Catena Zapata ‘White Bones Adrianna Vineyard’ Chardonnay- The 2019 Catena Zapata ‘White Bones Adrianna Vineyard’ Chardonnay a knockout wine by winemaker Alexander Vigil. One of the great white wines made in Argentina, the ‘White Bones’ come from a site in the Arianna Vineyard that has many limestone deposits and fossilized animal bones. This comes off wonderfully stony on the nose with white pepper, peat moss, lemon oil and shades of black truffle. The palate is concentrated, showing gobs of minerality and a minute-long finish. Kudos to the Catena winemaking team on this masterpiece. Drink 2023-2035- 97

2019 Catena Zapata ‘Nicolas Catena Zapata’ Red Wine- The insanely good 2019 ‘Nicolas Catena Zapata’ combines Cabernet Sauvignon (42%) with Malbec (30%) and the remainder Cabernet Franc (28%). The nose shows incredible herbal tones with red bell pepper and garrigue notes alongside a great melange of black and blue fruits. The palate is soft and refined with silky tannins that frame a core of wet stone, anise, creme de cassis, and beef drippings. Complex and delicious, this easily will live on for another fifteen to twenty years. Drink 2023-2039- 96

2021 Catena Zapata ‘River Stones Adrianna Vineyard’ Malbec- A massive wine that has serious depth and concentration, the incredible 2021 Catena Zapata ‘River Adrianna Vineyard’ Malbec  comes from a site set on an ancient riverbed. Violets covered with chocolate cake, espresso grounds, anise and exotic spices all fill the nose. The mouth is silky and rich with a seamless texture. Heady, yet quite weightless, this beauty shows intense terroir with the stony undercurrents. There is nothing quite like this in the world. Drink 2023-2042- 97

2021 Catena Zapata ‘Fortuna Terrae Adrianna Vineyard’ Malbec- The 2017 ‘Fortuna Terrae’ Malbec is sourced from a site in the Arianna Vineyard with deep loamy soils. Inky in the glass, this offers huckleberry and tar notes on the nose with shades of wet rock and espresso grounds. The palate is lithe and polished wth refined tannins that frame a core of massive blue and black fruits. This is just a joy to consume now, as this beauty will live on for another fifteen plus years to come. There are light herbal tones on the nose that combine with violets, blackberry cordial and mocha tones. Drink 2023-2038- 96

2020 Catena Zapata ‘Nicasia Vineyard’ Malbec- The ‘Nicasia Vineyard is set In La Consulta, due south from the Uco Valley, as this location is need after Nicolas Catina’s grandmother and has vines that are up to 90 years of age. Very brooding in the glass, the 2020 ‘Nicasia Vineyard’ offers hedonistic blueberry compote, Turkish coffee, pencil lead and sandalwood tones on the palate, with salty and stony undercurrents. Complex and rich, with serious nuance, this has some beautiful aging potential considering its poise and weight. Drink 2023-2039- 97

2021 Catena Zapata ‘Argentino’ Malbec- The 2021 ‘Argentino’ comes from vines that are more than 100 years of age. Given 20% whole cluster fermentation, the wine was stored in small and large format French oak barrels before bottling. This quite literally bursts out of the glass with flavor. Anise, dark currant cordial, violets, blackberry pie and shades of Black Forest cake all brilliantly combine on the palate, with stony undertones. Complex, nuanced and extremely delicious, this beauty will cellar well for another twenty years. Drink 2023-2043- 97

Ladera 'Reserve' Cabernet Sauvignon Vertical Tasting

Yesterday I sat with the beautiful range of Ladera wines, I was amazed with the consistency and quality that each wine offered. Over the past two decades Ladera has been guided by the Stotesbery family. Based on Howell Mountain, Ladera focus on high elevation mountain fruit for the Cabernet Sauvignon wines as well as their Russian River Valley Pillow Road Estate Vineyard for the excellent Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays. Having decades of experience as ranchers, Pat and Anne Stotesbery acquired their first Napa Valley mountain vineyard in 1996. A few years later in 1999 they founded Ladera, which means “hillside” in Spanish and Italian, and made their debut vintage of Cabernet Sauvignon.

The wines are made by Jade Barrett, who has made wines throughout New Zealand, Australia and California. A former assistant winemaker at Lewis Cellars, Jade’s wines have incredible poise and structure. They have power without being overly jammy or fruity. This is the new era of Napa Cabernet.

The 2013 Ladera ‘Reserve’ Cabernet Sauvignon (OB, 96) is quite frankly in a magical place right now. This beauty shows off the heat of this vintage without being overblown, as lovely non-fruit flavors are now settling in. Nearly as good was the new 2018 Ladera ‘Reserve’ Cabernet Sauvignon (OB, 95) which is starting to shed its baby fat and shows a beautiful texture and outstanding flavor range. This beauty will easily be a twenty year wine. Learn more about these outstanding wines at https://laderavineyards.com/ and here are my reviews of the Cabernet Sauvignon ‘Reserve’ wines by Ladera.

2013 Ladera ‘Reserve’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2013 ‘Reserve’ by Ladera is a scintillating edition of this wine that is inky in the glass. 100% varietal, this was stored in 82% new French oak barrels for 22 months prior to bottling. Right now this is right in its wheelhouse, showing impeccable balance between poise, weight and flavor range. Shades of graphite and anise combine with cassis and espresso ground flavors on the palate. Finishing very long, this is exceedingly good right now — and has at least another decade of life ahead of it. Drink 2023-2035- 96

2014 Ladera ‘Reserve’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The incredible 2014 Ladera ‘Reserve’ Cabernet Sauvignon comes from this high elevation site on Howell Mountain. All Cabernet Sauvignon, this screams terroir on the nose with shades of tilled volcanic soils alongside dark currant cordial, blackberry pie and coffee grounds. The palate is soft and inviting with copious minerals that combine with the silky texture and beautiful length.  A joy to drink now, this is right in its sweet spot — and will provide drinking enjoyment for another ten plus years to come. Drink 2023-2033- 95

2015 Ladera ‘Reserve’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2015 Ladera ‘Reserve’ is already wonderfully evolved right now and is a touch on the leaner and herbal side than the other ‘Reserve’ bottlings. Quite different than the 2013 and 2014, the 2015 ‘Reserve’ has a bit more sage and menthol character on the palate, with medium to full-bodied dark fruit and chocolate flavors. Really delicious now at the eight year mark, enjoy this beauty over the next eight plus years. Drink 2023-2031- 93

2016 Ladera ‘Reserve’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The absolutely gorgeous 2016 Ladera ‘Reserve’ Cabernet Sauvignon is a heady, masterful wine that shows great concentration and poise in this warm vintage. Once on the nose this takes on layers of spice box and anise notes that combine with huckleberry and suggestions of Black Forest cake. The palate shows a beautiful sense of verve and refinement, as every working part is singing in unison. Finishing very long, this 2016 Cabernet is a total thrill to consume now and will provide drinking enjoyment for at least another fifteen years. Drink 2023-2038- 95

2017 Ladera ‘Reserve’ Cabernet Sauvignon- From what was a somewhat challenging vintage in Napa, the 2017 ‘Reserve’ is an elixir joyride that shows little signs of slowing down. The palate shows massive concentration and structure, with very refined tannins and a smooth mouthfeel. Generous and broad-shouldered, this reveals in its wet stone, creme de cassis and Turkish coffee flavors alongside more sandalwood and garrigue nuances. Such a pleasure to consume now, this has both the stuffing and tension to clear well for another fifteen to twenty years — but is nearly impossible to resist now. Drink 2023-2039- 95

2018 Ladera ‘Reserve’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The most recent edition of the ‘Reserve’ is a complete knockout of a wine as this is now my second time tasting this beauty.  Right away this shows beautiful toasty oak notes alongside a dense combination of black and blue fruits on the nose with shades of wet rock and loamy soils. The palate shows good refinement with silky tannins that frame a gorgeous Corte of creme de violette, black currants, espresso grounds, tar and stony accents. This will easily be a 20 year wine. Be sure to allow this to have an hour or two in the decanter before consuming. Drink 2023-2042- 95

Screaming Eagle

For years I have admired this limited production winery based in Napa. While I have only had the top wine by Screaming Eagle once in my lifespan, I have been really impressed with their second wine, which is named ‘The Flight.’ Priced at over one thousand dollars retail, this is not a cheap treat by any means.

Stan Kronke owns Screaming Eagle and the site was originally founded by Tony Bowden, back in 1986 as he acquired a spot with mostly white varietals planted amongst roughly 60 acres. Over the years he replanted Bordeaux varietals and he would sell his grapes to other producers. It wasn’t until 1992 when they finally made their own wine. Heidi Barrett would become winemaker at Screaming Eagle and produced several 100 point wines by Robert Parker in the 1990s.

Winemaker Nick Gislason has been at the helm since the challenging 2011 vintage. He had formerly worked at Harlan and Craggy Range in New Zealand before being hired by Kronke. Today his top Cabernet Sauvignon wine can fetch north of three thousand dollars. I recently had the chance to taste the 2019 ‘The Flight’ which is their Merlot based blend and it was absolutely thrilling to enjoy. This is some of the finest Merlot that you will taste in Napa, as every working part was in clockwork unison. Here is my review of the 2019 ‘The Flight’ by Screaming Eagle.

2019 Screaming Eagle ‘The Flight’ Red Wine- The 2019 ‘The Flight’ is a gorgeous blend of 65% Merlot, with 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the remainder Cabernet Franc that was stored in French oak barrels before bottling. Heady and very inky in the glass, this revels in its black tea and asian spice notes alongside a whiff of bell pepper and suggestions of Turkish coffee. Very complex and dense with a silky mouthfeel, this glides throughout the drinking experience, delivering plush black and blue fruit flavors alongside a wonderful beam of tension.  This will easily be a 20 year wine. Drink 2023-2045- 97

Rocky Pond

A winery that keeps trending upwards, Rocky Pond is one of the excellent producers in the Chelan region. They have now formed their own AVA, Rocky Reach, as their estate vineyards are planted on very stony soils, in close proximity to the river. One of the great moves they made was hiring former Quileceda Creek GM John Ware to their team. Ware was a large part of  Quilceda Creek becoming one of the prominent houses of the Pacific Northwest.

Rocky Pond has recently hired the former assistant winemaker at HALL, Elizabeth Keyser. She grew up with wine in her family and then worked at Zachys for two years as a junior wine buyer. Talking to her she shared her interest in learning about wine and stated “Guided myself down a path of working my first harvest and then I could never go back to a desk job.” She then completed a degree from Cornell and worked in the Finger Lakes region before moving to Oregon working for A to Z. She stated “I was about to turn 30 and I had to get a real job. I was introduced to Steve Levesque at HALL and was hired as an assistant winemaker. I did a lot of hands on cellar work and became winemaker and then Megan and Allison working with them when Steve left the team. I was ready for more of a creative outlet and it wasn’t necessarily tied to Napa or Sonoma. Steve is a mentor for me today and was candid with them and he said that there was a cool project happening in Washington and I would love for you to meet John Ware and the family. I was ready to sink myself into this project.”

With regards to the 2022 vintage she thinks that both reds and whites look exciting. “Whites carry the acid well and with reds we wanted to coax out the green tannins and what are the fingerprints of the cooler vintage. I am excited by them and it is cool to step into a season like that and have life and freshness” she said.

With Elizabeth I tasted the new red wine releases by Rocky Pond wines were excellent, deep and concentrated efforts. I love the new 2021 Rocky Pond ‘Statastone’ Red Wine (OB, 92) which is dense and rich, with a nice red fruit profile. Learn more about this winery at https://rockypondwinery.com Here are the new release wines by Rocky Pond. 

2022 Rocky Pond ‘Stratastone’ White Wine- The 2022 ‘Stratastone’ incorporates mostly Rhone varieties (60% Viognier, 22% Roussanne) with smaller parts Semillon and Marsanne which were co-fermented and were stored in 30% new French oak before bottling.  The wine comes off nicely textured with good nutty accents. Green papaya, mango, beeswax and shades of Pink Lady apple all combine on the palate. Enjoy this beautiful wine now and over the next few years. Drink 2023-2029- 92

2021 Rocky Pond ‘Stratastone’ Red Wine- The 2021 ‘Stratastone’ is comprised of mostly Syrah (62%) with smaller parts Grenache and Mourvèdre that was stored in oak puncheons and was unfined and unfiltered before bottling. This shows a soft mouthfeel once on the attack with layers of boysenberry fruits, white pepper dusted smoked meats, green olives and shades of chocolate. This is drinking beautifully right now. Drink 2023-2031- 92

2021 Rocky Pond ‘Estate’ Syrah- The 2021 ‘Estate’ Syrah has 10% Cabernet Sauvignon blended in. It stands inky in the glass, revealing beautiful aromatics of brisket, green peppercorns, violets and shades of milk chocolate. This is beautifully balanced on the palate with good concentration, structure and a smooth texture. Loads of blue fruits, anise and chocolate flavors all combine on the palate. Enjoy this outstanding wine now and over the next eight plus years. Drink 2023-2031- 93

2021 Rocky Pond ’11 Dams’ Red Wine-  An intriguing blend of Malbec (51%) with 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, this was aged for 22 months in 35% new French oak before bottling. Pretty red florals, black tea and anise combine with concentrated black fruits. This shows good structure and weight with sweet pipe tobacco and creme de cassis with black cherry cordial flavors. Drink 2023-2029- 91

2020 Rocky Pond ‘Double D Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2021 Rocky Pond ‘Double D Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon is an outstanding blend that is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon (75%) and spent 22 months in 50% new French oak before bottling. Dark currants and black raspberry aromas combine with potpourri and shades of black licorice. The palate is smooth and shows beautiful concentration and underlying acidity. Fantastic to enjoy now, this is just a joy to drink in its heady youth. Drink 2023-2031- 93

Piolet

Washington has a range of up and coming wineries. For years I have admired the wines by Piolet that continue to remain under the radar but over-deliver in quality. These inspired wines show incredible value and are quite simply a joy to drink. Piolet was founded by two mountaineers, Andy Ferguson and Alex Stewart. Andy is a former winemaker at Chateau Ste. Michelle and worked on their best wine, the ‘Single Berry Select’ which is one of the finest dessert wines you will find in North America. Andy also worked at Quilceda Creek prior to devoting all of his time to Piolet. Alex is a former winemaker at Quilceda Creek and has helped craft gobs of 100 point Cabernet Sauvignon.

Piolet has limited production bottlings that scream density and texture. They make an incredible Syrah from the famed Stoneridge vineyard in the Royal Slope AVA. I love the new 2020 Piolet ‘L’Inspiration du Pere’ Syrah (OB, 95) which is dense and heady with lovely stony character and serious stuffing. Just as good is the incredible new 2020 Piolet Cabernet Sauvignon (OB, 95) which shows great concentration from this highly challenging vintage. Learn more at pioletvintners.com Here are the outstanding new wines by Piolet.

2021 Piolet ‘Le Blanc’ Sauvignon Blanc- This oak-barrel aged 100% varietal wine is unctuous and rich with a smooth mouthfeel. Kiwi and cantaloupe flavors combine with shades of starfruit and copious minerals with baking spice laced brioche notes. A joy to drink now, this has bot hthe stuffing and bright acidity for some good aging potential. Drink 2023-2031- 94

2020 Piolet ‘L’Inspiration du Pere’ Syrah- Rich and polished, the outstanding 2020 Piolet ‘L’Inspiration du Pere’ Syrah comes from the famed Stoneridge Vineyard in the Royal Slope AVA. Powerful and sturdy with a soft texture, this yields dense dark and blue fruit flavors with smoked brisket, anise, allspice and shades of chocolate cake. Very hedonistic and delicious, with stony accents and a good mineral backbone, this outstanding 2020 Syrah is one of the best wines of its kind made in this challenging vintage. Savor this beauty now and over the next five to seven years. Drink 2023-2029- 95

2020 Piolet ‘Red Mountain’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2020 Piolet ’Red Mountain’ Cabernet Sauvignon was stored for 24 months in nearly all (90%) new French oak prior to bottling. It takes on a wonderful sense of viscosity and a pillowy texture. Concentrated black cherry and black raspberry favors combine with anise, milk chocolate and sagebrush undercurrents. Complex and delicious, this beauty is shining brightly right now. Drink 2023-2031- 95

Chappellet

One of the outstanding producers in Napa, Chappellet was founded by visionary Donn Chappellet, Donn began his wine education by collecting Bordeaux wines while in college. He later ran Interstate United Corporation, a coffee-vending distributorship he co-founded in the mid-1950s, which he helped turn into the third-largest such business in the United States, with more than 7,000 employees and a listing on the New York Stock Exchange.

He finally decided to sell his shares of Interstate United in 1966 and guided by the legendary winemaker Andre Tchelistcheff of Beaulieu Vineyards bought 320 acres of rocky mountain terrain at the eastern edge of the Napa Valley. Donn saw this terroir as one which would connect with the great wines of Bordeaux. He saw the potential for Pritchard Hill and initially planted Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon which was met with great critical acclaim. Sadly passing in 2016, Donn became a legend of this great site in the Napa Valley.

A winemaker needing no introduction, Phillip Corallo-Titus has been at Chappellet remarkably since 1990. A graduate of UC Davis, Phillip spent time traveling to both Bordeaux and Burgundy to learn about these esteemed regions. In 1981, Phillip joined the Chappellet team as assistant winemaker, and then in1990, Donn Chappellet invited Phillip to return to the winery as Chappellet’s winemaker, a position he has held ever since.

I love the new wines especially the 2021 Chappelllet ‘Dutton Ranch’ Pinot Noir (OB, 94) which is rich and viscous with salty tones. Learn more about this famed Napa estate at chappellet.com Here are the beautiful new wines by Chappellet. 

2021 Chappellet ‘Sangiacomo Vineyard’ Chardonnay- This outstanding new wine come from three Carneros sites that utilizes Robert Young, Hyde and Catarina clonal selection Chardonnay. This comes off nicely textured and fresh with a smooth mouthfeel. Layers of buttercream, honeydew melon, juicy peach and nutty undertones combine on the palate. Lovely to savor now, this has both the stuffing and verve to cellar well over the next decade. Drink 2023-2033- 93

2021 Chappellet ‘Dutton Ranch’ Pinot Noir- The 2021 ‘Dutton Ranch’ Pinot Noir comes from this stored site that was first established back in 1967. This edition utilizes a range of clonal selection Pinot Noir. Very soft and supple on the mouth, this has wonderful salty undertones alongside freshly tilled loamy soils, black cherry, cola and red raspberry with lavender notes that all seamlessly combine on the palate. Complex and delicious, enjoy this beauty now and over the next fifteen years. Drink 2023-2038- 94