Roederer Estate

Today we revel in one of California’s great houses for sparkling wine. Roederer Estate dates back to 1982. At the time it was the vision of Jean-Claude Rouzaud, president of Louis Roederer, who saw  the cool climate and rolling fog of the Anderson Valley to craft some of the region’s finest sparkling wines. The 580 acre estate produces four sparkling wines: the multi-vintage Roederer Estate Anderson Valley Brut, debuted in 1988, the Brut Rosé and Roederer Estate's vintage tees de cuvee, L'Ermitage and L'Ermitage Rosé. 

Currently the house is under the leadership of Jean-Claude’s son, Frédéric Rouzaud. I loved the new wines. The outstanding NV Roederer Estate ‘Brut Rose’ Sparkling Wine (OB, 92) which is very pretty in its red fruit profile salty undertones. I adored the new 2015 Roederer Estate ‘L’Ermitage’ Rose Sparkling Wine (OB, 95) which has incredible weight and refinement, with outstanding flavor range. Learn more about this outstanding sparkling wine house at https://roedererestate.com Here are the beautiful new wines by Roederer Estate.

NV Roederer Estate Sparkling Wine- The outstanding NV Roederer Estate Sparkling Wine is a blend of 60% Chardonnay with the remainder Pinot Noir that was aged on the lees for more than two years. The palate shows off a refined mousse with serious elegance and poise. The weight of the wine with its luscious melon and citrus fruits, with salty accents, really shines brightly. Drink 2022-2029- 92

NV Roederer Estate Rose Sparkling Wine- The fresh and vibrant NV Roederer Estate Rose Sparkling Wine is a fabulous blend of 56% Pinot Noir and 44% Chardonnay. Given 8 G/L dosage, this revels in its salty guava and cranberry fruit flavors alongside serious verve. Round and generous on the mouth, this is really singing right now. Drink 2023-2030- 92

2015 Roederer Estate ‘L’Ermitage’ Rose Sparkling Wine- Glowing and very pretty in pink, the stunning 2015 Roederer Estate ‘L’Ermitage’ Rose Sparkling Wine is beautiful evolved now at eight years of age. Made from a proprietary blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, this shows good richness on the nose with sous bois, alongside Yakima cherry, white peach and shades of red raspberry. The palate is big, with serious weight and fantastic underlying poise. Ginger, guava, cran-pomegranate and shades of white truffle all beautifully meld together on the palate. Really good now, this has at least a decade of life in front of it. Drink 2023-2033- 95

Soos Creek

Today we share a great Washington winery that exudes value. For many years now Soon Creek has been one of the top value producers in Washington, as this small outpost was founded all the way back in in 1989 by David and Cecile Larsen. David Larsen has crafted wines for more than 30 vintages now. Originally starting to make wine in the Boeing Wine Club (and even blackberry wine), David caught the wine bug thanks to inspiring trips to Europe and Napa Valley.

David mainly began creating a model after Quilceda Creek, producing only one Cabernet Sauvignon wine. Over the years he has expanded his lineup. He sources from some of the great sites in the state including Ciel du Cheval and Klipsun in Red Mountain, David makes roughly 2,000 cases each year focusing on high quality red wines. 

Last year I tasted some of his older wines with him that were still showing brilliantly at the twenty year mark. Don’t miss out on the 2021 Soos Creek ‘King Cab’ Cabernet Sauvignon (OB, 92) which is wonderfully generous and deep, drinking beautifully right now. Learn more about this great boutique winery at http://www.sooscreekwine.com Here are the excellent new wines by Soos Creek.

2020 Soos Creek ‘Stampede’ Red Wine- Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot this offers toasty oak flavors alongside cassis, mocha and tar notes. Medium-bodied and soft, this is great stuff to enjoy now. Drink 2022-2028- 91

2021 Soos Creek ‘King Cab’ Cabernet Sauvignon- An awesome value, the outstanding 2021 Soos Creek ‘King Cab’ Cabernet Sauvignon exudes class with its sagebrush and mocha tones on the nose alongside heady dark fruits. The palate is soft and fresh with a smooth texture and good sense of weight and acidity. Drink 2023-2031- 92

2020 Soos Creek ‘Red Mountain’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The really good 2020 Soos Creek ‘Red Mountain’ Cabernet Sauvignon is an excellent effort in a challenging vintage. Decadent on the nose this offers chocolate fudge notes alongside tar and black licorice. The palate is soft and refined with smooth tannins and medium bodied black fruits. Drink 2023-2029- 90

2020 Soos Creek ‘Champoux Vineyard’ Block 4 Cabernet Sauvignon- Soft and smooth throughout the drinking experience this delivers rich cassis and roasted fig flavors alongside good verve and refined tannins on the palate. Generous and bold, this is drinking beautifully right now. Drink 2023-2030- 92

2020 Soos Creek ‘Elephant Mountain Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2020 Soos Creek ‘Elephant Mountain Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon comes up plush on the mouth with a smooth texture. Layers of dark currants, pencil lead and espresso grinds all come together on the palate. Drink 2023-2028- 91

Cayuse 'God Only Knows' Grenache

I am always shocked how few wine critics write about Cayuse Grenache. Name a wine on the West Coast that is more unique than Cayuse ‘God Only Knows’ Grenache? I’d be very surprised if you could find a wine this novel. Name a wine that has a Chateau Rayas level of purity of fruits? Bet you can’t find anything near this in North America. Telegraphe, Clos de Cailloux, Clos de Papes, Pegau, Janasse all have that gorgeous purity. They say that there is only one Rayas. There is also only one ‘God Only Knows.’

What comes close to‘God Only Knows’ in terms of novelty, flavor/aromatic range, texture, and tension? There is not another wine in North America that delivers this. Today I sit with a library wine that I purchased from WineBid.com. The 2012 ‘God Only Knows’ (OB, 98) is absolutely starting to fade in terms of tension. But in terms of flavor density and flavor complexity it is a complete knockout of a wine. This is really starting to pick up its sous bois character on the palate which is exciting. Don’t get me wrong, I love these wines young and recommend that you open them within ten years of their release. But this 2012 is really beautiful right at its peak.

These wines can be very difficult to find, and are only sold online on auction or through the Cayuse mailing list. Learn more about these wines at https://cayusevineyards.com/static/ Here is my review of the scintillating 2012 Cause Vineyards ‘God Only Knows’ Red Wine.

2012 Cause Vineyards ‘God Only Knows’ Red Wine ($100.00)- This is now my second opportunity in the past year to taste the incredible 2012 ‘God Only Knows’ Red Wine. This is a wine that is really peaking right now so do not be afraid to grab one from the cellar if you are one of the lucky few. Once on the nose this offers beautiful red rose petal notes alongside shades of pink peppercorn, Hoisin sauce, Chinese five spice and shades of Nori, with smoked brisket accents. The aromatic density and complexity is quite frankly second to none for Grenache. The palate is displaying a dizzying flavor range as well. Sous bois, primarily black truffle shavings alongside bright acidity, blood orange zest, and very pretty guava and red cherry fruits all seamlessly sing in unison on the palate. Viscous, round and generous on the tongue, this stunning wine is really singing now and should be enjoyed over the next several years. Drink 2023-2028- 98

Gary Farrell

Today we present one of the longstanding producers of high quality Pinot and Chardonnay in Sonoma County. Centered in the Russian River Valley, Gary Farrell focuses on high quality Chardonnay and Pinot Noir by sourcing from some of the regions great vineyards. Gary Farrell made his first wine under the Gary Farrell label in 1982 and was one of the first highly successful wineries to settle in the Russian River Valley. Building a state of the art facility in 2000, Gary eventually sold his winery in 2004 following a series of highly successful vintages and wines. Currently at the helm is Theresa Heredia who has a long winemaking history, and has previously had stints at Napa’s Joseph Phelps Vineyards and Freestone Vineyards on the Sonoma Coast. She even worked for Domaine de Montille in Burgundy learning how to make Pinot Noir and has been winemaker at Gary Farrell since 2012.

A former UC Davis PhD candidate in Chemistry, Theresa has some outstanding new wines. I love the 2020 Gary Farrrell ‘La Rincoada Vineyard’ Chardonnay (OB, 93) which shows a smooth texture with plenty of salty character from this unique site. I loved the 20119 Gary Farrrell ‘Rochioli-Allen Vineyard’ Pinot Noir (OB, 93) with its weight and texture, showing some really good aging potential. Learn more about these great wines at https://www.garyfarrellwinery.com Here are the great new wines by Gary Farrell.

2020 Gary Farrell ‘La Rinconada Vineyard’ Chardonnay- This site in the Santa Rita Hills is neighboring the Sanford & Benedict Vineyard and was planted back in 1997. This comes off wonderfully salty with saline drenched pear and apple flavors alongside bright mango and starfruit tones. This exudes class with its terroir. Drink 2023-2033- 93

2020 Gary Farrell ‘Westside Farms’ Chardonnay- The really good 2020 Gary Farrell ‘Westside Farms’ Chardonnay comes from this 40 acre site on the banks of the Russian River. This is beautifully concentrated wine with a smooth texture. Layers of toasty oak with vanilla cream combine with roasted pineapple, mango and shades of bright starfruit on the palate. Drink 2023-2033- 93

2019 Gary Farrell ‘Terra de Promissio Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- This comes from a 50 acre Pinot Noir vineyard located outside the town of Petaluma. The wine is jam-packed full of flavor with fresh strawberry and guava notes alongside citrus rind and freshly tilled soils on the palate. Lithe and nicely textured, enjoy now and over the next ten plus years. Drink 2023-2033- 92

2019 Gary Farrell ‘McDonald Mountain Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- This 2019 Pinot Noir comes from this site which was first planted in 2008, set on four feet of Goldridge sandy loam underlain with Los Osos clay. Salty and very savory on the palate, this displays a dizzying array of salty red fruits on the palate, with bright kumquat rind and baking spice notes. Forward and generous, enjoy now and over the next ten plus years to come. Drink 2023-2033- 93

2019 Gary Farrell ‘Rochioli-Allen Vineyards’ Pinot Noir- This great 2019 Pinot Noir comes from this location just south of the Rochioli Vineyard. This comes off wonderfully salty and savory on the palate. Pomegranate seed and allspice dusted red cherry candy combine with shades of guava and wet stone on the palate. Really refined and elegant with silky tannins, this is drinking beautifully already. Drink 2023-2035- 93

Reynvaan Family Vineyards

Today we share one of the outstanding producers of Washington. Founded by two of the nicest people in the Washington Wine Industry, Gale and Mike Reynvaan, Reyvaan Family Vineyards is set in a storybook setting in the foothills of the Blue Mountains. Matt Reynvaan who has been consistently producing some of the finest wines you will taste in the entire Pacific Northwest. Matt Reynvaan has long made world-class Syrah but I have found in more recent years that he is also making some of the most compelling Viognier and Grenache Blanc that you will find anywhere in North America. He has a deft touch with white wines.

Last Friday I tasted with Matt as we ran through his latest set of releases coming from the warm 2021 vintage. These are arguably the finest overall wines that he has made and are quite literally all wines to buy by the case. I adored his new 2021 Reynvaan ‘In The Rocks’ Viognier (OB, 96) which is amongst the finest white wines that I have tasted from the Pacific Northwest this year. Even better is the drop-dead gorgeous 2021 Reynvaan ‘Foothills Reserve’ Syrah (OB, 99) which is the finest edition of this wine yet — one that will land on my Top 100. Rich and layered with massive flavor complexity, this shows a very La Landonne level of depth. Learn more about this outstanding house at https://www.reynvaanfamilyvineyards.com/ and here are my reviews of the new wines by Reynvaan.

2021 Reynvaan ‘In The Rocks’ Grenache Blanc- Coming from the In The Rocks Vineyard, this was stored in roughly 30% new French oak before bottling. Aromatically this is already really popping with bright honeysuyckle, white rose water and starfruit notes alongside cashew nut and shades of green papaya. This comes off vibrant, fresh and wonderfully stony with a smooth texture and beautiful salty/stony tones. Finishing long wth cream and copious minerals, enjoy this beauty now and over the next seven to eight years. Drink 2023-2031- 94

2021 Reynvaan ‘In The Rocks’ Viognier- A knockout white wine, the 2021 Reynvaan ‘In The Rocks’ Viognier is a total stunner. Kiwi, star jasmine and honeysuckle with shades of gardenia. The palate is fat and downright unctuous on the mouth with a refined texture, showing incredible salty snd stony tones. Very concentrated with its melon and citrus fruit flavors. This shows remarkable weight without coming off as heavy. Finishing very long with honeydew and starfruit flavors alongside vanilla cream, this beauty is already hitting its stride at the two year mark. Drink 2023-2031- 96

2021 Reynvaan ‘In The Hills’ Syrah- The 2021 ‘In The Hills’ Syrah is a captivating new bottling by Reynvaan that has 5% Viognier blended in. The nose is beautifully meaty and high-toned showing bright orange blossom and fresh sage notes alongside smoked brisket and suggestions of black licorice. The palate is beautifully fresh with serious texture and length. Green peppercorns, bacon fat, creme de violette and suggestions of charcuterie all seamlessly combine on the palate. This is a stunning wine that is drinking beautifully right now and will cellar well for another decade. Drink 2023-2023- 96

2021 Reyvaan ‘Foothills Reserve’ Syrah- A total masterclass, the 2021 ‘Foothills Reserve’ is a barrel selection wine that comes from the Reynvaan’s high elevation estate Foothills In The Sun Vineyard. The site is set on Loess soils with deep basalt deposits and I have been writing about the potential of this site for more than a decade. Today, wines from this high-elevation location are every bit as good as those from their Rocks District vineyard. Hoisin sauce, beef drippings, menthol, and shades of wild blackberry all combine on the nose. The palate is utterly seamless with serious tension, weight and mouth-watering acidity. It offers La Landonne levels of flavor complexity, yielding blood orange zest notes alongside red cherry candy, cigar ash, wet stone and pipe tobacco that all brilliantly meld together on the palate. Showing seriously good flavor and aromatic range, enjoy this simply stunning Syrah now and over the next ten plus years to come. Drink 2023-2037- 99

2021 Reynvaan ‘In The Rocks’ Syrah- The 2021 ‘In The Rocks’ is a stunning bottling that is already showing marvelously. Having 5% Viognier blended in, this offers beautiful lemon blossom tones alongside roasted meats, black tea and Chinese five spice notes with nori and soy sauce notes. The palate shows incredible texture, weight and underlying finesse. The stony character shining through this wine is fantastic. This is up there with the finest ‘In The Hills’ ever done. Drink 2023-2037- 97

2021 Reynvaan ‘The Contender’ Syrah- The 2021 ‘The Contender’ has roughly 5% Marsanne blended in. This comes off super fleshy and delicious with a great mineral backbone. BBQ beef ribs, white pepper, coffee grounds and dusted milk chocolate alongside green olive tapenade flavors all combine on the palate, with a bright red and dark fruit profile. Showing rocking savory and salty tones, this is already beautifully evolved stuff. Drink 2023-2033- 96

2021 Reynvaan ‘Stoneessence’ Syrah- This 100% varietal wine comes from the In The Rocks Vineyard. Always a barrel selection the nose is unabashedly stony, screaming terroir. Once on the mouth this comes off incredible elegant, yet being very broad shoulders. Fleshy and fresh with a fantastic underlying tension, this is dark and decadent Syrah that shows a literal cornucopia of flavors and aromatics. Asian spices, black olive tapenade and suggestions of black licorice parade with salted meats, roasted figs, menthol and wet stone. This is right up there with the finest Stonessence bottling that I have ever tasted. Drink 2023-2035- 99

Single Barrel

Today we share a new brand from the Matthews family of wines. This exciting new range of wines come from great sites in Conner Lee, Stoneridge and Va Piano vineyards. The wines are made by the new winemaking team by Matthews which is a superstar group of guys. Alex Stewart, Hal Iverson, and Jesse Schmidt were all formerly with Quilceda Creek. During their collective tenure at Quilceda Creek, the winemaking team contributed to the winery’s remarkable string of scores and accolades. They are amazing people that I have had the pleasure of spending extensive time with.

Now to the wines, I tasted these at the Tenor tasting room and they were remarkably good across the board. Do not miss out on the 2021 Single Barrel Rose (OB, 94) which is brooding and big. This is one of the finest Rose wines I have tasted all year from anywhere, including some of the top wines from Provence. The flavor range is simply scintillating on this, as this is really drinking like a complex red. Learn more about this electric new wine project at https://singlebarrelwine.com/ and here are my reviews of the thrilling new Single Barrel wines.

2021 Single Barrel ‘Connor Lee’ Chardonnay- Coming from this warm site in the Columbia Valley the 2021 Single Barrel ‘Connor Lee’ Chardonnay is a stunning new wine that is showing brilliantly now at the two year mark. Once on the nose this displays honey and pastry crust alongside roasted pineapple tones. The palate is deep and concentrated with a seamless texture and glorious sense of length. Finishing very long with baking spices, and creme brûlée, this generous and broad-shouldered. Drink 2023-2031- 94

2021 Single Barrel ‘La Reyna Blanca’ Chardonnay- The  2021 Single Barrel ‘La Reyna Blanca’ comes from a small site that is planted to three clones of Chardonnay. Very golden in the glass 2021 Chardonnay offers amazing concentration and bright underlying acidity. Lemon zest and creme brûlée flavors greet you alongside marzipan and a near minute long finish. A stunning bottling, this will live on for another ten years. Drink 2023-2033- 95

2021 Single Barrel ‘Solaksen’ Chardonnay- Coming from the Royal Slope AVA, the 2021 Single Barrel ‘Solaksen’ Chardonnay comes from a high elevation vineyard that is planted on a northern facing slope. Cardamom and rich baking spices greet you on the nose alongside bananas foster, peach and shades of shortbread. The palate is concentrated but shows a fantastic level of freshness. Finishing extremely long, with outstanding viscosity, this is a beautiful expression of Washington Chardonnay which is not for the weary. Drink 2023-2033- 95

2021 Single Barrel Rose- Coming from the Solaksen and Connor Lee Vineyards, the 2021 Rose was stored in neural oak barrels before bottling. The wine is very serious and concentrated, with amazing viscosity. Red rose petals, guava, and orange peel, wild mushroom and shades of baking spices all combine on the palate. Already beautifully evolved, round and generous with good mouth-watering acidity, this Pinot Noir Rose will show well over the next five plus years. Drink 2023-2029- 94

2021 Single Barrel ‘Solaksen’ Pinot Noir- The 2021 ‘Solaksen’ Pinot Noir comes off as very concentrated in the glass. This saw a high percentage of stem inclusion during the fermentation process. Stored in only 10% new French oak barrels, this offers cola and juicy red cherry tones on the nose alongside shades of black truffle shavings. The palate is rich and concentrated with good underlying finesse and weight. Pretty red fruit flavors combine with suggestions of tilled salty soils, and iodine. Fresh and fragrant, this beauty is showing really well right now. Drink 2023-2031- 93

2021 Single Barrel ‘Solaksen and Stillwater Creek Vineyard’ Syrah- Coming from two high elevation sites, the 2021 Single Barrel ‘Solaksen and Stillwater Creek Vineyard’ Syrah comes off very inky in the glass. Smoked brisket, iodine and wet stone with violets all mark the nose. The plate is soft and refined with a silky texture and beautiful purity of dark fruits. Gorgeous to consume now, enjoy over the next ten plus years. Drink 2023-2025- 95

2021 Single Barrel ‘Stoneridge and Thunderstone’ Syrah- The brilliant 2021 Single Barrel ‘Stoneridge and Thunderstone’ Syrah comes from these two sites in the Royal Slope AVA. Wet stone, garrigue, anise and dense dark fruits mark the nose. The palate shows a soft texture with good weight and underlying finesse. Blood orange zest, cigar box, black cherry and boysenberry fruits combine with the stony undertones on the palate. Beautiful to consume now, this will live on for at least another decade. Drink 2023-2033- 95

2021 Single Barrel ‘Scarline’ Syrah- The 2021 ‘Scarline’ comes from a site that has two different Syrah clones planted (Joseph Phelps and Tablas Creek). The wine was stored in 75% new French oak prior to bottling. The aromatics are gorgeous with violets, black tea and Asian spices that parade with dense dark fruits and smoky accents. The palate is concentrated and heady with serious concentration and good underlying finesse. This is a Cab-lovers Syrah with its massive power. Enjoy this beautiful wine now and over the next ten plus years. Drink 2023-2035- 96

Result of A Crush

Today we share some of the great value wines of the Walla Walla Valley. What was one of the outstanding 2022 Rose wines of the Pacific Northwest this past year, Result of A Crush is a project that was started more than a decade back to create a second tier of Reynvaan wines. Amanda Reynvaan and Angela Reynvaan Garratt, sisters of consulting winemaker Matt Reynvaan, sought to create wines that are more readily available and affordable than the Reynvaan wines. Most of these wines are in the 20-30 dollar range. While they might be perceived as ‘Baby Reynvaan’ wines, each bottling is a serious, stand alone wine.

Tasting with Matt Reynvaan, I was so impressed with the latest set of wines that come from the warm 2021 vintage. Don’t miss out on the 2021 Result of A Crush ‘Christmas Cuvee’ Red Wine (OB, 93) which is a wine to buy by the case. At 28 bucks, this is one of the finest values you will find in Pacific Northwest wine. Learn more about Result of A Crush at http://resultofacrush.com and here are my reviews of the great new wines by Result of A Crush.

2021 Result of A Crush ‘The Unnamed Series’ Syrah- The 2021 ‘The Unnamed Series’ Syrah  shows beautiful smoky and savory tones on the nose. The palate is soft and refined with serious texture and underlying verve. Wet stone, hoisin sauce and blackberry cordial flavors all combine on the palate. Drink 2023-2030- 92

2021 Result of A Crush ‘Christmas Cuvee’ Syrah- The 2021 ‘Christmas Cuvee’ has a touch of Viognier and Marsanne blended in. This comes off super high-toned with citrus zest and orange blossom notes that combine with salted charcuterie and shades of Kalamata olive. The wine comes off super plush with a seamless texture and great sense of weight. A great core of black fruits greets you, as this is already beautifully evolved stuff that is drinking so well right now. Drink 2023-2030- 93

2021 Result of A Crush ‘Reserve’ Syrah- The 2021 Result of A Crush ‘Reserve’ Syrah is essentially from several lots that did not make it into the Reynvaan wines. The palate shows beautiful finesse with good concentration. Oyster sauce, black olives and smoked brisket tones combine with exotic spices and roasted dates on the palate. Drink 2023-2033- 93

Five Miles East

Today we introduce a new brand by Dunham Cellars. Five Miles East is a tribute to the Kenny Hill Vineyard which is located in the foothills of the Blue Mountains. The wine is made by Rob Campesi who has been at the Dunham helm for many years now. This is a special wine for wine club members only.

Kenny Hill Vineyard was founded by Ken Hart who manages many vineyards and makes incredible wines for his Tulpen Cellars. This site is a sloped, south-facing 70-acre estate vineyard was purchased in the summer of 2008 as a joint venture between Dunham Cellars and long-time viticulturalists and good friends, Bill and Andy Den Hoed. It is located 5 miles east of Dunham Cellars up the Mill Creek drainage in the Blue Mountain foothills at an elevation of 1450 feet. The precipitation, elevation, slope and naturally occurring breezes at this site provide a rare low incidence of frost. Prior to the purchase of this property, Dunham’s sister company Appellation Management Group planted Yellow Bird Vineyard, a dryland vineyard on the east side of Kenny Hill. After two years of careful observation, the success of Yellow Bird prompted Dunham to buy the adjacent property now known as Kenny Hill. The new wine comes from the 2018 vintage. The 2018 Five Miles East Cabernet Sauvignon (OB, 95) is a silky and refined Cabernet from this great vintage. Learn more at dunhamcellars.com and here is key review of the 2019 Five Miles East Cabernet Sauvignon.

2018 Five Miles East Cabernet Sauvignon- Coming from the Kenny Hill Vineyard, this beautiful 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon shows fantastic poise and richness from this outstanding vintage. The nose is seductive with black florals alongside Earl Grey tea, mocha and tar notes alongside dark currants. The palate is fresh and lively with a smooth texture and great sense of length. Everything is in clockwork balance here. Drinking really well now, consume over the next ten plus years to come. Drink 2023-2038- 95

Amaterra

I love the wealth of great new wineries in the Pacific Northwest. Today we have another one for you. Meaning “for the love of the Earth,” Amaterra is new winery and restaurant located in the slopes of Portland’s West Hills. Just minutes from downtown Portland, Amaterra serves as a destination for both residents and visitors alike and features a 12-acre vineyard, chef-driven restaurant, outdoor event lawn, and expansive valley views. Founders Werner Nistler, Jr. and Colleen Nistler are Co-founders of Amaterra. Their endeavor with Marcus Breuer and Matt Vuylsteke resulted in the creation of Swede Hill Vineyards in 2013, a Pinot Noir vineyard planted in Portland’s West Hills. Werner is also the Founder and Chairman of Touchmark, which develops and operates full-service retirement communities throughout North America. Colleen serves as the Vice-Chairperson of the Touchmark Board of Directors, having held several roles including controller.

The wines were really good across the board. I love the new 2021 Amaterra ‘WIllatte Valley’ Chardonnay (OB, 92) which walks the tightrope between richness and poise. Learn more about this exciting new spot at https://amaterrawines.com and here are my reviews of the new Amaterra wines.

2021 Amaterra ‘Willamette Valley’ Chardonnay- Stored in 29% new French oak this beautiful 2021 Chardonnay offers buttered French bread, macadamia nut and shades of honeydew melon on the palate. Soft and round, this is drinking beautifully already. Drink 2023-2030- 92

2019 Amaterra ‘Willamette Valley’ Pinot Noir- The outstanding 2019 Amaterra ‘Willamette Valley’ Pinot Noir shows off macerated cherries with tobacco leaf, forest floor and shades of tilled earth. The palate shows a smooth texture with plenty of mouth-watering acidity and citrus rind accents. Drink 2023-2031- 92

2019 Amaterra ‘Swede Hill’ Pinot Noir- The delicious 2019 Amaterra ‘Swede Hill’ Pinot Noir was stored in 67% new French oak before bottling. Smooth and refined on the mouth, this offers bright Bing cherry and pomegranate seed flavors alongside teaberry and blood orange zest notes. Finishing long with red fruits ad copious minerals, enjoy now and over the next ten plus years. Drink 2023-2038- 93

2020 Fifty-One Weeks Winemaking ‘Seven Hills Vineyard’ Syrah- Smoky and savory, the 2020 Fifty-One Weeks Winemaking ‘Seven Hills Vineyard’ Syrah offers bacon fat and black olives on the palate with sweetened black plum and shades of white pepper. Drink 2023-2039- 91

Sleight of Hand

For lovers of top class Washington wine, we share one of the greats out of Walla Walla today. Sleight of Hand has tasting rooms both in SoDO and in the south end of Walla Walla. What was originally a very limited production winery, Sleight of Hand has grown exponentially since first being founded back in 2007. Trey Busch as well as Jerry and Sandy Solomon focused on producing wines from top sites like StoneyVine and Upland as well as WeatherEye and Lewis Vineyards. Keith Johnson joined the team in 2011 and has been a revelation as their production winemaker. Keith oversees the winery on a daily basis, and during harvest, while Trey and Jerry are in the vineyards making picking decisions, he is managing our harvest team, making sure everything is being taken care of in the cellar. Keith also makes some amazing wines under his Devium label that are definitely worth looking into.

The new wines come from the warm 2021 vintage. They are arguably the finest wines that I have tasted from this house. Do not miss out on the scintillating 2021 Sleight of Hand ‘The Psychedelic’ Syrah (OB, 96) which is up there with the finest edition of this wine ever made. ’Learn more about this outstanding winery at http://www.sofhcellars.com Here are the awesome new release wines from Sleight of Hand.

2021 Sleight of Hand ‘Rebel Rebel’ White Wine- A seriously good new wine to the SOH portfolio, the 2021 ‘Rebel Rebel’ comes from the stony Elevation Vineyard located in the North Fork of the Walla Walla River. Mostly Roussanne (70%) with the remainder Marsanne, the offers a generous texture once on the mouth. Layers of honeydew melon, salted cashew nut, wet stone and ripe peaches all marvelously combine on the palate. Don’t serve this beauty too cold so you can revel in the full range of flavors and aromatics. Drink 2023-2031- 94

2021 Sleight of Hand ‘The Sorceress Reserve’ Grenache- This has been a standout Grenache wine made by the Sleight of Hand winemaking team. The latest version of ‘The Sorceress’ blends manly comes from the WeatherEye (41%) and Upland Vineyards (37%). The Grenache underwent roughly 50% whole cluster fermentation. Once on the nose this takes on fantastic aromatic range from fresh guava and blood orange zest alongside shades of loamy soils, yarrow and red rose petals. The palate is fresh and viscous with tremendous weight, verve and texture. You are met with a thrilling array of red fruit flavors alongside kumquat zest, salty soils and exotic spices. For my palate this is the finest edition of ‘The Sorceress’ done yet.  Enjoy this seductive wine now and over the next eight plus years. Drink 2023-20231- 95

2021 Sleight of Hand ‘Levitation Reserve’ Syrah- A beautiful Syrah made in this warm vintage, the outstanding 2021 ’Levitation’ was sourced from mostly the Lewis Vineyard (74%) with the remainder coming from the high-elevation Les Collines Vineyard. The aromatics are intense and heady with purple rose petals, black currants, wet granite and shades of tar and iodine that all march in unison. The palate is flinty and exotic with fantastic freshness, weight and texture. This is a total knockout wine that will cellar well for another ten plus years to come Drink 2023-2035- 95

2021 Sleight of Hand ‘Off He Goes’ Syrah- Another new wine to the lineup, the 2021 ‘Off He Goes’ is a beautiful tribute to winemaker Eric Dunham of Dunham Cellars fame. Entirely sourced from the Les Collines Vineyard, this is exceedingly inky in the glass, showing stony and herbal aromatics that meld well with iron, violets, steak tartare and heady dark fruits. The incredible aromatic range brings you back to the glass for more enjoyment. On the mouth this is soft and inviting with a seamless texture and fantastic underlying sense of verve. Stony, savory and full of life, enjoy this incredible wine now and over the next ten plus years to come. Give it an hour of air if consuming in its full-throttle youth. Drink 2023-2035- 96

2021 Sleight of Hand ‘The Psychedelic’ Syrah- A follow up to the really good 2020 edition, the 2021 Sleight of Hand ‘The Psychedelic’ Syrah was sourced from the famed Stoney Vine Vineyard in the Walla Walla Rocks District. For my palate this is up there with the 2018 as the finest edition ever made of this wine. Soft, sultry and seamless on the mouth, this greets you with a literal cornucopia of flavors, while maintaining bright underlying finesse. Black olive tapenade, wet gravel, mortadella, black raspberry, black truffle shavings and bulls blood flavors all marvelously combine with blood orange zest accents. This is simply a marvelous, warm vintage wine that is already expressing itself in all its splendor. Hail hail to the stones! Drink 2023-2031- 96

2021 Sleight of Hand ‘Spiders From Mars’ Syrah- The 2021 ‘Spiders From Mars’ is the finest edition of this wine that I have tasted. This Syrah is sourced from the from the broken basalt-laden ‘Ziggy Stardust Block’ at the Elevation Vineyard. This beauty was stored for 20 months in French oak barrels, and displays a dizzying aromatic range from volcanic ash to potpourri, beef drippings, Kalamata olives and shades of boysenberry pie. The flavors are just as good, as the bright acidity and soft mouthfeel really drive this forward. This is irresistible stuff to consume in its youth with its bright red fruits, citrus rind and floral notes and savory/salty/stony underpinnings. Drink 2023-2031- 96

2021 Sleight of Hand ‘The Funkadelic’ Syrah- Always a bigger style of the Rocks District, the 2021 ‘The Funkadelic’ Syrah was stored for 20 months in French oak before bottling. Only 90 cases made. Showing off its deep hue in the glass, this shows excellent power and finesse — your iron fist in a velvet glove. Tar and anise flavors combine with black licorice, allspice dusted bacon, wet stone and shades of Hoisin sauce with plenty of exotic spices on the palate. Finishing long with garrigue and stony notes, this is a masterpiece by the winemaking team of Trey Busch, Jerry Solomon and Keith Johnson. Enjoy now and over the next ten plus years. Drink 2023-2033- 96

Opus One Vertical Tasting

It was a bright and sunny autumn day as I depended on Oakville and Opus One, one of the most beautiful Napa wineries to taste wine. Opus One has done a huge remodel and the tasting room has sensational panoramic views of their vineyards and the Napa floor. Extremely elegant, I tasted in the salon and had an amazing chance to visit with their longtime winemaker Michael Silacci. I have been so impressed with the wines that he has made. These are wines that exude class with good concentration, a beautiful veil of finesse and serious aging potential. I had not done a vertical of these wines in several years, so it was a treat to visit wines and check on how they were cellaring. Michael was in the middle of harvest so our visit was brief.

It was such a joy to look back at the 2014 Opus One (OB, 98) which is a massive wine and is just slightly starting to show secondary notes. This is quite frankly a joy to consume right now. Every bit as good was the new release the 2019 Opus One (OB, 98) which is even better than consumed last year. This wine is nowhere near ready but shows massive structure, tannins, weight and verve. Learn more about these world-class wines at opusonewinery.com and here are my reviews of the vertical tasting of 2014, 18 and 19 vintages of Opus One.

2014 Opus One Red Wine- The 2014 Opus One Red Wine is aromatically incredible on the nose. Red rose petals alongside loamy soils, dark currents and cocoa powder dusted loganberry notes all combine on the nose. The palate is soft and inviting with silky tannins that frame an ebullient core of cassis, anise and blackberry flavors, with espresso ground and salty soil accents. Showing great weight, texture and length, this is beautiful, refined stuff that is drinking beautifully right now. Drink 2023-2038- 98

2018 Opus One Red Wine- the 2018 Opus One is a totally captivating bottling even in its heady youth. Once on the nose this shows beautiful creme de violette alongside blackberry preserves and shades of black licorice. This comes off super seamless on the palate, with refined tannins. The palate is nuanced and smooth with graphite, and a fantastic core of black and blue fruits. Finishing long this is beautiful wine that has both the freshness and flavor density to cellar well for another twenty plus years. Drink 2023-2043- 98

2019 Opus One Red Wine- The 2019 Opus One Red Wine is drinking even better than first tasted. It is a rich and seamless wine that is going to be at least a 20 year old wine. Refined tannins greet you on the palate, displaying great tension and stony undertones. Creme de cassis, Asian spices and sandalwood notes combine with pencil lead on the palate. Drink 2025-2045- 98

WALT

Today we share one of Sonoma outstanding producers of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Tasting through the 2022 wines, I was sitting with HALL President Mike Reynolds who saw 2022 as initially “normal vintage.” But when a heat dome struck during harvest “it was really hot, getting up to 117 degrees. Vines at that moment in time are in a very fragile state. A lot of the vines are hanging at 18 or 19 brix and the vines start scavenging for water wherever they can get it. Berries shrivel.” Reynolds continued “I think that there are a lot of things that can go sideways in a vintage like that. Sugars get concentrated but there is no progressing of the flavors in there. You can actually get the vines to stop getting color extraction but we saw lots of chaos in September.”

On the vineyard side Reynolds felt that their optical sorter was “a total game-changer.” He continued “In 2022 we were sorting out 5 or 10% of the grapes because it did not meet our standards. Having that tool allows you to keep that kind of fruit out of the fermenter.” Yields were down in 2022 because of “The diminished weight due to the heat event and then sorting out the raisins.”

I think that you will really enjoy the WALT wines from 2022. They are dense, jam-packed full of flavor and are producing really good drinking enjoyment now. Do not miss out on the amazing 2022 WALT ‘Clos Pepe’ Pinot Noir (OB, 96) which is the finest version of this wine that I have tasted yet. Salty and savory, this is already drinking beautifully. The best wine I tasted was the world-class 2022 WALT ‘Bob’s Ranch’ Pinot Noir (OB, 97) which has massive concentration and cellaring potential. Learn more about these incredible wines at https://www.waltwines.com/ and here are the outstanding new 2022 wines by WALT.

2022 WALT ‘Las Brisas’ Pinot Noir- This 2022 Sonoma County based ‘La Brisa’ Pinot Noir comes mostly from the Bob’s Ranch Vineyard which is heavily influenced by ocean breezes. The site is now planted to 62 acres of Pinot Noir. The wine is smooth with a seamless mouthfeel and beautiful salty character with pretty red rose water and bright, saline drenched red fruits on the palate. Drink 2023-2033- 93

2022 WALT ‘Santa Rita Hills’ Pinot Noir- The 2022 ‘Santa Rita Hills’ displays a gorgeous nose with pretty potpourri tones alongside salted kumquat and shades of pomegranate seed. The wine is pretty and concentrated with a seriously good mouthful and loads of diatomaceous earth character alongside an ebullient core of red fruit flavors. This offers serious value. Drink 2023-2035- 94

2022 WALT ‘Rosella’s Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The Rosella’s Vineyard is owned by the Franchioni family and set in the Salinas Valley. This family began growing grapes back in the 1980s. Stored in roughly 30% new French oak, the nose comes off very salty with boysenberry fruits that meld well with dried herbs, wet stone and shades of orange peel. The palate is deep and concentrated with serious underlying verve and an exceedingly long finish. Drink 2023-2035- 95

2022 WALT ‘Clos Pepe’ Pinot Noir- This outstanding Pinot Noir comes from a historic site in the Santa Rita Hills which is in close proximity to the Pacific Ocean. Clos Pepe is an estate vineyard which is leased by Stephen and Kathy Pepe who founded their site back in the 1990s. The wine comes off rich and layered with loads of mouth-watering acidity and freshness. A massive core of juicy red and dark fruits combine with blood orange zest mingle with salty soils. This is totally stunning. Drink 2023-2038- 96

2022 WALT ‘Bob’s Ranch’ Pinot Noir- The 2022 ‘Bob’s Ranch’ comes from this vineyard located in the Petaluma Gap, located just south of Sebastopol. An 88 acre site, mostly planted to Pinot Noir, this wine is a barrel selection from the best blocks in the vineyard. Bob’s Ranch Pinot Noir was first made with the 2014 vintage. The palate comes off super seamless and concentrated with serious flavor density, power and brilliant underlying finesse. A massive core of dark fruits greet you with freshly tilled soils, with underlying citrus zest accents. Super complex and delicious, enjoy this beautiful wine now and over the next fifteen plus years. For my palate this is the finest edition of this wine made yet. Drink 2023-2039- 97

Elías Mora

A slightly newer Toro outpost, producing really high quality wines, Elias Mora began back in 2000. The winery was founded by winemaker Victoria Benavides and is named after the former owner of the vineyard, Elias Mora. Spanning 16 hectares of vineyards and including farming and harvest Benavides pulls from a  total of 70 hectares. Vines are trained in the traditional vaso or goblet shape, which yields ideal results but requires extra work, by hand, for harvest and pruning. Some of their vines in the  Senda de Lobo area are 80+ years old.

The wines are seriously good across the board. I loved the 2019 Elias Mora ‘Crianza’ Toro (OB, 93) which is very dense and heady with some good aging potential. I was totally blown away with their top wine the 2017 Elias Mora ‘La Senda de Los Lobos’ Toro (OB, 96) which is very hearty and intense with beautiful freshness and concentration. Learn more about these incredible wines at https://www.grapesofspain.com/winery.cfm?id=15 and here are the outstanding new wines but Elias Mora.

2017 Elias Mora ‘La Senda de Los Lobos’ Toro- The simply stunning 2017 Elias Mora ‘La Senda de Los Lobos’ Toro comes from 80 year old vines, as this wine is only made in top vintages. This 2017 edition was stored in all new French oak for 17 months before bottling and quite frankly this wine screams pure class Toro. Immediately captivating on the nose with its hedonistic Turkish coffee, bulls blood Asian spice notes, the wine deftly walks the tightrope between bright underlying acidity and hearty concentration. Finishing very long with black and blue fruits, as well as salty and damp earthy notes, this total stunner will live on for another two decade or more. Drink 2023-2043- 96

2020 Elias Mora ‘Toro’ Toro- The 2020 ‘Toro’ by Elias Mora offers complex and delicious flavors of espresso grounds, dark currant and milk chocolate flavors alongside a soft texture. Showing a smooth mouthfeel, this over-delivers for the price. Really good now, this will cellar well for another eight plus years. Drink 2023-2031- 91

2019 Elias Mora ‘Crianza’ Toro- The 2019 ‘Crianza’ comes from estate vines planted to Tinta de Toro that are set at 800 meters. The wine shows a beautiful bouquet of dark raspberry and dark chocolate shavings alongside tar and underbrush notes. The palate is soft and refined with silky tannins and a big sense of weight. Finishing long, this is a marvelous effort that is already impossible to resist. Drink 2023-2035- 93

2019 Descarte Toro- Inky in the glass, the 2019 Descarte offers concentrated chocolate and dark currant flavors alongside a seamless mouthful and wonderful verve. Finishing long with huckleberry and black cherry compote, roasted figs, with worn leather and dark chocolate shaving notes, this is sensational wine that will age gracefully. Sourced from 40 year old Toro vines. Drink 2023-2035- 93

San Roman

There is little doubt that ‘San Roman’ is one of the great wines of the world, produced from a tiny region in Spain, Toro. The region has an amazing history and is located in the province of Zamora, as part of Castile and Leon. Located northwest of Madrid, the region is relatively high elevation (2400 feet) and produces some of the finest Tempranillo wines of the world. Toro is also an ancient place, first conquered by Hannabal in 220 BC and the town was not repopulated until more than ten centuries later.

The wines of Toro were so famous that Christopher Columbus brought them on his journey to America. Toro is an extreme continental climate with very cold winters and very hot summers in which temperatures can eclipse 100 degrees. The wines from Toro are bold and intense. They are also some of the great bargains on the world wine market.

Bodegas San Roman produces what is one of the most famous Toro wines, its ‘San Roman.’ The winery was founded by famed winemaker, Mariano Garcia, in 1998 as Bodegas y Vinedos Maurodos. In the late 1990s his two sons Alberto and Eduardo joined the team, as director of operations and technical director respectively. They own 100 hectares of vineyards in the villages of Villaester, San Roman de Hornija, Morales de Toro and Pedrosa del Rey. The vineyards are primarily planted to Tinta de Toro, a local clone of Tempranillo.

Eduardo Garcia presides over the winemaking now as the winemaking style has moved towards combining freshness and richness. I have been absolutely enchanted by this wine since I first tried it while in graduate school more than a decade ago. The combination of richness and poise was just amazing to me. The wine can be quite powerful but maintains an amazing sense of poise and terroir. Simply put, it is one of the great wines of the world. The new release, the 2020 Bodegas San Roman ‘San Roman’ Toro (OB, 95) is a total stunner with loads of richness and dark fruits.Even better is the new wine, the 2018 Bodega San Roman ‘Cartago Paraje del Pozo’ Toro (OB, 98) which is amongst the finest Toro wines I have ever tasted.  Learn more about this famed property at https://www.bodegasanroman.com Here is my review of the new wines by Bodegas San Roman.

2020 San Roman ‘Prima’ Toro- The 2020 ‘Prima’ is sourced from estate vineyards up to 50 years of age. It is juicy and concentrated, loaded with rich dark and red fruit flavors, alongside tar and milk chocolate notes. Drink now. Drink 2023-2030- 91

2020 San Roman Garnacha- The astonishingly good 2020 San Roman Garnacha is soft and voluptuous on the mouth with a smooth texture. A beautiful purity of red fruits greets you, alongside salty soils, orange peel and suggestions of cardamom. Sexy, salty and very fresh, this is a gorgeous, highly novel Garnacha that will satisfy Grenache-lovers across the globe. Drink 2023-2035- 94

2021 San Roman Malvasia- The 2021 San Roman Blanco is 100% Malvasia Castellana that was sourced from the 60-year-old El Pinar vineyard. Showing loads of nerve, with beautiful freshness and mouth-watering acidity, this delights with its melon and citrus rind flavors alongside pastry crust notes. It is nearly impossible to put down once opened. Drink 2023-2033- 94

2020 Bodega San Roman Toro- A magnificent effort, the 2020 San Roman is vibrant, polished and lithe, with gobs of stuffing and mouth-watering acidity. Baking spices, espresso grounds and milk chocolate notes all fill the nose with shades of huckleberry. The palate is dense and rich with fantastic underlying tension. Really needing a few years to evolve, enjoy now and over the next twenty years to come. Drink 2024-2044- 95

2018 Bodega San Roman ‘Cartago Paraje del Pozo’ Toro- The mind-bending ‘Cartago Paraje del Pozo’ Toro comes is comprised of  90% Tinta de Toro and 10% other grape varieties, coming from an own-rooted, 45-year-old single vineyard. This is the inaugural vintage of this wine that shows very inky in the glass, this shows off amazing power with its massive dark and blue fruit profile. Pencil lead, and creme de violette notes combine with mocha, tar and iron with heady blue fruits on the palate. Finishing long with beautiful tension and viscosity, this is quite simply a masterpiece by San Roman. Drink 2023-2045- 98

Horsepower Vineyards

Today we share the world-class wines of Horsepower Vineyards. Vigneron Christophe Baron had a strong affinity for animals, as draft horses worked the Champagne vineyards that he and his family resided over. Today we see that childhood inspiration which that led to creating one of the most coveted lineup of wines in the Pacific Northwest, Horsepower Vineyards. In his Walla Walla AVA vineyards his horses help cultivate vineyards ranging from 3,555 to 4,840 vines per acre with as little as 3' x 3' spacing—planted 1 vine per stake, or “sur echalas” in French. I am consistently blown away with the wines that come this profound site in the Walla Walla AVA. The tightly spaced Sur Echalas Vineyard produces wines that show incredible underlying tension. They have been stunning wines regardless of vintage — wines that shine even in the most challenging of conditions.

Bionic Wines Director of Winemaking Elizabeth Bourcier is an incredible talent in West Coast wine. Bourcier studied under Christophe and has been producing sensational wines for many years now. She did an amazing job with the challenging 2020 vintage. The new wines I tasted come from the warm 2021 vintage. These remind me of 2018 in their fleshy profile. All wines are deep and concentrated but show fantastic underlying finesse. They are better overall wines than the 2020s — up there with the finest wines I have ever tasted from Horsepower Vineyards. I think there is little reason to cellar these, as the level of tension and flavor/aromatic range is truly outstanding.

I reviewed three of these wines at 100 points. The 2021 Horsepower ‘Sur Echalas Vineyard’ Grenache (OB, 100) is absolutely stunning with amazing verve, mouthfeel and a literal cornucopia of flavors. This is a must-purchase for any Grenache lover. Learn more about about these monumental wines at https://horsepowervineyards.com/horsepowervineyards/ Here are my reviews of the new 2021 releases by Horsepower Vineyards.

2021 Horsepower Vineyards ‘Sur Echalas Vineyard’ Grenache- Stony, salty and very savory, the stunning 2021 Horsepower Vineyards ‘Sur Echalas Vineyard’ Grenache is one of the great wines that I have tasted over the past year —and is nothing short of perfection in a bottle. Coming from this very tightly-spaced site set on cobblestones in Milton-Freewater, this nose can only be from one place in the world. Seaweed, wet gravel, anise, bacon fat and menthol notes all combine with pure pomegranate and red cherry fruits on the nose. The palate is extremely stony and salty, with loads of mouth-watering acidity. Finishing long, this memorable effort with serious nerve is already drinking beautifully now — but will cellar well over the next eight plus years. Drink 2023-2031- 100

2021 Horsepower Vineyards ‘Fiddleneck Vineyard’ Grenache- The 2021 ‘Fiddleneck Vineyard’ Grenache comes from this vineyard which was planted back in 2015. The Grenache was stored for 15 months in neutral oak prior to bottling. The Rayas-level of pure red fruits expressed here is second to none. It takes on Syrah-like level of concentration, with garrigue, smoked brisket and Mandarin orange zest flavors that mingle well with suggestions of guava puree and loganberry flavors. With more air the stony and salty nuances take shape, as this highly novel Grenache is a stunning foil to the ‘Sur Echalas’ and completely deserves its spot at the high table of top Grenache wines made in North America. Viscous, novel and tension-filled, I see no reason to cellar this total heavyhitter of a wine as it is drinking magically right now. Drink 2023-2031-100

2021 Horsepower Vineyards ‘Sur Echalas Vineyard’ Syrah- You are going to be completely enamored by the 2021 ‘Sur Echalas Vineyard’ Syrah which is one of the great wines made in this warm vintage. Horsepower Vineyards Director of Winemaking, Elizabeth Bourcier, has crafted another utterly stunning bottling. The nose is massively complex from white truffle shavings, tar, black licorice candy, wet rocks, Umami and potpourri notes that mingle well with parma ham tones. Once on the mouth this beauty effortlessly glides throughout the drinking experience. The palate is soft, round and generous with a sensational sense of texture, weight and viscosity, yet is light on its feet with serious tension and salty/stony nuances. This has to be up there with the 2018 bottling as the finest ‘Sur Echalas’ Syrah ever made. Heady and intense, this is drinking beautifully now and will surely live on for another decade. Drink 2023-2033- 100

2021 Horsepower Vineyards ‘High Contrast Vineyard’ Syrah- The astonishingly good 2021 Horsepower Vineyards ‘High Contrast Vineyard’ Syrah comes from a vineyard that is set on a combination of ancient cobblestones and silty loam soils. Aged for 15 months in large format neutral French oak barrels, this shows plenty of stony nuances on the nose alongside citrus rind, charcuterie, black olive tapenade and shades of dark truffle crudo. The palate shows great length, weight and salty undercurrents, as the weight of this wine alongside the mouth-watering acidity really makes this shine. There is little doubt that this is the finest edition of this wine made yet as this stunning Syrah flirts with perfection. Enjoy now and over the next eight plus years. Drink 2023-2031- 99

2021 Horsepower Vineyards ‘The Tribe Vineyard’ Syrah- Heady, intense and very gratifying to savor now, the 2021 Horsepower Vineyards ‘The Tribe Vineyard’ Syrah is a magical wine from this warm vintage. Once on the nose this takes on anise and dark currants alongside wet stone, salted meats, Black Forest cake, Hoisin sauce, violets and shades of Nori. The heady aromatics bring you back to the glass for more hedonistic enjoyment. The palate is plush and soft with serious weight and texture. Enjoy this wow-factor Syrah now and over the next eight plus years to come Drink 2023-2031- 98

Tulpen Cellars

One of the great under the radar wineries in Walla Walla, Tulpen Cellars is an incredible producer of Washington Cabernet Sauvignon, Tulpen is a brand created by winemaker for Tulpen Cellars, Ken Hart. Ken serves as General Manager of Appellation Management Group (AMG) as AMG develops and manages vineyards within the Walla Walla Valley — including vineyards for a’Maurice, Dunham Cellars along with another 10 properties.

These are unabashedly bold and full-bodied wines. I have loved the past several vintages of these wines. The new wines come from the 2019 vintage which was challenged by a freeze event in October. I love the new 2019 Tulpen ‘Yellowbird Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon (OB, 94) which is dense and powerful with a great acid backbone. Learn more about these electric wines at https://tulpencellars.com/ and here are my reviews of the new Tulpen wines.

2019 Tulpen ‘Tokar Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The  2019 Tulpen ‘Tokar Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon shows off medium-bodied dark fruit flavors alongside tar, black licorice and graphite notes. Firm tannins hold everything neatly together, as this is best enjoyed now and over the next ten plus years. Drink 2023-2035- 92

2019 Tulpen ‘Yellowbird Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2019 Tulpen ‘Yellowbird Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon comes from this dry farmed site in the Walla Walla Valley. Loamy soils alongside black tea, black rose petals and shades of tar all fill the nose. The palate shows plenty of stuffing considering the coolness of the vintage. Mocha, espresso grounds and scorched earthy notes alongside garrigue tones all combine on the palate, with a bright underling sense of finesse. Enjoy this outstanding wine over the next fifteen years. Drink 2023-2038- 94

2019 Tulpen ‘Coalesence’ Red Wine- This comes off smooth and generous on the mouth, as the 2019 ‘Coalescence’ offers red cherry candy, black licorice and baking spices on the palate, alongside milk chocolate and sagebrush notes. Finishing long, this is delicious wine to consume now and over the next eight plus years. Drink 2023-2031- 93

Rasa Vineyards

For those who do not know the wines of Rasa Vineyards, you are in for a treat. Anything from Rieslings to inky Syrahs, Billo Naravane, MW, makes a scintillating range of wines that will satisfy any palate. Billo also has a remarkable story in wine. Originally a scientist, Billo Naravane initially was inspired by wine while living Austin, Texas. During that time Billo was exposed to some of the finest wines in the world and he fully caught the wine bug. Finally, he and his brother, Pinto, made the bold decision to start Rasa Vineyards in 2007. My first exposure to these great wines was many years back when I was served a 2007 Rasa Vineyards ‘QED’ Syrah blind. I was absolutely mesmerized by the seamless quality of the wine. With a bachelor’s degree from MIT and a master’s degree from Stanford, Billo then studied viticulture an enology at UC Davis. He is now one of the few masters of wine (MW) in the world. The wines he crafts show tremendous texture, richness, poise and terroir — and are only getting better by each vintage. 

I loved the new wines by Naravane, and don’t miss out on the fantastic new value bottling, the 2022 Rasa Vineyards ‘Occam’s Razor’ Pinot Gris (OB, 92) which is fresh and beautifully textured orange wine that is silky smooth on the palate. I adored the new 2019 Rasa Vineyards ‘Veritas Sequitur’ Syrah (OB, 96) which shows better verve than the ’18 but is wonderfully stony. I think hands down the finest Port style wine in North America is the 2021 Rasa Vineyards ‘‘Courageous Convictions’ Port Style Wine (OB, 98) which is concentrated, complex and shows bright underlying acidity, with massive complexity. I am not exaggerating by saying that this wine will easily stand toe to toe with top vintage Port. Learn more about this fantastic Walla Walla winery at rasavineyards.com Here are the sensational new wines by Rasa Vineyards. 

2022 Rasa Vineyards ‘Occam’s Razor’ Pinot Gris- A very fresh and lively wine, the 2022 Rasa Vineyards ‘Occam’s Razor’ Pinot Gris was given extended skin contact and needs some warming up. The palate displays loads of mouth-watering acidity with kiwi, sweetened gooseberry and green melon flavors alongside copious minerals and salty undertones. This is seriously good. Drink 2023-2029- 92

2021 Rasa Vineyards ‘Occam’s Razor’ Red Blend- The brilliant 2021 Rasa Vineyards ‘Occam’s Razor’ Red Blend is soft and elegant on the mouth with a smooth texture. Layers of chocolate covered black cherry, black raspberry and stony accents all combine on the palate.  Medium-bodied, this is a really good value that will drink well for at least another five years. Drink 2023-2029- 91

2020 Rasa Vineyards ‘Humane’ Red Wine- A blend of 60% Rocks District Syrah and the remainder Yakima Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2020 ‘Humane’ is a one Hell of a wine that is devoted to charity — Rasa has given a whopping 100,00 dollars to a range of charities over the past three vintages. The wine comes off wonderfully stony and seamless on the palate, with a smooth mouthfeel. Wet gravel, black olive tapenade, and dark currants all collide on the palate, with good concentration, salty accents and incredible balance. No reason to cellar this beauty that is already wonderfully evolved. Drink 2023-2030- 94

2021 Rasa Vineyards ‘QED The Strong Law’ Red Wine- The 2021 ‘QED The Strong Law’ is a blends mostly Cabernet Sauvignon (67%) wth the remainder Merlot. It comes off seamless and beautifully textured, with good weight. Dried herbs mingle well with ripe red currants, wild blackberry and shades of chocolate cake on the palate. Finishing long, this is a delicious, well-structured effort that will cellar well for at least another decade. Drink 2023-2035- 94

2019 Rasa Vineyard ‘Veritas Sequitur SJR Vineyard’ Syrah- The 2019 Rasa Vineyard ‘Veritas Sequitur SJR Vineyard’ Syrah comes from the Naravane Vineyard in the Walla Walla Rocks District, as this is the first wine I have ever seen or tasted from this site. Stored in entirely new French oak for 24 months and then for two more years in the bottle, this shows incredible aromatic range from lavender, and allspice dusted black currants, alongside Nori and shades of green olive tapenade, with stony accents. The palate is soft and seamless, with incredible texture and verve. A touch leaner than the ’18 bottling, this shows just as good flavor range, with a tad more underlying tension. Don’t miss out on this beauty. Drink 2023-2035- 96

2019 Rasa Vineyards ‘Principia Reserve’ Syrah- A joy to drink right now, the 2019 ‘Principia Reserve’ was sourced from several Columbia Valley sites. Inky in the glass, this offers a dizzying array of aromatics from Black Forest cake and shades of black truffle alongside coffee grounds and tobacco leaf. The palate is soft and refined with a silky texture and great sense of weight and length. The flavor density considering the coolness of the vintage is seriously good.  Neatly textured, with great length, enjoy this beautiful wine now and over the next twelve years to come. Drink 2023-2035- 96

2018 Rasa Vineyards ‘Creative Impulse’ Red Wine- Always a late release wine, the 2018 ‘Creative Impulse’ is a combination of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot all sourced from the famed DuBrul Vineyard in the Yakima Valley.  Right away the alluring red rose petals notes explode from the glass, alongside kirsch, dark chocolate shavings, boysenberry and black the aromatics. The palate is plush with a lovely sense of weight, tension and underlying salinity from this special site. In terms of fruit purity, density and verve, this may just be the finest edition of this wine ever made. Give this beauty two hours in the decanter if savoring now. Drink 2023-2040- 98

2019 Rasa Vineyards ‘In Order To Form A Perfect Union’ Red Wine- The captivating 2017 Rasa Vineyards ‘In Order To Form A Perfect Union’ Red Wine is a blend of mostly Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot with smaller parts Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. The herbal notes from the Petit Verdot are shining brightly as exotic spices, espresso grounds and dark chocolate cake notes all meld together. The palate is fresh and lively with good verve and a soft mouthfeel. Brimming with tension, this cooler vintage wine is a delight to savor right now and over the next fifteen plus years to come. Drink 2023-2039- 95

2020 Rasa Vineyards ‘Plus One’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The incredible 2020 ‘Plus One’ was sourced from old vine plantings in the Kiona Vineyard. The wine comes off impeccably balanced, as it is truly one of the finest Cabernet wines made this vintage. Dusty soils and salty red fruits combine with fresh sage, cassis and black licorice notes on the palate. This is the pillar old-vine Washington Cabernet as everything is in clockwork balance here. Medium to full-bodied, with plenty of mouth-watering acidity and texture, enjoy this outstanding, highly nuanced bottling now and over the next ten plus years to come. But why wait? Drink 2023-2035- 96

2018 Rasa Vineyards ‘Fianchetto’ Red Wine- Coming from the Firethorn Vineyard, the 2018 Fianchetto has changed its blending and now is Merlot (37%) with Cabernet Sauvignon (35%) and the remainder Cabernet Franc. The palate comes off a touch lean considering the richness of the vintage. Tobacco leaf, tar, black currants and copious minerals alongside freshly tilled soils all mingle well together on the palate. Medium to full-bodied, with a smooth texture, enjoy now and over the next ten plus years. Drink 2023-2035- 94

2021 Rasa Vineyards ‘Courageous Convictions’ Port Style Wine- Brothers Pinto and Billo Naravane are unabashedly infatuated with vintage Port and for years they wanted to make a Washington Port style wine using indigenous grapes. They now have met their match, as they utilize Touriga Nacional. Tinta Roriz, Tinta Cao and Souzao grapes that were sourced from the Yakima Valley. The nose is incredible expressive, showing Asian spices alongside sandalwood, huckleberry compote, Turkish coffee and suggestions of eucalyptus. The palate is soft and seamless with incredible verve, texture and weight. Milk chocolate, toffee, creme de violette, tar, anise flavors all collide, with nuances of damp soils, pencil lead and Mandarin orange peel. In terms of flavor complexity, this is pretty hard to top. Hedonistic, yet showing loads of mouth-watering acidity, this is 2021 actually considerably better than the 2020 version and retains its honor as the finest Port-style wine ever made in Washington State. Grab your Cohiba and dig in! Drink 2023-2040- 98

Fulldraw

This is now my second introduction to Fulldraw, a great new producer from Paso Robles, The winery began back in 2012, founded by Connor and Rebecca McMahon who live on their land — a 100 acre vineyard which is located in the Templeton Gap, in southwest Paso Robles. Connor formerly worked at Booker before starting this project. Connor and Rebecca reside with their two children and their German Shorthair Pointer, Yadi, on the vineyard. The wines have been really great, showing a beginning, middle and end. The last two vintages have shown beautiful concentration and good nuance.

He mentioned that the vintage from 2023 might be a bit warmer than 2011 and slightly more similar to 2012. He noted “picking and timing wise it is like 2011 but 2012 was such an even growing season.” Connor remarked about concentrated wines but “Good acid that you see in them from the limestone.” His wines were dense and he explained that “I give decanting notes and let you know where it is at and we like that acid and structure but laying these down for five or six years is not going to be an issue whatsoever.”

I really love the 2021 Fulldraw ‘Chopping Block’ Red Wine (OB, 93) which has a lively acidity and plenty of deep concentration. I really enjoyed the 2021 Fulldraw ‘Honey Bunny’ Red Wine (OB, 93) which is also rich with its core of blue fruits. Learn more about this outstanding Paso Robles winery at fulldrawvineyard.com and here are my reviews of the new Fulldraw wines.

2019 Fulldraw ‘FD2’ Red Wine- A GSM style wine made from mostly Grenache (60%) with smaller portions Syrah and Mourvèdre, this delivers a smooth mouthfeel and texture upon entry. Pretty red currants combine with bay leaf, coffee ground and shades of boysenberry cordial. Nicely balanced, with bright underlying acidity, this is fantastic stuff to enjoy now. Drink 2023-2030- 92

2021 Fulldraw ‘Hard Point’ Grenache- You wouldn’t expect this to be Grenache by looking into the glass. Very inky, the 2021 ‘Hard Point’ is massively tannic upon entry. Levels of rich dark fruits combine with espresso grounds and orange rind flavors on the palate. Give this a year to soften. Drink 2024-2030- 92

2021 Fulldraw ‘Charted’ Red Wine- The GSM-inspired  2021 ‘Charted’ combines mostly Grenache (69%) with smaller portions Syrah and Mourvèdre. This is rich and polished stuff on the palate, with tar, creme de violette, Asian spices and great underlying acidity with firm tannins. Generous, and delicious, enjoy now. Drink 2023-2031- 93

2021 Fulldraw ‘Chopping Block’ Red Wine- The 2021 ‘Chopping Block’ combines mostly Syrah (50%) with 38% Mourvèdre and the remainder Grenache. Deeply colored in the glass, this shows off heady aromatics of creosote and smoked brisket alongside Turkish coffee and violets. The palate is nicely textured, with a great sense of weight and flavor density. Drinking beautifully now, enjoy over the next decade. Drink 2023-2033- 94

2021 Fulldraw ‘Honey Bunny’ Red Wine- The 2021 ‘Honey Bunny’ is nearly all Syrah (92%) with the remainder Mourvèdre. Deep and brooding in the glass, this offers concentrated blue fruit flavors alongside espresso grounds, tar and mocha notes. Rich and layered, with refined tannins, enjoy over the next decade. Drink 2023-2033- 93

2021 Fulldraw ‘Interpretation’ Red Wine- A Provence-inspired blend of mostly Cabernet Sauvignon (66%) with the remainder Syrah, this shows off a massive wall of black and blue fruits alongside firm tannins, creosote and shades of creme de violette. Tannic, massive, and very heady, give this another year to soften. Drink 2024-2033- 93

Tablas Creek

The story of Tablas Creek began when Jean-Pierre and François Perrin and Robert Haas purchased a former alfalfa farm that is set on limestone soils in the Adelaida Hills. From the beginning they focused on Rhône-style wines made organically. The first plantings took place in 1994 and the first Tablas Creek Vineyard wines produced in 1997. The winery has been an incredible success since that time, reaching worldwide acclaim particularly for their Rhone style red and white blends. I was first introduced to these wines in the early 2000s. I was amazed by their consistency and their very old-world style considering the region.

One of the outstanding wines of its kind, the 2021 Tablas Creek ‘Espirit Blanc de Tablas’ White Wine (OB, 96) is even better than the 2020 version, offering amazing density and nuance. This one is still just a baby at the two year mark. Tablas Creek has been really well-known for Mourvèdre wines, and their new 2021 Mourvèdre (OB, 95) is super complex stuff with amazing flavor range and beautiful aromatics. This wine takes on a very old-world feel that only Tablas can accomplish in this region. Learn more about these outstanding wines at https://tablascreek.com Here are the outstanding new wines by Tablas Creek. 

2021 Tablas Creek ‘Patelin de Tablas’ White Wine- A blend of mostly Grenache Blanc (54%) and Viognier (29%), this offers light cashew nut, saline drenched peach and green papaya flavors. A touch lean, showing good finesse, enjoy this linear style of Rhone inspired wine right now. Drink 2022-2026- 89

2022 Tablas Creek Grenache Blanc- The 2022 Grenache Blanc shows a lush mouthfeel with brilliant underlying tension. Layers of gooseberry, lemon zest and shades of sourdough bread all combine on the palate, with nutty and stony nuances. Beautifully textured, enjoy now and over the next eight plus years. Drink 2023-2031- 93

2021 Tablas Creek ‘Espirit Blanc de Tablas’ White Wine- The beautiful 2021 ‘Espirit Blanc de Tablas, is another world-class release of this wine. This edition has considerably more Roussanne (70%) than the 2020 bottling. This varietal is really shining brightly here, with its hedonistic bent and plenty of body. Wet gravel notes combine with ripe cantaloupe, juicy peach and suggestions of salted Brazil nuts. With a refined texture, wait for the near minute-long finish. Astonishingly good in its youth, this beauty will live on for another fifteen plus years to come. Drink 2023-2040- 96

2022 Tablas Creek ‘Patelin de Tablas’ Red Wine- The 2022 Tablas Creek ‘Patelin de Tablas’ Red Wine is mainly Syrah (54%) and Grenache (29%), this is nicely balanced with a smooth texture. Tart red fruits mingle well with citrus rind, white pepper and brisket notes on the palate. Drink now. Drink 2023-2028- 90

2021 Tablas Creek Mourvedre- Big and bold, with fantastic underlying finesse, the 2021 Tablas Creek Mourvèdre is even better than the 2020 bottling. Once on the nose this takes on beef drippings, dried herbs, black olives and shades of wild blackberry. The palate shows beautiful weight and finesse as layers of bright red and dark fruits combine with pink grapefruit blossom water, smoked meats, iodine and tar notes. This beauty is going to cellar well for at least another decade. Drink 2023-2035- 95

Chateau Lascombes

I love Left Bank wines with power, poise and balance. For years I have been enamored by the wines of Chateau Lascombes, and I enjoyed a glorious visit to this modern facility several years back. A great history, Lascombes has 120 hectares (296 acres) planted in the Margaux appellation, as well as 10 hectares (24 acres) in the Haut-Médoc appellation. It stands as one of the the largest vineyards among the classified growths of 1855. Located near the center of Margaux, vines are set on a range of soil types, as the vineyard has three separate blocks of roughly the same surface area: a gravelly outcrop planted with Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot, a block of clay-gravel made up of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, and finally clay-limestone plots, where Merlot is planted. As these wines have a softer expression for the region, it is no surprise that Merlot makes up roughly 50% of vines planted which is highly unique to the appellation.

The winery is owned by The Lawrence Family, owners of Napa Valley’s iconic Heitz Cellar and Managing Partner and Master Sommelier Carlton McCoy, Jr. which is the Lawrence Wine Estates’ first acquisition in Europe. Lascombes joins a portfolio which includes Burgess, Ink Grade, and Stony Hill Vineyard. At the helm is Delphine Barboux who has served as winemaker and technical manager since 2016. The wine I recently tasted came from the 2019 vintage, one that produced really high quality wines, and might be a step behind those from 2018. The 2019 Chateau Lascombes (OB, 95) is all about balance right now, as the black fruit flavors are slowly stepping into the fray. This beauty is elegant and has at least twenty years in front of it. Learn more about this famed house at https://www.chateau-lascombes.com and here is my review of the beautiful 2019 Lascombes.

2019 Chateau Lascombes- The 2019 Lascombes might not be the biggest wine produced in this warm vintage, but right now this Margaux exudes both class and elegance. A blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, with 45% Merlot and the remainder Petit Verdot, this shows refined tannins on the mouth, with layers of cocoa powder, coffee grounds, anise and black currant flavors. Texturally soft and seamless, with bright underlying acidity, this is already drinking beautifully with a two hour decant. Enjoy this outstanding wine now and over the next two decades. Drink 2023-2043- 95