Lingua Franca

Today we share one of the greats from Oregon, founded by Larry Stone and David Honig. A few years back Lingua Franca was sold to Constellation Brands and they have just recently opened a new tasting room on the property. Maestro Thomas Savre is one of the state’s finest winemakers. These wines show so well after ten years and have some serous aging potential.

The new wines come from the very classic 2022 vintage which appears to be a really electric vintage, with good tension and flavor density. These might age even better than the 2021s. Check out the gorgeous 2022 Lingua Franca ‘Avni’ Pinot Noir (OB, 93) which is a killer bargain at 40 bucks USD. Even better is the stunning 2021 Lingua Franca ‘Lingua Franca Vineyard’ Chardonnay (OB, 96)  which has marvelous minerality and flavor range, with an unctuous mouthfeel. Learn more about Lingua Franca at https://www.linguafranca.wine Here are the beautiful new releases by Lingua Franca.

2022 Lingua Franca ‘Lingua Franca Estate’ Chardonnay- A dazzling new edition of this wine, the 2022 Lingua Franca ‘Lingua Franca Estate’ Chardonnay is a totally stunning wine that is already nicely evolved. Sourced from this steeply sloped location in the Eola-Amity Hills this gorgeous new wine was stored in mainly neutral oak puncheons before bottling. Orange blossom and star jasmine notes mark the nose alongside toasted hazelnuts, flint and shades of juicy nectarine. The palate is concentrated and beautifully textured, with serious weight and a downright unctuous mouthfeel. Wait for the near minute-long finish. A glorious effort from this vintage that ended very late, enjoy now and over the next fifteen years. Drink 2024-2039- 96

2022 Lingua Franca ‘Chers Amis’ Chardonnay- The 2022 ‘Chers Amis’ comes from a site near their estate vineyard in the Eola-Amity Hills AVA. This is wonderfully flinty and mineral-laden on the mouth, reveling in its lemon oil, oyster shell and bright melon fruit flavors. Medium to full-bodied with pastry crust accents, enjoy this outstanding wine now and over the next ten years to come. Drink 2024-2034- 94

2021 Lingua Franca ‘Mimi’s Mind’ Pinot Noir- The 2021 ‘Mimi’s Mind’ comes from what was formerly the Hopewell Vineyard in the Eola-Amity Hills AVA — a site that neighbors the Lingua Franca Estate vineyard. The wine combines Dijon clone 777 and Pommard selections, as this was stored in largely neutral oak barrels before bottling. This beautifully showcases the heat of the vintage, offering generous red fruits with wild blackberry, tobacco leaf, and shades of wet stones on the palate, with orange rind accents. Complex and delicious, enjoy now and over the next fifteen years. Drink 2024-2039- 95

2022 Lingua Franca ‘Tongue ’N Cheek’ Pinot Noir- The tension-filled 2022 Lingua Franca ‘Tongue ’N Cheek’ Pinot Noir is a fantastic bottling that combines clonal selections 943 and 777. Deeply colored in the glass, this offers red rose petals and volcanic earth alongside shades of tangerine zest and guava. The palate is plush and filled with bright minerality and crunchy red fruits. A joy to consume now, watch this evolve over the next fifteen plus years. Drink 2024-2039- 95

2022 Lingua Franca ‘Avni’ Pinot Noir- The really good 2022 ‘Avni’ Pinot Noir comes a few sites in the Willamette Valley including roughly 30% from the Lingua Franca Estate vineyard. The wine was stored in 27% new and 73% old French oak barriques for 12 months as well as 4 in tank prior to bottling. This is juicy and gorgeous Pinot Noir with bright pomegranate seed fruits alongside tar, black currants, stony minerals and beautiful tension. Soft and round on the mouth, enjoy now and over the next ten years. Drink 2024-2034- 93

2022 Lingua Franca ‘Lingua Franca Estate’ Pinot Noir- A gorgeous new bottling, the 2022 Lingua Franca ‘Lingua Franca Estate’ Pinot Noir is a stunning wine that is already nicely evolved. Once on the nose this takes on layers of white truffle shavings, anise, wet stones and shades of Mandarin orange rind. The palate is nervy and tense with a smooth mouthfeel and plenty of minerality alongside a generous core of red fruits. Fantastic to enjoy now, savor this beauty over the next fifteen years to come. Drink 2024-2039- 95

2022 Lingua Franca ‘The Plow’ Pinot Noir- Another gorgeous release of this wine, the unabashedly big 2022 Lingua Franca ‘The Plow’ Pinot Noir is a deep purple in the glass. A barrel selection wine, this edition comes from a range of Estate Vineyard sites that are set on Jory soils. The wine was stored in only 21% new French oak barriques for 12 months followed by an additional 5 months in stainless steel tank before bottling. It is lifted and beautifully perfumed wine that offers pink rose petals, menthol, white pepper and smoldering stones on the nose. The palate is silky smooth and ridiculously complex — with no rough edges. A magical new bottling by Thomas Savre, enjoy over the next twenty years. Drink 2024-2044- 96

2021 Lingua Franca ‘Nov Vino’ Pinot Noir- This 2022 Pinot Noir is a two barrel selection of Pinot Noir in which one barrel was completely destemmed and the other was given 100% whole cluster fermentation. This is a very generous and broad-shouldered wine, with dense red and dark fruits alongside shades of milk chocolate, green peppercorns, black truffle and shades of stony minerals alongside peat moss accents. The flavor complexity and flavor density exhibited here is nothing short of exhilarating. What a wine! Drink 2024-2044- 97

Fullerton

Today we share the story of Fullerton Wines, founded back in 2012. Head winemaker and founder Alex Fullerton produces a wide range of wines that have now expanded into Washington State. Alex has a longstanding industry history, formerly working for Penner-Ash, as well as Drylands in New Zealand, Alex began making his own wine out of his garage in 2011.

I recently had the chance to sample the range of new wines by Fullerton and they were very good across the board. I love the new value driven 2022 Fullerton ‘Three Otters’ Pinot Gris (OB, 90) which is a killer wine for the price. I adored the new 2021 Fullerton ‘Brvtvs’ Pinot Noir (OB, 94) which has fantastic flavor density and texture, coming from this hot vintage. Learn more about these wines at http://www.fullertonwines.com Here are the great new releases from Fullerton Wines:

2022 Fullerton ‘Three Otters’ Pinot Gris- Open and already nicely evolved, this shows bright kiwi and starfruit flavors alongside orange zest notes on the palate. Enjoy now. Drink 2024-2028- 90

2021 Fullerton ‘Dupee Vineyard’ White Pinot Noir- Coming from the Dupee Vineyard in the McMinnville AVA, this white Pinot Noir opens with walnut notes alongside bright pear, starfruit and strawberry notes. The palate is soft and mineral-laden with a smooth texture. Enjoy now. Drink 2024-2030- 91

2021 Fullerton ‘Johan Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The Johan Vineyard is set in the Van Duzer Corridor as this 2021 Pinot Noir utilizes clonal selections 667 and 943. This is deeply concentrated stuff with serious tension and racy acidity. Rich and tart red and black fruits parade with salty and stony soils, tobacco and worn leather notes. The earthy tones make you think of a top notch Barolo. Drink 2024-2038- 94

2021 Fullerton ‘Lichtenwalter Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The 2021 ‘Lichtenwalter Vineyard’ was sourced from this southern facing spot in the Ribbon Ridge AVA. Translucent in the glass, this delivers a smooth mouthfeel with rich strawberry and red cherry flavors alongside shades of damp soils and tobacco leaf. Delicious now, enjoy over the next ten years to come. Drink 2024-2034- 93

2021 Fullerton ‘Fir Crest Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- Located in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA the Fir Crest Vineyard was planted on ancient Willakenzie soils. This offers a beautiful core of black and red florals alongside orange peel, salty soils and shades of baking spices on the nose. The palate is rich and dense with a fantastic underlying freshness, with gobs of mouth-watering acidity. This is already really nicely evolved. Full-bodied, enjoy now and over the next ten to fifteen years. Drink 2024-2036- 94

2021 Fullerton ‘Momtazi Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The Momtazi Vineyard is a truly unique hillside spot that has both volcanic and marine sedimentary soils. This 2021 Pinot Noir utilizes Dijon clonal selections 114 and 777. It offers sea salt drenched red fruits on the palate, alongside baking spices, black tea and suggestions of kumquat zest.  Gorgeous now, enjoy over the next ten plus years. Drink 2024-2038- 94

2021 Fullerton ‘Arborbrook Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The beautiful 2021 Fullerton ‘Arborbrook Vineyard’ Pinot Noir comes from the Chehalem Mountains AVA as vines are set on Dupree soils. Juicy and rich, this offers a polished texture with black raspberry and black cherry flavors alongside shades of cola. Full-throttle and forward, enjoy this beautiful wine now and over the next twelve years. Drink 2024-2036- 93

2021 Fullerton ‘Apollini Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The Appolini Vineyard is located in the Tualatin Hills AVA in the northwestern corner of the Willamette Valley. This outstanding wine is 100% Pommard clonal selection Pinot Noir. A deep core of black and red fruits greet you on the palate alongside allspice, orange peel and shades of salty marine soils. Full-bodied, and beautifully poised and textured, this is a total stunner that is drinking so well now. Drink 2024-2038- 94

2021 Fullerton ‘Brvtvs Pinot Noir- The 2021 ’Brvtvs’ comes form the Fir Crest Vineyard and is named after the rebel and leader that took down Julius Ceasar. This Pommard selection wine underwent 100% whole cluster fermentation. It is big, bold and juicy, loaded with tart pomegranate seed and Linzer torte flavors alongside a silky texture and good sense of weight. Fresh and smooth on the mouth, enjoy now and over the next fifteen years. Drink 2024-2039- 94

2021 Fullerton ‘Clavdivs’ Pinot Noir- Named after the Roman emperor, this 2021 Pinot Noir utilizes clone 943 from the Arbor Brook Vineyard in the Chehalem Mountains AVA. The palate is lush and rich, showing a gorgeous combination of wild boysenberry, black currants, ripe strawberry and freshly tilled salty soils. Full-bodied and showing good tension and texture, enjoy now and over the next fifteen years. Drink 2024-2039- 94

2021 Fullerton ‘Yellowjacket Vineyard’ Syrah- The 2021 ‘Yellowjacket Vineyard’ Syrah is sourced from this site in the Rocks District of Milton-Freewater. Inky in the glass, this delivers umami and hoisin sauce alongside milk chocolate, beef drippings and tar with menthol notes on the palate. Complex and delicious, enjoy over the next eight years. Drink 2024-2032- 93

2021 Fullerton ‘Summit View Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon- This 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon comes from the Summit View Vineyard which is a high elevation site in the Walla Walla Valley.  This is inky in the glass, offering anise and dark currants alongside black cherry compote on the palate. Medium to full-bodied, enjoy now and over the next ten years. Drink 2024-2034- 93

Billecart-Salmon

One of the most consistent producers in Champagne, Billecart-Salmon is pretty small in production as they control an estate of 100 hectares, obtaining grapes from an area spanning 300 hectares across 40 crus of the Champagne region. The majority of the grapes used for vinification come from a radius of 20km around Epernay, where the Grand Crus of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay co-exist, in the vineyards of the Montagne de Reims, the Vallée de la Marne and the Côte des Blancs.

It is incredible that this house now spans seven generations, originally formed with the marriage of 1818 when Nicolas François Billecart and Elisabeth Salmon in 1818. This remains a family winery since the beginning with Louis Salmon, brother of Elisabeth and a passionate oenologist, getting involved in the creation of the wines.

Their tete de cuvee, ‘Cuvee Nicolas Francois’ was first crafted in 1964 crafted to serve as an homage to their founder. The house has received considerable critical acclaim over the years, not only for their top wines, including the Clos Saint-Hilaire cuvée, first created with the 1995 vintage, but their Rose and vintage champagnes in particular. On the west coast of the United States, their Rose champagne is particularly one of the most popular champagnes that you will find in bars and restaurants.

A few years ago I met with seventh generation CEO Mr Mathieu Roland-Billecart, who assumed his position back in January 2019 from his cousin François Roland-Billecart, who headed the House since 1992. Mathieu is incredibly knowledgeable about the region and drinks very well. He is beyond passionate about his outstanding brand that is performing very well in the United States.

I adored the new 2012 Billecart-Salmon ‘Louis Salmon’ Blanc de Blancs Champagne (OB, 98) which is a total masterclass and is incredibly refined, with a silky mousse. This beauty will easily be a 20 year wine! Learn more about this famed champagne house at https://www.champagne-billecart.fr Here are the beautiful new Champagnes by Billecart-Salmon.

NV Billecart-Salmon ‘Grand Cru’ Blanc de Blancs Champagne- The astonishingly good NV Billecart-Salmon ‘Grand Cru’ Blanc de Blancs Champagne was given 8G/L dosage and comes from Grand Cru sites in the villages of Avize, Chouilly, Cramant, Mesnil-sur-Oger. Aged on the lees for five years, this offers kumquat zest, key lime and a bright sense of salinity on the palate, with green apple notes. Fresh and lithe, enjoy now and over the next eight years. Drink 2024-2032- 93

2012 Billecart-Salmon ‘Louis Salmon’ Blanc de Blancs Champagne- This beautiful 2012 Champagne comes form the villages of Mesnil-sur-Oger, Chouilly, Cramant and Oiry. The wine is a tribute to Louis, Elisabeth Salmon’s brother, who was passionate about oenology. 25% of the wine was stored in oak vessels before disgorgement as this was aged on the lees for 115 months before disgorgement. It is powerful, dense and drop-dead gorgeous with its core of oyster shell and lemon oil alongside toasted hazelnut and its refined mousse. Full-bodied yet very nervy, enjoy this beautiful wine over the next fifteen plus years. Drink 2024-2042- 98

Ken Wright Cellars

Today we share one of the greats from the Willamette Valley. The story of Ken Wright dates back to the 1980s as Ken worked as a waiter in Kentucky. At the restaurant Ken was exposed to the great wines of the world. After spending eight years winemaking in California for Ventana Vineyards and Talbott Vineyards, Ken was finally convinced to move to the Willamette Valley in 1986. He then started Panther Creek cellars and then founded his namesake winery in 1994. In 2001 he added Tyrus Evan, a Syrah based winery, to his portfolio.

The wines have been consistently great over the past ten years. I love the new 2023 Ken Wright Cellars ‘Willamette Valley’ Chardonnay (OB, 92) which is glorious for an entry level wine and shows loads of texture and tension. Even better is the 2022 Ken Wright ‘Carter Vineyard’ Pinot Noir (OB, 95) which is deep and concentrated, with some serious aging potential. Learn more about these fantastic wines at http://www.kenwrightcellars.com Here are the awesome new wines by Ken Wright. 

2023 Ken Wright Cellars ‘Willamette Valley’ Chardonnay- The really good 2023 Ken Wright Cellars ‘Willamette Valley’ Chardonnay offers juicy nectarine on the palate, alongside salty orange peel, baked apple and brioche tones. Medium bodied and beautifully textured, enjoy now and over the next eight years. This is a steal at under 30 bucks retail. Drink 2024-2032- 92

2022 Ken Wright Cellars ‘Willamette Valley’ Pinot Noir- Translucent in the glass, the medium-bodied 2022 Ken Wright Cellars ‘Willamette Valley’ Pinot Noir offers tart red currants and wild strawberry flavors alongside salty soils on the palate. Soft and neatly textured, enjoy now and over the next eight years to come. Drink 2024-2032- 91

2022 Ken Wright ‘Eola-Amity Hills’ Pinot Noir- The delicious 2022 Ken Wright ‘Eola-Amity Hills’ Pinot Noir shows a pretty core of red fruits on the plate, with stony minerals, red rose water, ash and shades of orange peel. Drink 2024-2032- 92

2022 Ken Wright Cellars ‘Yamhill-Carlton’ Pinot Noir- The outstanding 2022 Ken Wright Cellars ‘Yamhill-Carlton’ Pinot Noir comes from a range of sites from this AVA which was established back in 2004. This is juicy and generous Pinot Noir, offering ripe red cherry and red raspberry notes with cloves, lavender and hints of salty soils. Drink 2024-2032- 93

2022 Ken Wright Cellars ‘Canary Hill Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The Canary Hill Vineyard is set 9.5 miles west of Salem, as this site was first planted back in 1983. Deeply colored in the glass, this delivers rich black raspberry and black cherry notes on the nose with baking spices, black truffle and shades of pie crust. The palate is deep and concentrated with good underlying verve and plenty of mouth-watering acidity. Really good to savor now, enjoy over the next ten plus years to come. Drink 2024-2036- 94

2022 Ken Wright Cellars ‘Bonnie Jean Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The gorgeous 2022 Ken Wright Cellars ‘Bonnie Jean Vineyard’ Pinot Noir is sourced from this 18 acre site location that is planted on ancient marine sedimentary soils. This displays a wonderful core of salty red fruits on the palate, with kumquat rind, menthol, and shades of volcanic ash. Medium to full-bodied, with beautiful structure, this is drinking beautifully already — and has a long way to go. Drink 2024-2039- 94

2022 Ken Wright Cellars ‘Savoya Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The Savoya Vineyard is located 3.5 miles north of the town of Carlton, Oregon. The vineyard is set on marine sedimentary soils, as there is a wonderfully salty essence to this wine. Tart pomegranate seed and red currant flavors mingle well with diatomaceous earth and its refined texture, with umami accents. Full-bodied and rich, enjoy now and over the next ten to fifteen years. Drink 2024-2036- 94

2022 Ken Wright Cellars ‘Carter Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The 2022 ‘Carter Vineyard’ Pinot Noir comes from this Eola-Amity Hills location that dates all the way back to 1983. Mainly Pommard selection Pinot Noir, this opens with a beautiful bouquet of potpourri, red raspberry, tobacco leaf and shades of bergamot on the nose. The palate is soft and refined with a silky texture, exotic spices and great sense of weight and length. Rich and dense, with a soft mouthfeel, enjoy now and over the next fifteen years to come. Drink 2024-2039- 95

2022 Ken Wright Cellars ‘Shea Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The 2022 Shea Vineyard Pinot Noir, comes from this acclaimed site which was planted by Dick Shea in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA. Richly colored, this shows a seamless texture on the palate, offering a gorgeous array of bright red fruits to mingle well with tobacco, blood orange zest, red rose water and shades of wet stone. Finishing long with bright red fruits and copious minerals, enjoy this beautiful wine now and over the next fifteen years to come. Drink 2024-2039- 95

Champagne Bollinger

Today we present one of the iconic houses in Champagne. Bollinger was first founded in 1829 in Ay by Hennequin de Villermont, Paul Renaudin and Jacques Bollinger. Today the house continues to be run by members of the Bollinger family. This estate has been particularly popular in Britain as Bollinger Champagnes have been come to be known as “Bolly”. It is quite amazing that Bollinger dates back to 1585 when the Hennequins, one of the Bollinger founding families, owned land nearby. Before the Bollinger house was founded, in the 18th century the Villermont family made wine and then in 1750, Villermont settled in the location 16 rue Jules Lobet, which would eventually become the head office for Bollinger.

In 1803 Jacques Joseph Placide Bollinger was born in modern day Germany and after moving to the Champagne region he started work at the Champagne house of Muller Ruinart. In 1829 he partnered with Hennequin de Villermont, Paul Levieux Renaudin to form Bollinger in Ay, France. The partners agreed that the Villermont name would not be used on the labels, hence the house name Renaudin Bollinger. Starting when Jacques Bollinger married Charlotte de Villermont, the house has been managed by the Bollinger family. Even though Paul Renaudin passed without an heir to his name, the label did not become solely Bollinger until the 1960s. Founder Jacques had two sons Joseph and Georges that were important in expanding the family estate by purchasing vineyards in nearby villages. The sons also developed the image of the brand, such as when Bollinger received a Royal Warrant in 1884 from Queen Victoria which still appears on their label.

Following the death of Jacques Bollinger in 1941, Lily Bollinger took over the brand and expanded production considerably. Since 1994, Ghislain de Mongolfier has managed Bollinger. A great-grandson of the founder, Mongolfier has also served as president of the Association Viticole Champenoise since 2004, after leading the Commission of Champagne for 10 years. Bollinger has had roles in many James Bond films, including the 1973 film Live and Let Die  where Bond asks for a bottle of Bollinger entering his hotel. In the 1985 film A View to a Kill James Bond notes that his champagne is ‘Bollinger 1975.’

There are a brilliant range of champagnes that Bollinger produces and they might be best known for their ‘Special Cuvee’ Champagne that is Pinot Noir dominant and includes reserve wines that are up to fifteen years of age. I loved the new NV Bollinger ‘Special Cuvee’ Champagne (OB, 92) which is soft and round with good weight. Even better is the incredible 2018 Bollinger ‘PN AYC 18’ Blanc de Noirs (OB, 95) which is a total stunner and shows fabulous weight and good underlying verve. Learn more about this famed Champagne house at https://www.champagne-bollinger.com Here are my reviews of the beautiful new releases by Champagne Bollinger.

NV Champagne Bollinger ‘Special Cuvee’ Champagne-  The NV ‘Special Cuvee’ is a compelling blend of 60% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay, 15% Pinot Meunier that was sourced from mainly Premier Cru and Grand Cru vineyards. This is broad-shouldered and rich showing pie crust and baking spices alongside shades of juicy pear and peach notes on the nose. The palate is rich and viscous with serious underlying verve and a silky mousse. Delicious now, enjoy this beautiful wine now and over the next eight years. Drink 2024-2032- 92

2018 Champagne Bollinger ‘PN AYC 18’ Blanc de Noirs- This outstanding 2018 Blanc de Noirs is a beautiful melange of wines and vintages, mainly coming from the village of Ay. Ripe strawberry and red raspberry notes combine with salted green melon and nutty accents on the palate. Rich and layered, this is drinking beautifully right now — and will continue to cellar well for another fifteen years to come. Drink 2024-2039- 95

Gard Vintners

There is something special about the great values that can be found in Washington State. Gård Vintners has exuded value for many years now. This house was one of the pivotal houses in getting this new Royal Slope AVA named. Gård was founded by brothers Sandy and John Lawrence, who have farmed the Royal Slope for more than 50 years, along with John’s son Josh, who joined the operation in 2002. The winery is managed by Josh and his wife, Lisa, who oversees sales and marketing, while Josh oversees the vineyard and other farm and orchard operations. Josh and Lisa are some of the nicest people in the wine business.

Matías Kúsulas of Chile has served as head winemaker since 2021. He is formerly assistant winemaker with Aryn Morrell and he is an incredible talent that possesses three masters degrees. A former Marine, I don’t think you will find a winemaker in better physical shape than Matias. I spent three hours with Matias tasting his wines and seeing the evolution at Gard. The wines that I tasted are the finest yet from this house. They now have a great entry level brand called Slope Life and also a brand that focuses on skin-contact natural wines, Contact. Both brands are electric and have already performed remarkably well in sales.

I love the new Gård Vintners wines.Check out the new 2023 Gård Vintners ‘Grand Klasse’ Rose (OB, 92) which shows a smooth mouthfeel and offers very pretty red fruits. I am enamored by the 2022 Gard Ice Wine (OB, 95) which has over 200 G/L residual sugar and is a sumptuous, very heady bottling that will surely satisfy any lover of top dessert wine. Learn more about these great wines at gardvintners.com Here are the beautiful new wines by Gård Vintners.

2023 Slope Life ‘Golden Hour’ Albarino- The really good 2023 Slope Life ‘Golden Hour’ Albarino was stored entirely in stainless steel before bottling. This is rich and viscous despite the lack of oak treatment, as this had some lees stirring. Right away this opens with honeydew and kiwi flavors that mingle well with cashew nut and green papaya notes. Enjoy this beautiful wine now and over the next few years. Drink 2024-2029- 92

2023 Slope Life ‘Boots Up’ Rose- Made from Syrah grapes from the Thunderstone Vineyard in the Royal Slope AVA. This is neatly textured from the lees stirring. Melon and ripe strawberry fruit flavors combine with damp earthy tones on the palate. Enjoy now. Drink 2024-2029- 91

2020 Slope Life ‘Hometown Red’ Syrah- Coming from the Thunderstone Vineyard, the ‘Hometown Red’ offers a soft mouthfeel with chocolate and blackberry flavors alongside soft tannins and a smooth texture. Drink 2024-2028- 90

2020 Slope Life ‘Country Road’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2020 Slope Life ‘Country Road’ Cabernet Sauvignon comes from a range of sites in the Royal Slope AVA. Soft and generous, this offers tobacco leaf alongside black cherry and black raspberry flavors. Enjoy now. Drink 2024-2028- 91

2022 Slope Life ‘Downshift’ Chardonnay- The 2022 ‘Downshift’ was stored in all large format neutral oak barrels before bottling. Toasty oak and Japanese pear notes combine with shades of pie crust on the nose. The palate is plush and soft with serious viscosity and texture. This is a steal at 19 bucks a bottle. Drink 2024-2030- 92

2023 Contact Riesling- This 2023 Riesling is an orange wine that was fermented on the skins. The nose offers pear and peaches alongside nutty accents. The texture is soft and refined as this shows a great core of melon and citrus fruit flavors. Drink 2024-2028- 90

2023 Contact ‘Chillable’ Red Wine- Made from Cabernet Franc and Grenache grapes from the Rocks District AVA, this offers a very Beajo feel. This is really good stuff with bright red fruits alongside citrus rind, tobacco and damp stone tones. Alongside the nuances comes this beautiful beam of red fruits that is going to amaze. Drink now. Drink 2024-2028- 93

2023 Contact ‘Natural Red Blend’ Red Wine- This natural wine from 2023 combines mostly Tempranillo, Grenache with a small portion of Syrah. This is seriously good with a generous mouthfeel, loaded with red and dark fruits with serious tension. You are going to be crazy for this delicious, quaffable red wine. Drink 2024-2028- 92

2021 Gard ‘Grand Klasse’ Riesling- This 2021 Riesling saw extensive barrel aging in Austrian and Hungarian oak. Made in the Alsatian style, very dry, this is outstanding wth serous depth and richness. Petrol, Japanese pear, lychee, and macadamia nut flavors combine with copious minerals on the palate. Drink 2024-2030- 93

2023 Gard ‘Franc Blanc’ White Wine- This is 100% Cabernet Franc from the Stoneridge Vineyard. This shows lemon oil and white florals on the nose alongside shades of cashew nut. Fresh with serious texture and finesse, this is drinking beautifully in its melange of melon and nutty tones. Drink 2024-2030- 92

2022 Gard Franc Blanc White Wine- This is a new wine by Gard. The 2022 Franc Blanc comes from Cabernet Franc vines from the Stoneridge Vineyard. Stored in stainless steel, this offers good richness with cashew nut, pear, and strawberry flavors alongside a soft mouthfeel on the palate. Drink 2023-2029- 92

2023 Gard ‘Connor Lee’ Sauvignon Blanc- Coming from this esteemed hot site in the Columbia Valley, this 100% varital wine was aged in stainless steel with constant lees stirring. This is neatly textured stuff with bright acidity and nutty accents that combine with bright pear and cantaloupe, with shades of papaya. Drink 2024-2030- 92

2022 Gard Muscadelle- The 2022 Muscadelle was stored for 16 months in 50% new French oak. Coming from the Connor Lee Vineyard, the is the only wine of its kind in the Pacific Northwest. The nose shows exotic flowers, star jasmine, and juicy nectarine on the nose. The palate is salty and shows good concentration and finesse. A stunning edition of this wine, enjoy now and over the next six years to come. Drink 2024-2030- 93

2022 Gard Albarino- This 2022 Albarino comes from the Lawrence Vineyard, and was fermented in a French oak and acacia barrel. Limited production, this offers peach pit, orange blossom, and cantaloupe tones on the nose with shades of Macadamia nut. The palate is tension-filled with loads of mouth-watering acidity. Showing good richness and verve, this is drinking beautifully right now. Drink 2024-2030- 93

2023 Gard ‘Freyja’ White Wine- This 2023 ‘Freyja’ unlike the 2022 does not have any Muscadelle blended in. Mostly Viognier (72%), with the remainder Roussanne this offers kiwi and sweetened gooseberry on the nose alongside walnut and shades of chalky soils. The palate is plush and soft with good tension. Drink 2024-2028- 91

2023 Gard ‘Grand Klasse Reserve’ Rose- This 2023 Gard ‘Grand Klasse’ Rose is 100% Grenache sourced from the Corfu Crossing Vineyard. This saw considerable lees stirring as this opens wth Yakima cherry and grapefruit blossom tones that combine with shades of guava and cranberry on the nose. The palate is plush and mineral-laden with good length and a great core of tart red fruits with copious minerals and stony accents. Drink 2024-2029- 92

2021 Gard ‘BDX Blanc’ White Wine- A Bordeaux inspired blend of near equal parts Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, this saw considerable barrel aging, coming from the La Reyna and Connor Lee Vineyards. Cashew nut and white [each combine with shades of green melon and salty accents on the nose. Seamless through the drinking experience, this shows glorious weight and length from this warm vintage, yet maintains bright underlying acidity. Enjoy this beautiful wine now and over the next eight plus years. Drink 2024-2032- 94

2021 Gard ‘Grand Klasse’ Chardonnay- Coming from a combination of Solaksen and Connor Lee Vineyards, this 2021 ‘Grand Klasse’ Chardonnay offers a beautiful golden hue in the glass. The nose is beautiful with pineapple and nutmeg dusted pie crust alongside shades of Marconi almond and melon on the nose. The palate is soft and refined with a bright sense of salinity and good weight and length. Drink 2024-2030- 92

2022 Gard ‘Winemaker Select’ Chardonnay- This was stored in all new French oak before bottling and comes from the Solaksen, Connor Lee and La Reyna Vineyards. The wine saw extensive barrel age and lees stirring before bottling. Toasty oak and marshmellow aromatics combine with rich honeydew melon and roasted pineapple on the nose. The palate is round and generous with serious weight, texture and bright underlying acidity. Flat out fabulous stuff to consume now, enjoy over the next eight years. Drink 2024-2032- 94

2021 Gard ‘RHN Blanc’ White Wine- This 2021 blend combines Roussanne and Viognier that was co-fermented and then barrel fermented. Coming from the Corfu Crossings Vineyard, this was stored in 33% new French oak before bottling. Beautiful white florals mark the nose alongside melon and salted peach on the nose. The palate is soft and refined with serious texture and good underlying acidity. This is drinking beautifully now. Drink 2024-2030- 92

2021 Gard ‘Tigre’ Pinot Gris- This 2021 orange wine was entirely barrel fermented and saw extended maceration. Stored in 30% new French oak, this offers citrus blossom and bright red fruits on the nose alongside shades of hazelnut and bergamot. The palate is beautifully textured, with serious freshness and loads of mouth-watering acidity. This is drinking marvelously now. Drink 2024-2030- 92

2023 Gard Grenache Blanc- This is a natural wine made with Grenache Blanc grapes. Unfined and unfiltered, this 2023 saw extended maceration offering nutmeg and nutty accents on the nose alongside bright Japanese pear and cantaloupe. Fresh and concerted, this is fantastic stuff to consume now. Drink 2024-2028- 92

2021 Gard ‘Boneyard’ Syrah- This 2021 ‘Boneyard’ comes from this new vineyard in the Royal Slope AVA. Garrigue and scorched earthy notes mingle well on the nose with exotic spices and blackberry notes. The palate is fresh and neatly textured with good mid-palate depth. Delicious, enjoy now. Drink 2024-2029- 91

2021 Gard ‘The Don’ Cabernet Sauvignon- A really good wine for the price, this 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon has a small amount of Syrah blended in. Coming from the Royal Slope AVA, this offers raspberry cordial, wet stone and freshly tilled soils on the palate alongside dried herbs. Enjoy now. Drink 2024-2029- 90

2023 Gard ‘Sans Soufre’ Tempranillo- A natural wine coming from the famed Stoneridge Vineyard, this 2023 Tempranillo offers smoked brisket, wet stone, violets and shades of tar on the nose. The palate shows beautiful richness and a plush texture with a generous core of smoked meats and black fruits. Full-bodied and delicious, enjoy now. Drink 2024-2030- 94

2021 Gard Pinot Noir- The 2021 Gard Pinot Noir was sourced from the high elevation Solaksen Vineyard and saw extended maceration and was stored in 50% new French oak before bottling. Ripe fig and red cherry combine with orange blossom and shades of tilled soils. Full-bodied, with great underlying freshness and a gorgeous core of red fruits, enjoy now and over the next ten years. Drink 2024-2034- 94

2021 Gard Malbec- The 2021 Malbec comes from the Scarline and Stoneridge Vineyards, and was stored in mainly neutral oak barrels before bottling. Juicy dark fruits mark the palate alongside green olives, tobacco and milk chocolate tones. Enjoy now and over the next few years to come. Drink 2024-2032- 92

2021 Gard Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2021 Gard Cabernet Sauvignon comes from a range of vineyards and was stored in 40% new French oak before bottling. Almost all Cabernet sauvignon with 15% Cabernet Franc blended in, this offers bitter chocolate and baking spices alongside black currants and pipe tobacco notes. Soft and refined, showing generous texture, and richness, enjoy now and over the next ten years. Drink 2024-2032- 93

2021 Gard ‘Grand Klasse’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2021 Gard ‘Grand Klasse’ Cabernet Sauvignon is a stunning new edition of this wine that was mainly stored in new French oak (70%) before bottling. Coming from three separate sites, this opens with a beautiful bouquet of black florals with espresso grounds, tar, tobacco and blackberry compote. The palate is fresh and neatly textured with great flavor density and length. Savory and delicious to consume now, enjoy over the next fifteen years to come. Drink 2024-2039- 94

2021 Gard Cabernet Franc- This 2021 Cabernet Franc is 100% varietal that was stored in mainly neutral oak barrels before bottling. This is marvelously herbal on the nose with chocolate and tobacco leaf tones. This is incredible stuff with its salty nuance and texture on the mid-palate, showing beautiful flavor density. Enjoy now and over the next ten years to come. Drink 2024-2034- 93

2021 Gard Merlot- This 2021 Merlot comes from Connor Lee and Scarline Vineyards and was stored in mainly neutral oak barrels before bottling. Baking spices and chocolate mark the nose with kirsch notes. The palate is delicious and lithe with a polished texture and bright underlying acidity. Rich and viscous, enjoy now and over the next ten years to come. Drink 2024-2034- 93

2021 Gard ‘Vaucluse’ Red Wine- The 2021 Gard ‘Vaucluse’ Red Wine is a fabulous melange of mainly Syrah (70%) with the remainder Grenache and Mourvèdre. This all was co-fermented and saw extended maceration. The palate is fresh and concentrated with loads of bright acidity and a generous core of red and dark fruits with smoked brisket and umami notes. Drink 2024-2032- 93

2021 Gard ‘Kvasir’ Red Wine- Nearly all Mourvèdre, this 2021 ‘Kvasir’ comes from the Thunderstone and Scarline Vineyards. Barrel and concrete fermented this delivers anise, red currants, and smoked pork shoulder on the nose. The palate is soft and refined with good elegance and length. Finishing with bright red fruits and minerals, enjoy this wine now and over the next ten years. Drink 2024-2032- 94

2021 Gard ‘Grand Klasse’ Grenache- This 2021 Grenache comes from the Corfu Crossings Vineyard which is set on soils with heavy calcium deposits. Orange peel and red raspberry with lavender and red rose petals all combine on the nose. This comes off rich, soft and very salty from the soils, with a loaded core of red fruits. Complex and delicious, enjoy now and over the next ten years. Drink 2024-2034- 94

2021 Gard ‘Grand Klasse’ Syrah- This 2021 ‘Grand Klasse’ Syrah is a barrel selection wine that was stored in mainly new French oak barrels (70% new) before bottling. Black currants and green peppercorns combine with juicy blackberry and chocolate notes on the nose. The palate is complex and delicious with a great sense of depth, concentration and salty/stony accents. Showing bright acidity and good length, enjoy now and over the next ten plus years. Drink 2024-2034- 95

2021 Gard ‘Reverance’ Red Wine- This 2021 ‘Reverance’ combines mainly Grenache (60%) with the remainder Syrah. Coming up smoky and savory on the nose this delivers brisket and tar with cuban cigar on the nose. The palate is viscous and fresh with good depth and concentration, showing loads of mouth-watering acidity. Full-bodied and delicious, enjoy now and over the next ten years to come. Drink 2024-2034- 94

2021 Gard ‘Toro’ Red Wine- a new wine, the 2021 ‘Toro’ combines 60% Grenache with the remainder Tempranilllo that was stored in American oak barrels for 30 months prior to bottling. Dill pickle and orange peel notes combine with bright red fruits on the nose. The palate is plush, soft and refined with generous mouthfeel. This works beautifully together as there is nothing quite like this in Washington. Drink 2024-2034- 95

2021 Gard ‘Winemaker Select’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The outstanding 2021 Gard ‘Winemaker Select’ Cabernet Sauvignon is a barrel selection wine that was stored in all new French oak before bottling. Inspired by the wines of Mayacamus Vineyards, this delivers dark chocolate shavings, sage, dark currants and loamy soils. The palate is extremely well-balanced, showing great depth and concentration, with fantastic finesse. This will easily cellar for twenty years. Drink 2024-2044- 95

2021 Gard ‘Vineyard Selection Solaksen’ Red Wine- This 2021 represents a barrel selection of Syrah and Malbec from this vineyard. The wine was stored in all new French oak and saw extended maceration before bottling. Very inky in the glass, this delivers black and blue fruits on the nose with violets, tar and anise. Showing good viscosity and verve, this is drinking marvelously even in its heady youth. Drink 2024-2036- 95

2021 Gard ‘Vineyard Selection Connor Lee’ Red Wine- This beautiful 2021 combines Merlot and Cabernet Franc from the Connor Lee Vineyards. Stored in new French oak before bottling, this shows incredible aromatics of pencil lead, dark currants, sweet pipe tobacco and black florals that all parade in the glass. The palate is beautifully balanced, with salty nuance and serious verve and texture. Glorious to consume now, enjoy over the next fifteen plus years to come. Drink 2024-2039- 95

2021 Gard ‘Vineyard Selection Stoneridge’ Red Wine- The 2021 ‘Stoneridge’ combines Tempranillo and Syrah was stored in all new French oak with considerable lees stirring before bottling. The nose is very alluring and complex with bright red florals that mingle well with soy sauce, smoked brisket, ripe black cherry and tobacco. The palate is complex and delicious with a fabulous range of non-fruit flavors with stony and salty nuances. Glorious in its heady youth, enjoy now and over the next decade. Drink 2024-2034- 96

2022 Gard Icewine- The 2022 Gard Icewine weighs in at over 200 G/L residual sugar and is made from frozen Riesling grapes. This is concentrated, dense stuff that is already drinking magically. Pineapple upsidedown cake alongside creme brûlée, rich mango and lemon curd flavors all combine on the palate. Rich and viscous, showing off its unctuous texture, this is one of the great dessert wines from Washington that I have tasted over the past year. Drink 2024-2034- 95

Andrew Will

Today we present one of the greats of Washington wine. Andrew Will is one of Washington’s historic houses founded by Chris Carmada in 1989 that has consistently produced wines that stand the test of time. These wines are drinking really well now at the 20 year mark and have tasted several older ones from my personal collection recently. Andrew Will was named after Chris’s nephew Andrew and son Will, who now serves as head winemaker. Andrew Will is located on Vashon Island not far from Seattle. It is a gorgeous, Evergreen tree-lined location to taste these outstanding wines.

Chris started his winery by sourcing from two great vineyards in Washington, the Champoux and Ciel du Cheval Vineyards. Today they source all of their grapes from their Two Blondes Vineyard as well as those two historic vineyards. Will Carmada is a world-class winemaker who is making some wines that are equally good to his dad’s. Will is an unabashed wine geek that seeks out wines of the world and never stops learning.

I love his new Bordeaux style white wine, his 2022 Andrew Will ‘Cuvee Lucia’ White Wine (OB, 93) which is beautifully textured and poised. I am crazy for the 2021 Andrew Will ‘Two Blondes Vineyard’ Red Wine (OB, 94) which is a gorgeous rendition of this wine, showing good elegance and a smooth mouthfeel. Learn more about these stunning wines at http://www.andrewwill.com/home/ Here are the beautiful new release wines by Andrew Will. 

2022 Andrew Will ‘Cuvee Lucia’ Semillon- A Bordeaux-inspired style wine made with 100% Semilion blended in, this was stored in stainless steel before bottling. The palate is fresh and beautifully textured, showing a creamy mouthfeel, with nutty and melon tones. Enjoy now and over the next few years. Drink 2024-2030- 93

2022 Involuntary Commitment Red Wine- This is a blend of roughly 50% Cabernet Franc with the reminder Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon mainly coming from the Two Blondes Vineyard. Stored in all natural oak barrels this opens with tar, mocha and tobacco leaf with leather notes and blackberry compote. This shows great body and structure with a good sense of weight. Drink 2024-2030- 92

2019 Andrew Will ‘Ciel du Cheval Vineyard’ Red Wine- The brilliant 2019 Andrew Will ‘Ciel du Cheval Vineyard’ Red Wine is a Right Bank inspired blend that combines 52% Cabernet Franc with the remainder Merlot. Anise, black currants, graphite and scorched earth tones mark the nose. The palate is beautifully balanced with good elegance and verve, as this glides throughout the drinking experience. This displays really nice flavor density despite the coolness of the vintage. Drink 2024-2036- 95

2021 Andrew Will ‘Two Blondes’ Cabernet Sauvignon- This 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon is inky in the glass, delivering violets, tar, anise and black currant flavors. This is soft, round and generous on the mouth, with bright underlying acidity. Medium to full-bodied and full of verve, enjoy now and over the next fifteen years to come. Drink 2024-2036- 94

Leclerc Briant

Today we share one of the boutique producers of Champagne. Lucien Leclerc founded this house with four hectares of vineyards in Cumières in 1872. The business moved to Épernay in 1955 when Bertrand Leclerc married Jacqueline Briant and formed the négociant firm which still carries their name.

Leclerc Briant began its organic practices beginning in the 1960’s and helped pioneer the idea behind single-vineyard Champagne beginning in the 1970’s. Fifth generation vigneron, Pascal Leclerc began following biodynamic principles in 1988, with part of the production Demeter certified since 2003. Today, enologist Hervé Jestin serves as vigneron.

La Croisette is the home vineyard of Leclerc Briant, a 0.6 -hectare plot adjacent to the winery in Épernay, planted in 1966 to Chardonnay. Remarkably, this vineyard has never been treated with herbicides or pesticides. The remaining 9.6 hectares of vineyard are spread between the Premier Cru villages of Cumières, Hautvillers, Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, Bisseuil in the Vallée de la Marne, Villers-Allerand and Rilly la Montagne in Montagne de Reims and in the Grand Cru villages of Cramant and Le Mesnil-sur-Oger in the Côte des Blancs.

The new Champagnes by Hervé Jestin are beautiful as he has served as chef du cave since 2008. His 2018 ‘Premier Cru Extra Brut’ Champagne (OB, 93) is a stunning wine that is drinking marvelously right now. I adored the  2018 ‘Les Monts Ferres’ Champagne  (OB, 95) which is deep and concentrated with serious tension. Learn more about this great house in Champagne at http://leclercbriant.fr and here are my new reviews of the latest releases from Leclerc Briant.

NV Leclerc Briant ‘Reserve Brut’ Champagne- The NV Leclerc Briant ‘Reserve Brut’ Champagne is a great combination of Pinot Noir (40%), Pinot Meunier (40%) and the remainder Chardonnay. Made from wines aged 2-7 years this shows salted biscuit flavors alongside key lime zest, oyster shell and a fabulous mousse on the palate. Great now, enjoy over the next seven plus years to come. Drink 2024-2031- 91

NV Leclerc Briant ‘Brut Rose’ Champagne- The NV Leclerc Briant ‘Brut Rose’ Champagne is nearly all Chardonnay (95%) with the remainder Pinot Noir.  Aged for three years on the lees, this delivers tart cranberry and red currant flavors with diatomaceous earth and kumquat rind notes on the palate. Finishing long, this beautifully astringent wine is drinking marvelously right now. Don’t serve too cold! Drink 2024-2031- 92

2018 Leclerc Briant ‘Extra Brut’ Champagne- An outstanding vintage champagne, the 2018 Leclerc Briant ‘Extra Brut’ Champagne is mostly Pinot Noir (50%) with 35% Chardonnay and the remainder Pinot Meunier. Give 4G/L dosage, the wine was aged for 100 months in the bottle before discouragement. Golden in the glass, this offers apricot and lemon blossom notes on the nose alongside salted Chalk bread and nutty tones on the nose. The palate is rich and layered with plenty of tension and chalky minerality. Drink 2024-2036- 93

2018 Leclerc Briant ‘Les Monts Ferres’ Champagne- The stunning 2018 ‘les Monts Ferres’ comes from a single plot of Chardonnay located south of the Cote de Blancs on the Versus side. Soils here are chalky with a large amount of iron deposited. A brilliant golden hue in the glass, this offers a refined mousse with bright red fruit flavors upon entry. With more air salty minerals, wet granite, green apple, and cashew nut flavors with candied ginger all brilliantly meld together. Refined, tight-knit and elegant, enjoy now and over the next fifteen plus years. Drink 2024-2039- 95

L'Ecole No. 41

A winery that I always love visiting, L’Ecole No. 41 was one of Walla Walla’s first wineries founded. For several years now winemaker Marcus Rafanelli has been crafting a beautiful range of wines. The wines have been consistently great not only at the top but under their ‘Columbia Valley’ line of value wines. For my palate these are some of the most compelling value whites and reds that you will taste in the Pacific Northwest.

The new wines from L’Ecole are outstanding despite the obvious challenges of the vintage. I love the 2023 L’Ecole No. 41 ‘Stillwater Creek Vineyard’ Chardonnay (OB, 93) which is showing plenty of nerve and flavor density. I adore the 2023 L’Ecole No. 41 ‘Columbia Valley’ Chardonnay (OB, 92)  which is a total steal at only 23 bucks retail. Learn more about this outstanding winery at http://lecole.com/ Here are the great new wines by L’Ecole No. 41.

2023 L’Ecole No. 41 ‘Columbia Valley’ Chardonnay- The 2023 L’Ecole No. 41 ‘Columbia Valley’ Chardonnay comes from a range of sites including the Evergreen, Stillwater Creek and Coyote Canyon vineyards. Stored in 25% new French oak before bottling, this offers poached pear and baking spice laced pineapple tones on the palate alongside a smooth mouthfeel and juicy melon flavors. Absolutely delicious now, enjoy this fantastic value over the next six plus years. Only 23 dollars retail, making this a total steal. Drink 2024-2030- 92

2023 L’Ecole No. 41 ‘Stillwater Creek Vineyard’ Chardonnay- For years the slightly cooler Stillwater Creek Vineyard has been a fantastic site for Chardonnay. The wine was stored in 40% new French oak barrels before bottling. Mango and papaya tones combine with golden delicious apple and nutmeg drenched pie crust on the palate. Delicious now, enjoy over the next six plus years to come. Drink 2024-2030- 93

2023 L’Ecole No. 41 ‘Old Vines’ Chenin Blanc- The 2023 ‘Old Vines’ Chenin Blanc comes from the Willard Farms vineyard as well as the Upland and Phil Church Vineyards all planted in 1979. Walnut and cashew tones combine with green honeydew melon, baking spices and suggestions of brioche on the palate. Soft and approachable now, enjoy over the next few years. Only 19 dollars USD. Drink 2024-2029- 91

2023 L’Ecole No. 41 ‘Upland Vineyard’ Chenin Blanc- The 2023 ‘Upland Vineyard’ Chenin Blanc comes from this site that is set on Snipes Mountain in the Yakima Valley AVA. The wine was stored in neutral oak barrels for three months before being stored in a stainless steel tank before bottling. This is delicious stuff that is round and generous and broad-shouldered. Drink 2024-2031- 92

2023 L’Ecole No. 41 ‘Frenchtown’ Sauvignon Blanc- The 2023 ‘Frenchtown’ Sauvignon Blanc has 7% Semillon blended in as this is the inaugural bottling of this wine. Stored in stainless steel, this shows bright pear and lemon rind flavors that combine with suggestions of pink grapefruit water on the palate. Soft and neat on the tongue, enjoy this mineral-laden wine now and over the next five years. Drink 2024-2029- 90

2023 L’Ecole No. 41 ‘Luminesce’ White Wine- The outstanding 2023 L’Ecole No. 41 ‘Luminesce’ White Wine- comes from the Seven Hills Vineyard and combines 60% Semillon with the remainder Sauvignon Blanc. Stored in 18% new French oak before bottling, this offers salted Macadamia nut, white peach and juicy pear flavors that combine with shades of pastry crust. Rich and viscous, this is a beautiful edition of this wine that is drinking marvelously right now. Drink 2024-2030- 92

2023 L’Ecole No. 41 ‘Columbia Valley’ Semillon- The delicious 2023 L’Ecole No. 41 ‘Columbia Valley’ Semillon was stored in only 15% new French oak before bottling, as this bottling has 18% Sauvignon Blanc blended in. This is round and generous on the mouth, with plenty of nutty and melon flavors alongside shades of star jasmine water. A serious value at only 18 bucks USD. Drink 2024-2030- 91

2023 L’Ecole No. 41 ‘Stillwater Creek Vineyard’ Semillon- The 2023 L’Ecole No. 41 ‘Stillwater Creek Vineyard’ Semillon was stored in 17% new French oak before bottling. 100% varietal this offers orange blossom and green papaya notes on the nose alongside nutty accents. The palate is fresh and neatly textured. Delicious now, enjoy now and over the next seven years to come. Drink 2024-2031- 92

EFESTE

Today we share one of the beautiful ranges of wine that you will find in Woodinville. I love wines that offer good value.  EFESTE makes a great range of wines that won’t break the bank. They also have some beautiful wine club events that I have enjoyed over the years. At the helm is winemaker Mark Fiore who has been crafting some consistently great wines that have a beginning, middle and an end. Mark is a shark on the golf course, a former PGA Professional who decided to work two harvest seasons at Beresan and Balboa wineries, eventually leading to a job at Charles Smith Wines in August of 2011. Mark began making wine for K Vintners and then worked on other projects such as Sixto, Latta Wines, Wines of Substance and B Leighton in Walla Walla and Seattle. 

Mark is a great guy to chat and drink wine with. I love his 2021 EFESTE ‘Lola’ Chardonnay (OB, 93) which is neatly textured and shows fantastic flavor density.  Even better is the fabulous 2021 EFESTĒ ‘James Vineyard’ Malbec (OB, 94) which is is already beautiful stuff to consume right now. Learn more about these outstanding new wines at https://efeste.com Here are the gorgeous new wines by EFESTĒ.

2023 EFESTE ‘Feral’ Sauvignon Blanc- Coming from the Evergreen Vineyard in the Ancient Lakes AVA, this was stored in stainless steel, concrete and oak before bottling. This shows kiwi and pear on the nose alongside shades of cardamom drenched French bread. The palate is refined and this shows good texture and bright underlying acidity. Drink 2024-2030- 92

2021 EFESTE ‘Lola’ Chardonnay- Coming from the Connor lee Vineyard, this is now the second vintage that ‘Lola’ is sourced from this site. Stored in 100% concrete, this offers good flavor density and weight with excellent underlying freshness. Toasty oak and pie crust combine with shades of pineapple, mango and buttercream. Full-bodied and delicious, enjoy now and over the next eight plus years to come. Drink 2024-2032- 93

2021 EFESTE ‘Estate’ Grenache- This 2021 EFESTE Grenache was fermented in concrete and small amount of new French oak before bottling. This offers juicy and delicious cranberry and red cherry flavors that combine with orange peel and baking spices. Plush and round on the mouth, enjoy now and over the next ten plus ears to come. Drink 2024-2034- 93

2021 EFESTE ‘Ceidleigh’ Syrah- This 2021 100% clone 194 Syrah coming from the EFESTE estate vineyard perched on Red Mountain. This saw about 40% stem inclusion and was fermented in stainless steel and stored in 33% new French oak before bottling. Hoisin sauce, green peppercorns and black raspberry compote all mark the nose. The palate is soft as this displays good length, balance and concentration. Showing brilliant flavor range, enjoy this beautiful wine now and over the next ten years to come. Drink 2024-2034- 94

2021 EFESTE ‘Knight Commander’ Red Wine- The 2021 ‘Knight Commander’ is almost all Syrah with 4% Viognier. Inky in the glass, this is sourced from their estate vineyard on Red Mountain. Stored in 50% new French oak before bottling, this shows a silky texture with loads of black fruits alongside black peppercorns, violets, and blueberry pie flavors. Delicious now, watch this evolve over the next ten years. Drink 2024-2034- 94

2020 EFESTE ‘Final Final’ Red Wine- The 2020 ‘Final Final’ is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. Smokey tones combine with red currants, milk chocolate and pencil lead. This is very juicy and delicious with a smooth texture. Enjoy this excellent new value bottling now and over the next five to seven years — a killer wine from a tough vintage. Drink 2024-2030- 92

2021 EFESTE ‘Taylor Mag’ Red Wine- Coming from their estate vineyard, the 2021 ‘Taylor Mag’ is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from Red Mountain. This is nicely textured stuff with pipe tobacco, tar and black licorice alongside shades of mocha on the palate. Enjoy now and over the next few years. Drink 2024-2030- 91

2021 EFESTE ‘Estate’ Petit Verdot- One of the unique single vineyard and single varietal bottlings in Washington State, the 2021 ‘Estate’ Petit Verdot has granite and anise on the nose alongside violets and tar, with menthol notes. The palate is complex and soft — not overly tannic. Refined and elegant on the mouth, this is delicious, dense and well-structured stuff that is drinking beautifully right now. Drink 2024-2038- 94

2021 EFESTE ‘James Vineyard’ Malbec- The ‘James Vineyard’ is located in the Wahluke Slope AVA. Stored in 50% new French oak, this delivers black rose petals and blueberry compote on the nose alongside anise and exotic spices. The palate is soft and lively with bright underlying freshness and loads of mouth-watering acidity. A beautiful core of blue and black fruits greets you on the palate, with good length. Enjoy now and over the next ten plus years. Drink 2024-2038- 94

2020 EFESTE ‘Estate’ Cabernet Sauvignon- This 2020 ‘Estate’ Cabernet Sauvignon was placed in all new French oak barrels before bottling (extended barrel age, 36 months). Round and generous on the mouth, this offers black tea and pipe tobacco flavors alongside dark chocolate shavings, graphite and loamy soils. Delicious to consume now, savor this over the next five to seven years. Drink 2024-2030- 94

Holocene

One of the outstanding producers of Oregon wine, Holocene is the brainchild of superstar winemaker Todd Alexander who was formerly with Bryant Family before taking over as winemaker at Force Majeure. He has taken Washington wine by storm and is now doing the same in Oregon. Todd is a Burgundy lover who wanted to make world-class Oregon Pinot Noir from diverse sites in the Willamette Valley. The brand began in 2015 and the new releases come from the moderate 2022 vintage — one that had a cool summer and relatively warm temperatures throughout the fall, with a late harvest.

Todd is now making more wines from the Willamette Valley and has made his first Chardonnay for the Holocene brand that is nothing short of insanely good. I am totally enamored by the 2023 Holocene ‘Aureolin’ Chardonnay (OB, 97) which is deep and viscous with serious flavor density. This wine is deep and concentrated, giving it a very Napa v. Oregon feel. I love the new 2022 Holocene ‘Apocrypha’ Pinot Noir (OB, 96) which is deep and serious, shooing outstanding flavor range and density. Learn more about this awesome Oregon outpost at http://holocenewines.com Here are the beautiful new 2022 release wines by Holocene. 

2023 Holocene ‘Aureolin’ Chardonnay- The outstanding 2023 Holocene ‘Aureolin’ Chardonnay comes from the Eola-Amity Hills AVA. This is gorgeous, tension-filled wine with serious viscosity and verve. Lemon oil, flint, orange blossom water, and suggestions of Japanese pear all brilliantly combine on the palate. Full-bodied and full of energy, enjoy this beautiful wine now and over the next fifteen years to come. Showing so brilliantly in its heady you makes you wonder why wait? Drink 2024-2039- 97

2022 Holocene ‘Codex’ Pinot Noir- The 2022 ‘Codex’ Pinot Noir comes from vineyards throughout the Willamette Valley. Stored in mainly neural oak, this offers a smooth texture with beautiful red fruits that combine with salty minerals and kumquat zest notes. Medium to full-bodied and nicely textured, enjoy now and over the next ten years to come. Drink 2024-2034- 94

2022 Holocene ‘Apocrypha’ Pinot Noir- The brilliant 2022 Holocene ‘Apocrypha’ A 50/50 blend of Case and Doration Vineyards and underwent partial whole cluster fermentation. Stored in mostly neutral oak barrels (15% new), this Chehalem Mountains AVA Pinot Noir delivers Yakima cherry and pomegranate seed with guava and orange rind, with loamy soil accents on the nose. The palate is deep and concentrated, loaded with stony minerals and a very pure core of red fruits with red rose water and salty/stony soil accents. A total knockout, enjoy this 2022 Pinot Noir now and over two decades. Drink 2024-2044- 96

Bodega Catena Zapata

One of the great producers of Malbec and Chardonnay in the world, the tale of Bodega Catena Zapata starts 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.

It was in the 1960s when Nicola’s grandson, Nicolas, took over the winery 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. Over time 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. Tasting these wines over twenty plus years, I have been so impressed with the consistency. 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 are incredible across the board. Look to their sensational 2021 Bodega Catena Zapata ‘White Bones’ Chardonnay (OB, 97). This is world-class Chardonnay personified. I am enamored by the new 2020 Catena ‘Nicolas Catena Zapata’ Red Wine (OB, 97) which has some massive cellaring potential and is another stunning edition of this benchmark red blend. Savor this now and over twenty years. Learn more about these wonderful wines at http://www.catenawines.com Here are the gorgeous new releases from Catena

2022 Bodega Catena Zapata ‘Alta Historic Rows’ Chardonnay- The 2022 Catena ‘Alta Historic Rows’ was stored for q2 months in a third new 500-liter barrels prior to bottling. Golden in the glass, this delivers plenty of viscosity and verve with toasty brioche notes and lemon cream on the palate, alongside freshly cut peaches. Full-bodied and showing good length, enjoy now and over the next eight to ten years. Drink 2024-2032- 93

2021 Bodega Catena Zapata ‘White Bones Adrianna Vineyard’ Chardonnay- The 2021 Catena ‘White Bones Adrianna Vineyard’ Chardonnay is another sensational release by winemaker Alexander Vigil. This incredible site in the ‘Adrianna Vineyard’ has many limestone deposits and fossilized animal bones.This is very Chablis meets Argentina with crushed oyster shell and lemon oil alongside kumquat rind and suggestions of bright Bosc pear. The palate is soft and refined with a silky texture and a downright unctuous sense of texture. A total stunner, enjoy this beautiful wine now and over the next ten plus years to come. Drink 2024-2036- 97

2020 Bodega Catena Zapata ‘Nicolas Catena Zapata’ Red Wine- One of the iconic wines from Argentina, the 2020 ‘Nicolas Catena Zapata’ has considerably more Cabernet Sauvignon (54%) than the previous vintage, with Malbec (21%) and the remainder Cabernet Franc (25%). Anise, tar, blackberry compote and huckleberry with dark chocolate shavings all mark the nose. The palate is beautifully structured and complex, showing violets alongside a gorgeous melange of black and blue fruits. Soft, refined and well-structured, with firm tannins, enjoy this beautiful wine now and over the next twenty years. Drink 2024-2044- 97

2020 Bodega 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 2024-2039- 97

2021 Bodega Catena Zapata ‘Argentino’ Malbec- The monumental 2021 ‘Argentino’ was sourced from some vines that are more than 100 years of age. Utilizing 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 2024-2043- 97

Dovecote

Today we share an outstanding house from Santa Barbara County. Dovecote was the site of a Native American village known as Cuaslui Creek (meaning “sliding place”), an important home to the indigenous people of California’s Central Coast who have lived here since at least 11,000 BC.In 1845 the area became part of the Mexican Land Grant known as Rancho La Laguna.  It was later passed to the historic California settler Fredrick Wickenden as part of his marriage within Benjamin Foxen’s family, both of whom helped establish numerous parts of northern Santa Barbara County in the mid to late 1800’s.

Back in 1991 David Thompson and and Juventino Cervantes (the latter of whom still farms and lives on the ranch alongside his three family generations) carefully select 43 acres of south facing sandy limestone soil and plant the Thompson Vineyard, uniquely using the vine’s own rootstock. The Thompson Vineyard becomes just the third Syrah planting in Santa Barbara County and still one of the only own-rooted sites.

The new wines from this estate site are outstanding. I love the 2021 Dovecote ‘Noumenon’ Red Wine (OB, 94) which has gobs of flavor complexity with silky tannins and a lengthy finish. Learn more about this outstanding house at https://dovecotewine.com/ and here are my reviews of the new Dovecote wines.

2022 Dovecote ‘Estate’ Viognier- The 2022 ‘Estate’ Viognier comes for the Quail Valley Vineyard in the Los Olivos District. This is soft and elegant on the mouth with pear and lychee flavors alongside good tension on the palate. Enjoy now. Drink 2024-2029- 92

2021 Dovecote ‘Redtail Estate’ Red Wine- The 2021 ‘Redtail Estate’ is mostly Syrah and Mourvèdre. It is spicy and savory with good weight and a wonderful sense of salinity and tension. Smoked meats parade with cran-cherry and orange peel flavors alongside dusty soils. Medium-bodied, enjoy now and over the next eight to ten years. Drink 2024-2032- 93

2021 Dovecote ‘Mantle’ Red Wine- The really good 2021 Dovecote ‘Mantle’ Red Wine combines 52% Syrah with the remainder Grenache. It is very pretty and approachable now in its strawberry and red cherry fruit flavors alongside garrrigue, salty soils and shades of creosote on the palate. Enjoy now and over the next eight to ten years. Drink 2024-2032- 93

2021 Dovecote ‘Noumenon’ Red Wine- Sourced from the Thompson Vineyard, the ‘Moumenon’ is a 100% Syrah bottling that is seriously good to enjoy right now at the three year mark. Inky in the glass, this leads with Middle Eastern spices alongside dark currants, milk chocolate and beef brisket notes. The palate is fresh and refined with good tension and a light dusting of salinity alongside stony minerals. Generous and dense, this has some good aging potential. Drink 2024-2038- 94

2021 Dovecote ‘Estate’ Petite Sirah- The 2021 ‘Estate’ Petite Sirah comes off very inky in the glass. The core is concentrated and loaded with gorgeous black and blue fruits alongside dark chocolate shavings, graphite and lovely tension, with salty accents. Full-throttle and not for the weary, enjoy this gorgeous bottling now and over the next ten plus years. Drink 2024-2036- 94

VIADER

It is my pleasure to share the brilliant wines of VIADER which is the brainchild of Delia Viader. Many years back she made the bold move to plant grapes in uncharted waters on Howell Mountain. For years Delia only made one wine, a Bordeaux style blend, since 1986. Holding a PhD from Sorbonne University in Paris, founding winemaker Delia Viader now collaborates with her son, Alan, to make their wines which are entirely sourced from their estate vineyard on Howell Mountain. A remarkable story, Delia stated VIADER while raising four children on her own. Since starting the winery she was met with some incredible critical acclaim for her pretty style of wine that typically incorporates a large amount of Cabernet Franc.

I have had the chance to taste many of these wines that are aged and they easily hold for 20 years. Delia’s son, Alan, served as VIADER vineyard manager since 2002 while studying winemaking at UC Davis. He has been lead winemaker at VIADER since 2006 and works with Delia on all wines. 

One of the great wines by them that I have tasted — and every bit as good as the incredible 2019 bottling, the 2021 VIADER Red Wine (OB, 98) is a massive, intense bottling that has gobs of flavor range and beautiful texture and tension. Learn more about this storied Napa winery at https://viader.com Here are the beautiful new wines by VIADER.

2021 VIADER ‘Estate Limited Edition’ Red Wine- The 2021 ‘Estate Limited Edition’ combines 58% Cabernet Sauvignon with 27% Syrah and the remainder Cabernet Franc and Malbec. This needs about an hour in the decanter to get going. Once on the nose this takes on anise and graphite notes alongside tar, black olives and blueberry compote. The palate is dense and decadent with serious body, texture and good verve. Firm tannins hold in place a great core of dark fruits with dark chocolate shavings, pipe tobacco and creme de violette notes. While remarkable to consume now, this also really needs another year in the bottle to fully resolve. What will wait will easily be a 20 year wine. Drink 2025-2045- 96

2021 VIADER Red Wine - A stunning blend of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon with the remainder Cabernet Franc, this is a world-class wine that needs about two hours in the decanter to get going. Once aroused, this offers a melange of anise, tobacco leaf, dark florals and dense dark fruits with a graphite edge on the nose. The palate is velvety and olush with a firm tannic and acid backbone. Layers of gorgeous black and blue fruits greet you with espresso grounds, loam/rocky soils and shades of Middle Eastern spices. While decadent and heady in its youth, this can benefit from some time in the cellar. Try to resist this beauty for another year or so. Drink 2025-2050- 98

Maison Jussiaume

Today we write about one of the really electric houses in Southern Oregon. Sure, the overall consistency of this region has work to do. But in terms of sparkling wines from this region, these new releases Maison Jussiaume are going to really impress any Oregon bubbles aficionado.

I last tasted these wines several years ago during a wine country report for Southern Oregon. Maison Jussiaume was founded back in 2005 by Jean-Michel Jussiaume. The founder grew up farming Muscadet and migrated to Southern Oregon to make wines for Del Rio Vineyards. He saw the potential of making excellent sparkling wines from this vineyard that had old vine Chardonnay planted. Wines from his house come from massive, 320 acre vineyard that I have visited. The location is nestled between the mountains and the Rogue River, with elevations ranging from 700 feet to 1700 feet. The soils are mostly alluvial and well-drained, and the high elevation leads to incredible diurnal shifts.

The wines were the best that I have tasted yet from this house. I adored the 2019 Maison Jussaiume ‘Blanc de Blancs’ Sparkling Wine (OB, 92) which is bright and tension-filled, with a beautiful mousse. This is serious Blanc de Blancs. Learn more at https://www.maisonjussiaume.com and here are my reviews of the new Maison Jussiaume wines.

2021 Maison Jussaiume ‘Oeil de Perdrix’ Rose Sparkling Wine-The 2021 Maison Jussaiume ‘Oeil de Perdrix’ Rose Sparkling Wine is a blend of equal parts Chardonnay and Pinot Noir all coming from the Rogue Valley. Really faint bubbles greet you as flavors of strawberry, guava and pear greet you. Drink 2024-2029- 90

2019 Maison Jussaiume ‘Blanc de Blancs’ Sparkling Wine- Made entirely from Chardonnay grapes, this 2019 offers oyster shell and lemon rind on the palate with a silky mousse and serious elegance. Medium-bodied, with loads of mouth-watering acidity, this is a remarkable effort from this slightly cooler vintage. Drink 2024-2030- 92

Valdemar Estates

If you haven’t yet hat the chance to visit Valdemar Estates in Walla Walla then you are in for a massive treat. This gorgeous, modern facility on the Southside of Walla Walla has made Valdemar one of the outstanding winery destinations in Washington State. Remarkably Valdemar is also the first non-American owned winery in Washington. With sweeping views across the Walla Walla Valley and gorgeous, modern touches, this is a must visit for wine lovers near and far.

I think the wine quality has been steadily rising with the more and more intriguing vineyard sources and wine projects that they are undertaking. CEO Jesús Martínez Bujanda Mora sought to create wines that have a very old-world feel as he represents the fifth generation of his family’s 130-year-old wine business in La Rioja. At the helm is Devyani Gupta who is originally from Portland and is a fellow graduate of Whitman College. During her tenure at Whitman, she worked for Amavi Cellars and in 2016 she completed the enology and viticulture program at Walla Walla Community College. She later worked for FIGGINS and Toil before being hired at Valdemar.

I am totally enamored by her 2023 Valdemar Estates ‘Component Trial Las Canteras’ Viognier (OB, 94) which is marvelously stony and has a great bright underlying acidity, with serious texture.  Learn more about this special winery project at https://www.valdemarestates.com Here are the beautiful new wines by Valdemar Estates

2023 Valdemar Estates ‘Component Trial Las Canteras’ Viognier- This outstanding new Viognier comes from the Las Canteras Vineyard which is the inaugural vintage from this vineyard planted in the Walla Walla Rocks District. A total show-stopper, this comes off beautifully textured and very flinty with rich melon, slate, kiwi and suggestions of sweetened gooseberry on the palate. Round and generous, with serious concentration and texture, enjoy this beautiful wine over the next eight years. Drink 2024-2031- 94

2021 Valdemar Estates ‘Component Trial WeatherEye Vineyard’ Grenache-Coming from this famed site at the northern part of Red Mountain the 2021 Valdemar Estates ‘Component Trial WeatherEye Vineyard’ Grenache delivers rich fig and chocolate flavors alongside black raspberry and garrige notes on the palate. Complex and delicious, showing a polished texture, enjoy now and over the next eight years. Drink 2024-2032- 93

2021 Valdemar Estates ‘Blue Mountain Vineyard’ Syrah- Coming from this outstanding, high-elevation site for Rhone Varietals the 2021 Valdemar Estates ‘Blue Mountain Vineyard’ Syrah is inky in the glass, delivering smoked meats, creme de violette and tar notes on the palate, with serious freshness and excellent texture. Really well-balanced, with gobs of freshness, enjoy now and over the next eight to ten years. Drink 2024-2032- 93

Rhys Vineyards

Rhys Vineyards

Today we share an outstanding producer of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.  Rhys Vineyards sources from mountain vineyards in Sonoma and the Santa Cruz Mountains.This incredible terroir produces some thrilling, tension-filled Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Following in the esteemed lines of Ridge and Mount Eden, Rhys Vineyards produces from some extreme vineyard sites that has slopes which range up to a 40% grade.

The founder of Rhys Vineyards, Kevin Harvey, had a successful software career prior to stating his winery. He began planting Pinot Noir in his backyard near the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA and has had his first vintage in 2004. I love the new wines by Rhys which were seriously good across the board. The wines show a marvelous combination of body, flavor density and beautiful tension throughout the drinking experience.

I particularly love the 2021 Rhys ‘Mt. Pajaro’ Chardonnay (OB, 96) which is nervy and dense with serious texture and verve. Learn more about this incredible new lineup of wines at https://rhysvineyards.com Here are the exciting new wines by Rhys Vineyards

2021 Rhys Vineyards ‘Horseshoe Vineyard’ Chardonnay- Located in the Santa Cruz Mountains, the Horseshoe Vineyard encompasses nearly 22 acres and is planted to Pinot Noir, chardonnay, Chenin Blanc and Syrah. This 2021 Chardonnay was stored for 12 months in oak before bottling and comes from seven different clonal selections. This offers kumquat rind and key limes on the nose alongside shades of pie crust and baked apple. The palate is filled with bright acidity and verve. Showing good richness and flavor density, enjoy this beautiful wine now and over the next ten plus years to come. Drink 2024-2036- 95

2021 Rhys Vineyard ‘Mt. Pajaro Vineyard’ Chardonnay- The stunning 2021 Rhys Vineyard ‘Mt. Pajaro Vineyard’ Chardonnay comes from this Santa Cruz Mountains location that has a strong ocean influence from Monterrey Bay. Vines are set on shallow clay soils. This shows beautiful tension, astringency and richness on the palate with Meyer lemon zest and salty minerals alongside Macadamia nut and suggestions of juicy peach on the palate. Gorgeous now, savor this mineral-laden bottling now and over the next twelve years. Drink 2024-2036- 96

2021 Rhys ‘Horseshoe Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The outstanding 2021 Rhys ‘Horseshoe Vineyard’ Pinot Noir was sourced from 13 different clonal selections, as this was stored for 18 months in French oak before bottling. Damp loamy soils alongside red currants, tobacco leaf and shades of boysenberry fruits all mark the nose. The palate is lithe and fresh with excellent verge and a soft texture. Showing good length enjoy now and over the next twelve years to come. Drink 2024-2036- 95

2021 Rhys ‘Mt. Pajaro Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The incredible 2021 Rhys ‘Mt. Pajaro Vineyard’ comes from this site planted to Rhys Selection Massale Pinot Noir vines set on well-drained rocky soils. Stored for 18 months in French oak, this delivers Linzer torte and fresh sage alongside Challah bread and shades of red rose petals. The palate is plush and soft with a refined texture. Gorgeous with its pretty core of pomegranate, guava and red cherry fruits, enjoy this beautiful wine over the next fifteen years. Drink 2024-2039- 96

2021 Rhys ‘Alpine Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The Alpine Vineyard is set at a high elevation in the Santa Cruz Mountains, ten miles from the Pacific Ocean. At this site there are 16 clones of pinot Noir planted. The wine was stored in 18 months in French oak before bottling. Dark in the glass, this delivers wild blackberry and garrigue notes on the nose with orange peel and suggestions of stony soils. The palate is plush and round, showing generous dark fruit with serious nerve on the palate. A joy to consume now, watch this evolve over the next fifteen plus years to come. Drink 2024-2039- 96

2021 Rhys Vineyards ‘Bearwallow Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- Located in the Anderson Valley, the Bearwallow Vineyard is a steep site first planted in 2008. The location is home to six acres of Pinot Noir vines with rich topsoils over fractured shale, quartz and sandstone. This is rich and viscous stuff with serious texture and weight. A generous core of red and dark fruits combine with salty minerals, damp soils and suggestions of menthol on the palate. Really good now, this has some serious aging potential. Drink 2024-2039- 96

Corliss

Today we share one of the top producers of Washington. Corliss is an ultra-premium producer of red and white wines founded in 1999 by Michael and Lauri Corliss. Over the years Mike Corliss has bought vineyard land throughout the state, including more holdings on Red Mountain. Corliss has been met with some serious critical acclaim since their first release in 2008. It has been such a pleasure seeing how well these beautiful wines age. Corliss is also well-known for performing exceptionally well with tough vintages.

Such is the case with how they navigated the 2019 vintage — a slightly cooler year that saw a heavy freeze in mid-October.The winemaking team explained that they had nearly all of their grapes picked by the October freeze in 2019. That year grapes that they picked had reached physiological ripeness because of their thinning process in the vineyard. This was a year where yields were down but quality was very high.

As times evolve Corliss is now producing nearly 100% estate fruit sourced other than some Syrah being sourced from the Stillwater Creek Vineyard in the Royal Slope AVA. The wines have been slowly evolving to have less new French oak and less oak impact. I was blown away with the 2019 Corliss Cabernet Sauvignon (OB, 99) which flirts with perfection. This is clearly one of the wines of the vintage and it is seriously impressive how they created this level of flavor density from 2019. I was able to try their 2020 pre-release wines as well and was blown away. The 2020s by Corliss are also some of the finest wines made in this tough vintage. They come off clean, concentrated and well-structured. I adored the 2020 Corliss Cabernet Sauvignon (OB, 99) which also nears perfection in a bottle. Learn more about these incredible wines at corlissestate.com and here are my notes on the pre-release wines by Corliss.

2019 Corliss Red Wine- The 2019 Corliss Red Wine combines 58% Cabernet Franc with 37% Cabernet Sauvignon with the remainder Petit Verdot coming from the estate Red Mountain, and Blackwood Canyons Vineyard. Stored in 60% new French oak this opens with beautiful violets that combine with blueberry compote, red bell pepper, garrigue and black licorice. The palate has incredible flavor density considering the vintage. Finishing long, this is really only starting its progression in the bottle. Give this a few more years to fully come together. Drink 2026-2050- 97

2019 Corliss Cabernet Sauvignon- The gorgeous and heady 2019 Corliss Cabernet Sauvignon was stored in nearly all new French oak before bottling. The nose is aroatnicallqy intense and downright gorgeous with sandalwood notes alongside anise, creme de cassis, Turkish coffee and shades of graphite. The palate is seamless and intense with serious texture, verve and flavor density. Weightless throughout the drinking experience, this effortlessly glides through the mid-palate. Showing glorious length, this is really only an infant now at the five year mark. Cellar this beauty for another twenty five years. Drink 2026-2050- 99

2019 Corliss Syrah- This 2019 Corliss Syrah comes from the Black Rock, Red Mountain and Stillwater Creek Vineyards. Extremely inky in the glass the wine was stored in roughly 40% new French oak for 22 months before bottling. Smoked brisket, and tar with pipe tobacco and scorched earth notes fill the nose alongside cedar and blackberry cordial. The palate is beautifully textured with serious weight and underlying verve. A total stunner, this is the finest edition of this wine that I have tasted so far. Give this a few hours in the decanter if savoring now. Drink 2025-2045- 98

2020 Corliss Red Wine- The 2020 Corliss Red Wine is a stunning combination of 60% Cabernet Franc with the remainder Cabernet Sauvignon that was stored in 55% new French oak for 22 months before bottling. Dried herbs and tar combine with shades of black currants and suggestions of exotic spices. The palate is plush and refined with serious texture and weight. Concentrated huckleberry, dark currant and creme de violette notes combine, yielding a beautiful sense of weight and also bright underlying poise. Finishing long, this nothing short of a stunning effort from a tough vintage. Drink 2026-2036- 97

2020 Corliss Cabernet Sauvignon- Sourced from all three estate vineyards, the 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon was stored for 22 months in 65% new French oak before bottling. Very inky in the glass, this offers sandalwood and shades of cassis that combine with boysenberry compote and black licorice on the nose. The palate is plush and soft with a refined sense of weight. Very fresh and fragrant, with a concentrated core of black currants, creme de cassis and scorched earth, with herbal accents, this is a gorgeous, very generous bottling that is already really nicely defined at the five year mark. Drink 2026-2037- 99

2020 Corliss Syrah- The 2020 Syrah by Corliss comes from the Stillwater Creek Vineyard as well as the Black Rock and Blackwood Canyon Vineyards. A brooding purple in the glass, this delivers charcuterie and roasted figs alongside cassis and Kalamata olives on the nose. The palate is dense and chewy with a fantastic sense of verve and texture. Layers of beautiful black raspberry and black cherry fruit flavors mingle well with espresso grounds, tar and shades of scorched soils. Full-bodied and delicious, this is already showing beautifully and will continue to evolve well for at least another decade. Drink 2025-2035- 96

Long Shadows and Nine Hats

It is no secret that Gilles Nicault has crafting some of the finest wines in Washington State now for many years. He’s witnessed many winemaking challenges, with the cold weather of 2011 and also some difficulties with 2019. Speaking wth Gilles several months back, he is very bullish on the wines that he made in 2020 and 2021.  I have been really impressed with how he handled the more than difficult 2020 vintage. Wines come off clean and are well-made as they have now had extended time in oak barrels.

Of course Long Shadows was founded by visionary and Washington wine pioneer Allen Shoup. Shoup is a founding father of the Washington wine industry. He spent 20 years building Château Ste. Michelle and its affiliate wineries, serving as the company's CEO for 17 of those years before establishing Long Shadows in 2002. He had an incredible vision for Long Shadows and built a world-class wine brand from the ground up. The Nine Hats brand that he founded is consistently one of the better value lineups that you will find in Pacific Northwest wine.

I adored the new 2023 Long Shadows ‘Poet’s Leap’ Riesling (OB, 93) which is one of the great wines of its kind. I loved the 2022 Nine Hats Chardonnay (OB, 92) which is beautifully textured stuff that is drinking marvelously now. Learn more about these famed wines at longshadows.com and here are my reviews of the beautiful new Long Shadows and Nine Hats wines.

2023 Long Shadows ‘Poet’s Leap’ Riesling- Truly one of the best Rieslings of the Pacific Northwest, the 2023 ‘Poet’s Leap’ is mainly comprised of old vine Riesling from the Sagemoor Vineyard as well as small parts from the famed DuBrul Vineyard in the Yakima Valley. This is mineral-laden stuff that offers freshly cut limes, green apple, petrol and salty minerals on the palate. With just a kiss of sweetness, enjoy this beautiful wine now and over the next eight years to come. Drink 2024-2032- 93

2022 Nine Hats Chardonnay- The really good 2022 Nine Hats Chardonnay comes from the French Creek and Boushey vineyards. Stored in mainly neutral oak barrels, this offers a smooth mouthfeel with poached pear and vanilla notes alongside baking spice dusted pastry crust and banana on the palate. Really good now, enjoy over the next five to seven years.  Drink 2024-2030- 92

2020 Nine Hats Malbec- A very inky color, the 2020 Nine Hats Malbec has 15% Cabernet Sauvignon blended in. Stored in only 30% new French oak barrels, this offers creme de violette and tar notes on the palate, alongside blueberry compote. Medium to full-bodied with a soft texture, enjoy now and over the next few years. Drink 2024-2030- 92

2020 Nine Hats Syrah- The 2020 Nine Hats Syrah has 13% Grenache from Red Mountain blended in. Stored in mainly neutral oak barrels, this delivers dark currants and chocolate on the nose with garrigue and scorched earth notes. The palate is soft and generous with a smooth mouthfeel. Showing beautifully now, enjoy over the next five to seven years. Drink 2024-2030- 92

2020 Nine Hats Merlot- Dense in the glass, the 2020 Nine Hats Merlot has 25% Cabernet Franc blended in as this primarily comes from the Weinbau Vineyard. Stored for 18 months in 70% neutral oak barrels, this delivers black plum and dark currant notes on the palate, alongside bittersweet chocolate and shades of menthol. Medium to full-bodied, enjoy now and over the next five to seven years. Drink 2024-2030- 92

Canvasback

Today we share one of the great houses on Red Mountain. Founded back in 2011, Duckhorn pioneers Dan and Margaret Duckhorn saw the great potential for adding Washington Cabernet Sauvignon from Red Mountain to their portfolio of wines. With what was initially only a few wines made, today Canvasback has a very large portfolio of wines — from Riesling and Rose to inky Cabernets. For years they have utilized the vineyard management talents of Dick Boushey to source from some of the state’s great sites including Klipsun, The Funk Estate, La Coye, Shaw and Quintessence Vineyards. Canvasback crafts their ‘Grand Passage’ Cabernet Sauvignon, entirely sourced from Red Mountain and also has a relatively new estate vineyard, the Longwinds Vineyard, on Red Mountain right above Col Solare. The Longwinds Vineyard was planted in 2013 and has 13.5 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon and 4.5 acres of Merlot, with the Cabernet grown in the rockier, exposed soils at the top of the vineyard, and the Merlot grown near the bottom, where the soils have higher water-holding capacity. 

Former winemaker Brian Rudin is originally from Eastern Washington and worked at L’Ecole No. 41 before serving as head winemaker for four years at Cadaretta and Buried Cane. He made some amazing wines from the 2021 vintage. There is a new winemaker at Canvasback, Joseph Czarny, who worked under Brian. Last year Brian moved to Echolands to be their head winemaker in Walla Walla. I adored the 2021 Canvasback ‘Grand Passage’ Cabernet Sauvignon (OB, 94) which is dense and heady stuff from Red Mountain. Learn more about these great new wines at https://www.canvasbackwine.com Here are the beautiful new Cabernet Sauvignon releases by Canvasback. 

2022 Greenwing ‘Columbia Valley’ Cabernet Sauvignon- This 2022 Greenwing Cabernet Sauvignon comes from a range of sites throughout the Columbia Valley. This is smooth on the mouth, showing medium bodied dark fruits with chocolate and refined tannins. Enjoy now and over the next few years. Drink 2024-2030- 90

2020 Canvasback ‘Red Haven Vineyard ’ Syrah- The 2022 ‘Red Haven Vineyard’ Syrah is full-throttle effort that is loaded with dense dark fruits on the palate, with scorched earth and menthol notes. Full-bodied and fully delicious, enjoy this beautiful wine over the next ten years. Drink 2024-2034- 93

2021 Canvasback ‘Funk Vineyard’ Syrah- The really good 2021 Canvasback ‘Funk Vineyard’ Syrah is a fabulous effort from this warm vintage. Coming from this famed stony site in the Rocks District, this offers Umami and roasted dates on the nose alongside shades of dried figs and blood orange zest. The palate is soft and inviting with a great texture and underlying tension. Approachable now, watch this evolve over the next eight to ten years. Drink 2024-2032- 94

2021 Canvasback ‘Red Mountain’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2021 ‘Red Mountain’ Cabernet Sauvignon is a great wine made from this warm vintage. It is texturally beautiful, showing gorgeous cassis and mountain huckleberry fruit flavors that mingle well with chocolate and baking spices. Forward and delicious, enjoy over the next eight plus years. Drink 2024-2034- 92

2021 Canvasback ‘Walla Walla Valley’ Cabernet Sauvignon- Sourced from several sites in the Walla Walla Valley, the 2021 ‘Walla Walla Valley’ offers tar, menthol and sagebrush with rich dark fruits on the nose. The palate is soft and refined with a smooth mouthfeel and great sense of verve. Delicious and well-structured, enjoy this beautiful wine now and over the next ten to fifteen years. Drink 2024-2036- 93

2021 Canvasback ‘Grand Passage’ Cabernet Sauvignon- A really great wine from this hot vintage, the 2021 ‘Grand Passage’ is their barrel select wine made from Red Mountain. This is seamless throughout the drinking experience, showing really good flavor range from boysenberry cordial and mocha to tar, leather, salty soils and shades of huckleberry. Full-bodied and delicious, enjoy now and over the next ten to fifteen years. Drink 2024-2039- 94

2021 Canvasback ‘Les Collines Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The famed ‘Les Collines Vineyard’ is perched below the Blue Mountains. This high elevation site was planted back in 2001. This shows stony and savory aspects with dried herbs alongside a rich core of black fruits with chocolate and Turkish coffee accents. Glorious to savor now, enjoy over the next fifteen years. Drink 2024-2039- 94