Willamette Valley Vineyards

It was a long journey from Seattle down to the cozy confines of Salem, Oregon. Located right off I-5 I was well-fed and well-caffeinated before I started my visit with Willamette Valley Vineyards and winemaker Terry Culton. Culton is a longtime veteran of the Willamette Valley. Initially inspired by his mentor Kenneth Volk, founder of Wild Horse Vineyard and Kenneth Volk Vineyards, Terry worked the “Pinot Trail” in California’s Anderson Valley and Oregon’s Willamette Valley. He first worked at Willamette in 1997 as Willamette Valley Vineyards Cellar Master, supervising the cellar crew and managing inventory as well as the bottling line.

From there, Terry went on to develop a 20-year career making acclaimed wines for several California wineries, including work at Calera in Hollister, California, where he worked with the pioneering Pinot Noir maker Josh Jensen. Terry left Calera to work with Hoffman Mountain Ranch’s vast plantings of Rhône Varietals. Terry had the itch to start his own winery in California. He eventually founded Culton Wines, which produced mainly Rhône varietals and blends in small lots from ultra-premium Central Coast grapes. He is very talented and experienced. . . and an absolute blast to chat wine with. Originally from Canada, we barrel-tasted as he shared stories from his celebrated career. We tasted through several of his top bottlings which were really outstanding. The best wine I tasted was the 2021 Willamette Valley Vineyards ‘Fuller’ Pinot Noir (OB, 95) which is deep, fleshy and entirely delicious — an intense bottling from this warm vintage. I can’t wait to see what is next from Culton and the team. Learn more about these outstanding wines at wvv.com and here are my reviews of the premium wines by Willamette Valley Vineyards.

2021 Willamette Valley Vineyards ‘Vintage 48’ Chardonnay- This comes from vines planted back in 1973. The wine was stored in 25% new French oak for ten months before bottling. Poached pear and nutmeg laced brioche combine with banana on the nose. This shows beautiful texture and salty character on the palate, with a great core of citrus and melon fruits. Drink 2024-2034- 93

2018 Elton ‘Florine Eola-Amity Hills’ Pinot Noir- This 2018 is one of their library release offers red rose petals and orange peel with bergamot and shades of salty soils on the nose. The palate is silky smooth with serious texture and good weight and length, with plenty of salty minerals from the marine sedimentary soils. Drink 2024-2036- 93

2021 Willamette Valley Vineyards ‘Fuller’ Pinot Noir- This 2021 bottling is named after Bill Fuller who is the original founder of the Tualatin Estate Vineyard. He continues to consult with Willamette Valley Vineyards. Black truffle and black cherry combine with shades of boysenberry and volcanic soils on the nose. Fresh and beautifully textured, woven together with copious minerals, this is a gorgeous bottling that has a long way to go in the cellar. Drink 2024-2040- 95

Cristom Vineyards

Today we share one of the greats of Oregon that is all about sustainability and servitude to the land. Cristom Vineyards hosted me for a visit and tour a week ago. This is one of the most gorgeous spots that you will find in the Willamette Valley. Over the years Cristom has gained world-wide acclaim for their single vineyard Pinot Noirs. More recently they have been really improving their Chardonnay program.  I have found that their  Mt. Jefferson Cuvee has been one of the great values out of Oregon.

This was now my second visit with winemaker Daniel Estrin who serves as both winemaker and vineyard manager, having formerly served at Red Car as well as Craggy Range in New Zealand before landing his position Littorai. He has made a wonderful impact to Cristom on the winemaking side. I love the 2022 Cristom ‘Louise Vineyard’ Viognier (OB, 94) which is arguably the finest Viognier that I have ever tasted from the Willamette Valley.

Even better is the 2022 Cristom Vineyards ‘Royer Vineyard’ Chardonnay (OB, 95) which is concentrated and pure, with bright tension. Check out more about these outstanding wines at https://www.cristomvineyards.com and here are my reviews of the new releases by Cristom.

2023 Cristom ‘Louise Vineyard’ Pinot Gris- The 2023 Cristom ‘Louise Vineyard’ Pinot Gris was all fermented and aged in stainless steel with no lees stirring. Japanese pear and nutmeg drenched French bread mark the nose alongside white peach. The palate has a lush texture with outstanding texture and a brilliant sense of weight. Enjoy now and over the next few years. Drink 2024-2030- 93

2022 Cristom ’Louise Vineyard’ Viognier- The 2022 ‘Louise Vineyard’ comes from this site set on Columbia River Basalt soils. Made from mainly estate fruit, this was stored in neutral oak, concrete and stainless steel vats before bottling. A vibrant color, this delivers lychee and nutty accents alongside shades of baking spices and honeysuckle. This is deep and concentrated wine that has great tension and finesse with salty nuances. Drink 2024-2034- 94

2022 Cristom ‘Eola-Amity Hills’ Chardonnay- The 2022 ‘Eola-Amity Hills’ Chardonnay is a beautiful wine that was stored for 11 months in oak and then five months in stainless steel before bottling. The wine shows beautiful freshness and tension wit ha soft mouthfeel. Loads of Meyer lemon and orchard fruits combine with shades of salted green melon on the palate. Drink 2024-2031- 93

2022 Cristom ‘Louise Vineyard’ Chardonnay- The 2022 ‘Louise Vineyard’ was stored for 11 months in only 22% new French oak before bottling. This utilizes clone 95 which was planted back in 1995 — and only one acre is planted. Golden in the glass, this delivers serious weight and texture with salted honeydew melon, white peach, starfruit and salty minerals. Finishing long, this is beautiful Chardonnay that is already showing really well. Drink 2024-2038- 95

2022 Cristom ‘Royer Vineyard’ Chardonnay- The 2022 ‘Royer Vineyard’ is located on the west side of the hills, looking down the Van Duzer Corridor and is a late ripening site. Stored in only 76% new French oak before bottling, this offers loads of mouth-watering acidity and finesse. Pear and juicy kumquat combine with stony minerals on the palate. A totally dazzling wine, enjoy now and over the next ten to fifteen years. Drink 2024-2038- 95

2022 Cristom ‘Mt. Jefferson Cuvee’ Pinot Noir- Stored in 22% new French oak for 11 monnths,, this undercut 52% whole cluster fermentation. A killer value, the Oregon, the 2022 ‘Mt. Jefferson Cuvee’ shows off teaberry and cranberry notes on the nose alongside wet gravel and suggestions of orange peel. The palate is juicy and round with loads of mouth-watering acidity and rich, tart red fruit flavors with orange peel, tobacco and salty soil accents. Drink 2024-2032- 93

2022 Cristom ‘Jesse Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The outstanding 2022 Cristom ‘Jesse Vineyard’ Pinot Noir comes from this very steep site (up to 30% grade) in the Eola-Amity Hills. This south-eastern aspect site has influence from the Van Duzer Corridor. This beautiful wine was given 30% new French oak before bottling, and given 58% whole cluster fermentation, the Pinot Noir shows off mandarin orange rind notes alongside fresh mint, wild blackberry and shades of damp soils. The palate is refined and elegant with a silky texture and good sense of weight. This is just a baby right now so give this beauty another year in the bottle. Unfined and unfiltered. Drink 2025-2044- 95

2022 Cristom ‘Marjorie Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The Marjorie Vineyard is right in the middle for the hillside, sitting on a portion of the bench. This was the only planted area that was there when the site was purchased in 1992. Stored in 36% new French oak for 17 months this offers  tart pomegranate seed and black truffle shavings alongside diatomaceous earth and shades of Linzer torte. The palate is plush and soft with copious minerals and salty soil accents. This world-class wine has some massive potential in the cellar. Drink 2025-2045- 96

2022 Cristom ‘Louise Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The 2022 ‘Louise’ was given 58% whole cluster fermentation. The site is usually picked a touch on the earlier side to harness the tannins of the Pinot Noir at this eastern-aspect location. Black florals and seaweed combine with shades of black licorice on the nose. The palate is plush and refined with serious weight and tension. Rich and refined, with serious texture and mouth-watering acidity, this really needs another year of bottle age to come together — but you can see the potential! Drink 2025-2045- 95

2022 Cristom ‘Eileen Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The outstanding 2022 Cristom ‘Eileen Vineyard’ Pinot Noir comes from the highest part of the estate where there is a strong influence from the Van Duzer Corridor which produces small berries and small clusters. Black florals combine with blackberry jam alongside Satsuma orange peel and shades of volcanic stones on the nose. The palate has serious flavor density and a juicy core of black and red fruit flavors. Delicious now, this could easily be a 20 year wine. Drink 2025-2042- 95

2022 Cristom ‘Paul Gerrie Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- A total knockout wine the 2022 Cristom ‘Paul Gerrie Vineyard’ Pinot Noir was given 50% whole cluster fermentation and was stored in only 17% new French oak before bottling. This wine comes from the northern end at the Cristom Estate that was fist planted back in 2014. The nose is alluring with beautiful violets, menthol, wild blackberry and suggestions of cardamom. The palate is plush and soft wit ha refiled texture. Strangely this powerful wine is the most evolved of the single vineyards. A total stunner, enjoy over the next twenty years. Drink 2024-2045- 96

Dunham Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Retrospective

It was a meeting of the minds at Dunham on Draft Day 2024 as we eagerly awaited both a spectacular tasting and the Seahawks future draft selection. It has been several decades since I first tasted at this famed Walla Walla outpost. Dunham Cellars, one of Walla Walla’s iconic wineries, was founded by the Dunham family in 1995. Over the years I have found that Dunham crafts some of the most consistently good overall lineups in the state. These are wines that exude value and consistently overdeliver for the price.

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

We were tasting every vintage of Cabernet Sauvignon from 1998-2011 which was an unbelievable experience. There were a few surprises in terms of highlights. One of the biggest surprises was the 2000 Dunham Cabernet Sauvignon (OB, 92) which was amazingly good and flinty as some of the fruit came from the En Cerise Vineyard. A wine that was no surprise was the 2002 Dunham Cabernet Sauvignon (OB, 92) which is still shining brightly and showed deep concentration and texture from this brilliant vintage. The finest showing was the 2007 Dunham Cabernet Sauvignon (OB, 94) which was deep and rich, showing similarly to my last tasting of it from a 3L.  We were also shocked how good the 2011 Dunham Cabernet Sauvignon (OB, 91) was showing. This was one of the better wines I have recently tasted from this vintage that had very difficult harvest conditions. Learn more about these beautiful wines at dunhamcellars.com Here are the great new wines by Dunham Cellars.

1998 Dunham Cabernet Sauvignon- The 1998 shows damp earth and wild mushroom notes aromatically. Fresh and showing good richness, enjoy now and love the next few years. This is a really impressive effort. Drink 2024-2029- 90

1999 Dunham Cabernet Sauvignon- The 1999 Cabernet Sauvignon stored in a combination of French and American oak, this offers layers of truffle, black currants and salty earth on the palate. Even more impressive than the ’98, with a tad more stuffing, enjoy now. Drink 2024-2029- 91

2000 Dunham Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2000 is a really well-made wine from a tough vintage. Amazingly this has a high percentage of fruit that was sourced from the En Cerise Vineyard owned by Christophe Baron. Salty and savory with wild blackberry fruit character this is seriously good. Roughly 50% new French and American oak. Drink 2024-2030- 92

2001 Dunham Cabernet Sauvignon- This 2022 Cabernet bottling also has a touch of En Cerise Vineyard involved. Dried sage and mint combine on the nose alongside wild blackberry. This shows good finesse with dark currants and coffee ground notes. Drink 2024-2030- 91

2002 Dunham Cabernet Sauvignon- Nicely textured this 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon has good finesse and lift, showing dark currants, chocolate and sagebrush notes. Tobacco notes really entice here as this is showing nicely now. Drink 2024-2030- 92

2004 Dunham Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon shows good body with brace currant cordial, mocha, tar and creme de cassis notes on the palate. Soft and refined, enjoy now. Drink 2024-2028- 91

2005 Dunham Cabernet Sauvignon- This 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon offers garrigue alongside tar, pipe tobacco and marionberry compote on the nose. The palate is lithe and shows good freshness with lighter to medium bodied black fruits with herbal notes. Drink 2024-2030- 91

2006 Dunham Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2006 Dunham Cabernet was sourced from the Lewis and Double River Vineyards and was stored in French and American oak. The nose is beautifully perfumed, as this shows good weight and finesse. Concentrated black currants and boysenberry fruit flavors combine with espresso grounds. Drink 2024-2030- 93

2007 Dunham Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon is a stunning wine that is showing beautifully right now. Mocha, tar and creme de cassis notes com bine with salty earth. Beautifully structured and plush on the mouth, enjoy now. I have formerly enjoyed a 3L of this wine and can attest that the wine still has a long way to go. Drink 2024-2032- 94

2008 Dunham Cabernet Sauvignon- Refined and delicious, this 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon offers a deep core in the glass. This shows concentrated loganberry and black cherry concentrate alongside espresso grounds. Very refined with good structure, this is drinking beautifully right now. Drink 2024-2030- 93

2009 Dunham Cabernet Sauvignon- The really good 2009 Dunham Cabernet Sauvignon is a gorgeous nose aromatically with sagebrush and shades of oregano alongside black cherry,  espresso grounds and tar. The palate is plush with a refined texture and serious texture on the palate. Right in its sweet spot, enjoy over the next seven years to come. Drink 2024-2031- 92

2010 Dunham Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2010 Dunham Cabernet Sauvignon is a beautiful wine that comes off a touch on the leaner side but will provide drinking enjoyment now. Once on the nose this takes on crushed sage and mint notes that combine with coffee grounds and wild blackberry. The palate is soft and refined with good structure. This is a bit lacking weight. Drink 2024-2027- 90

2011 Dunham Cabernet Sauvignon- One of the biggest surprises of the tasting, the 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon is nicely herbal with good structure. This shows good concentration considering the coolness of the vintage. Mocha, tar and sagebrush combines with coffee grounds. No reason to cellar this excellent 2011. Drink 2024-2029- 91

De Lancellotti

One of the bright houses in Oregon, De Lancellotti is a prime producer of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Over the years this house as emerged as a top class winery that has been incredibly consistent. Paul and Kendall de Lancellotti founded their own winery nearly two decades ago. They chose to plant their own vineyard in 2001 which was 16 acre Chehalem Mountain parcel focusing on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. It was 2005 when this house started, utilizing the winemaking talents of Robert Brittan who serves as consulting winemaker for de Lancellotti.

Sitting with Paul we tasted through the new lineup. 2022 was a crazy year that had warm temperatures at harvest that essentially saved the vintage. I adored the 2022 De Lancellotti ‘Estate’ Chardonnay (OB, 95) which is big, round and viscous. It is a dazzling Chardonnay that has the stability to cellar for another fifteen years to come. Learn more about these great wines at  http://www.delancellottifamilyvineyards.com/ Here are the great new wines by de Lancellotti.

2022 De Lancellotti ‘Estate’ Chardonnay- The 2022 ‘Estate’ Chardonnay was stored in 35% new French oak before bottling. This shows bright pear and Meyer lemon blossom on the nose alongside toasted hazelnuts on the nose. The palate is viscous and rich with a silky texture and beautiful tense of underlying tension. A total stunner, enjoy this dense and tension-filled wine now and over the next decade. Drink 2024-2038- 95

2022 De Lancellotti ‘Famiglia’ Pinot Noir- Mainly Dijon clone 777, the 2022 ‘Famiglia’ was stored in 25% new French oak before bottling. The nose shows off cranberry and red cherry notes alongside damp earth and suggestions of blood orange zest. The palate is round and generous with a silky texture and beautiful sense of salinity. Rich and dense, enjoy this beauty now and over the next ten to fifteen years. Drink 2024-2039- 93

2022 De Lancellotti ‘Ornelia’ Pinot Noir- This bottling is always all 114 clonal selection Pinot Noir. All sourced from the estate vineyard, the wine was stored in 25% new French oak before bottling. This shows wild blackberry and shades of white truffle on the nose alongside juicy black cherry on the nose. The palate is soft and refined with a silky texture, loaded with rich red fruits. Salty and savory, enjoy this beautiful wine now and over the next fifteen years to come. Drink 2024-2038- 94

2022 De Lancellotti ‘La Corsia’ Pinot Noir- The outstanding 2022 De Lancellotti ‘La Corsia’ Pinot Noir was stored in mainly used French oak (25% new) before bottling as this utilizes 50% 667 and 115 clones that were fermented together. Beautiful red florals mark the nose alongside Lizer torte, red currants and salty soils. The palate is beautifully textured and soft with a great sense of length. Drink 2024-2038- 93

2022 De Lancellotti ‘La Sorella’ Pinot Noir- This 2022 Pinot Noir comes from their estate and Sun Dog Vineyards in the Laurelwood AVA. This is juicy and delicious stuff offering a dense core of bright red fruits with citrus rind and salty accents on the palate. Drink 2024-2032- 92

Avennia 'Oliane' Vertical Tasting

Today we share one of the great wines of Washington that isn’t a red wine. The Avennia ‘Oliane’ was born to push the envelope for white wines made in Washington, crafting a world-class Sauvignon Blanc wine. The idea was focusing more on Sauvignon Blanc as winemaker Chris Peterson explained “Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. . . I feel like I had done that at DeLille Cellars. But aging in the oak and less gives you that texture and you don’t really need the Semillon. This was going to focus on Boushey Vineyard and then in 2012 there was not much there and I had to look into other sites. We had an acre at Red Willow from 2006 and we got that. Since the 2012 it has been this blend which changes depending on the vintage.”

Sauvignon Blanc from Red Willow and Boushey are very different according to Peterson as he stated “Red Willow is higher acid than Boushey. By itself Boushey can be bigger and more dense and more ripe than you might want. Red Willow has years where it can get tart and lean so by having the blend we don’t have to adjust anything. The minerality and kind of diatom character comes from Red Willow.” Today he has found that both sites beautifully compliment each other.

I tasted through the vintages of ‘Oliane’ and was massively impressed with how stable the wines were even in tough vintages for white wines. There is little doubt that 2015 was a massively difficult vintage for white wines. The grapes were picked on August 19th to start. Peterson explained “We picked at lower sugar and higher acid than 2014. I took a spreadsheet from the previous year and sorted it by pick date and we are looking at the order that things come in and I was kind of new then. We picked at lower brix in 2015 than in 2014. It seemed like it was ready.”

This program began with a small portion of new French oak and by 2016 they moved to just a tiny amount of new wood. 2016 was the first year when they did a concrete egg ferment and then they kept adding concrete eggs to the program. The best wine I tasted was the dazzling 2018 ‘Oliane’ (OB, 95) which is dense, viscous and full of life.  Learn more about this program at avennia.com and here are my reviews of the brilliant ‘Oliane’ vertical tasting.

2014 Avennia ‘Oliane’ Sauvignon Blanc- The beautiful 2014 Avennia ‘Oliane’ Sauvignon Blanc is a dense and delicious wine that is showing brilliantly at the ten year mark. Honeydew melon and marzipan collide with smoky minerals and suggestions of kiwi on the nose. This is shockingly fresh with salty minerality. Drink 2024-2029- 93

2015 Avennia ‘Oliane’ Sauvignon Blanc- Soft and delicious, the 2015 ‘Oliane’ is a delicious wine that shows beautiful freshness and mouth-watering acidity from this tough vintage. Green apple, lemon rind and copious minerals on the palate. The diatom nuances really impress. Drink 2024-2029- 92

2016 Avennia ‘Oliane’ Sauvignon Blanc- The 2016 Avennia ‘Oliane’ Sauvignon Blanc is a stellar showing in this warm vintage. On the nose this takes on wet stone with kumquat blossom, green apple and pear notes. The palate is fresh with serious tension and verve, with plenty of stony minerals. Drink 2024-2030- 92

2017 Avennia ‘Oliane’ Sauvignon Blanc- The 2017 ‘Oliane’ was stored in a tiny amount of new French oak prior to bottling. Nutmeg dusted pie crust, almond paste and shades of cantaloupe fill the nose. The palate is fresh and vibrant with serious tension — tasting essentially like a new release wine. A total knockout, enjoy over the next eight plus years. Drink 2024-2032- 94

2018 Avennia ‘Oliane’ Sauvignon Blanc- The 2018 ‘Oliane’ offers honey, marzipan, Japanese pear and shades of peach on the palate, with serious tension and richness. Full-bodied, with plenty of nerve, this is a benchmark example of Washington Sauvignon Blanc. Enjoy now and over the next five to seven years. Drink 2024-2031- 95

2019 Avennia ‘Oliane’ Sauvignon Blanc- The 2019 ‘Oliane’ is a brilliant bottling made in a tough vintage that was considerably cooler than 2018. Cantaloupe, pear and shades of macadamia nut combine on the nose. This is salty and delicious stuff, with copious minerals and good length. No reason to cellar this beauty. Drink 2024-2030- 93

Review: The Nines Portland

Still one of the great places to stay in the Pacific Northwest, I remember my first visit to The Nines shortly after they opened back in 2008. Sixteen years later this is still a world-class spot to stay.

Check-in was a breeze as the lobby is located up an elevator to the 8th floor. Hospitality has been very good here over the last few stays and this was exemplary.

Since opening in downtown Portland back in 2008, The Nines has 331 rooms and 13 suites making it one of Portland’s largest hotels. It’s restaurant, Urban Farmer, is located on the 8th floor while it’s chic rooftop bar and Lounge, Departure, is on the top floor.

Room quality: The best rooms are the corner rooms which are larger and also feel larger. The rooms still appear as modern and chic. My room had a large couch that looked great in its hotel teal theme. I think that these are some of the best looking rooms in the Pacific Northwest region, on par with The Four Seasons, Hotel 1000 and The Thompson in Seattle. This blue theme is hip and glamorous almost akin to the famed Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas.

Bathrooms are beautiful and large. They also have Byredo luxury products which are an incredible fragrance company out of Australia. You will smell very good after your shower as these products are align with what you would get at a Ritz-Carlton. Water pressure was normal to be expected. Carpet in the room is thick and the room was very clean with no dust. One of the most surprising things is the room has not been remodeled in over fifteen years but it is still very modern-looking. They were very future-forward with their design back in 2008.

Service was friendly and on-point. I called the front desk and they answered right away. The concierge was thoughtful and answered questions I had about the weekend and my stay.

The bar area is stylish and functional with better than average wine stems and also an espresso machine that came in handy for my early morning wakeup call. There is a ice machine on the floor if you want to chill drinks. There is also a small fridge in the room.

Arguably my favorite part of the room is the large and extremely comfy bed. I had two beautiful rests in my room. The room was quiet and is very sound-proof for light sleepers like me. Rooms in the middle of the floor are going to be slightly more noisy. The hotel did not seem very busy which is one of the great parts about staying here. You don’t wait for elevators, there are not long lines at the front desk and the lobby is expansive. These things make the hotel feel bigger than it actually is.

My room had a little view of the park. Generally the higher floor rooms are quieter and further from the riff raff that you will find on the ground floor in downtown Portland. The sofa was soft and functional and there is a little seating area. The high rooms even have a view of the mountains and river. Mine was on the 8th floor so it wasn’t quite high enough for that.

I like the little seating area in case you want to relax, read or have people over. This room was definitely large enough for entertaining several other people. The smaller rooms that The Nines have would not be large enough for that.

The rooftop bar, Departures, is a worth a visit, with sweeping views of the entire city. While I didn’t get a chance to visit this spot on my visit, I’ve really enjoyed relaxing up there.

After a great rest I went to their outstanding restaurant, Urban Farmer, for some breakfast. The restaurant is an expansive space that is located adjacent to the front desk on the 8th floor. I have eaten at this restaurant more than 20 times. I think this is one of the great hotel restaurants that you will find in the Pacific Northwest. The wine list is awesome here and they make some killer cocktails.

There is a great looking bar in the front where I have formerly indulged in several outstanding cocktails. This morning I was seated on a corner area where there was an outlet so I could charge my computer.

I ordered a coffee which was expensive but excellent and their crab omelette. At 30 bucks, this is a dish that has to be absolutely nailed — and it delivered for those 30 bucks! Shocking but true, it was huge and filled with delicious crab and wild mushroom. The hollandaise on top was fresh and perfectly balanced to connect with the rich, briny crab. Service was awesome here which is something that you rarely find in downtown Portland.

As you can see this was just an incredible dish. It is no exaggeration that this is the best breakfast that I have had all year.

After the meal I ran over to the gym which was located on the 7th floor. There was a professional soccer club from Mexico working out there but the space was large enough to accommodate them and me. I appreciate that they have free weights that go above 50 lbs as many hotels do not have this. As a larger man it is really gratifying to get a fantastic workout in pushing heavy weights before a long day.

Bottom Line: This is an expensive hotel. Staying here was $250 bucks plus over 60 dollars for parking. There are cheaper parking garages close to the hotel. That said, when you consider the other hotel options in downtown Portland, I think that this is arguably the best choice. The Ritz in Portland is new but commands a considerably higher price. I found my last stay at The Sentinel to be inferior to The Nines. Sixteen years in and The Nines for me is still where I want to stay in downtown Portland.

Hazelfern

As I sat across Hazelfern owners Bryan and Laura Liang, we talked about some winery nuances. We all agreed that one of the hardest things for a winery is dealing with patrons’ respective fragrances. A single person doused in cologne or perfume can permeate across an entire winery! Hazelfern is producing some of the most electric Chardonnay and Pinot Noir out of Oregon right now. Bryan and Laura Liang quit their corporate jobs to focus on winemaking and operations at Hazelfern, located in Newberg, Oregon. Brian’s wine education includes many hours watching YouTube videos on winemaking. Winemaking in their Portland basement wasn’t the easiest of tasks but over time Brian saw his winemaking style evolve. Laura also serves as co-winemaker and they have done a wonderful job with their wines over the past few years.

The 2021 wines were amazing by them and so are the new wines from 2022 which was a vintage saved by a warm autumn. I adore the 2021 Hazelfern ‘Little Hells’ Chardonnay (OB, 94) which is dense and jam-packed full of orchard and citrus fruit flavors.  which is very fresh and vibrant with layers of citrus and orchard fruits.  I adore the 2022 Hazelfern ‘Prime Cut’ Chardonnay (OB, 95) which has a serious combination of weight, tension and flavor complexity. Learn more about this outstanding winery at https://www.hazelfern.com Here are the beautiful new wines by Hazelfern.

2023 Hazelfern Rose- This 2023 Rose was stored in all stainless steel before bottling. Watermelon and bright peach mark the nose alongside red raspberry. This is soft and fresh with copious minerals on the palate with pretty red rose water notes. Drink 2024-2029- 91

2021 Hazelfern ‘Little Hells’ Chardonnay- The 2021 ‘Little Hells’ Chardonnay comes from the Laurelwood District as this was stored in 30% new French oak before bottling. The wine features Dijon clones 76, 95 and 96. Very deeply colored in the glass, the wine opens with baking spice dusted brioche alongside pear and juicy nectarine notes. The palate shows beautiful viscosity and length with rich orchard and citrus fruits with vanilla cream accents. Drink 2024-2034- 94

2022 Hazelfern ‘Willamette Valley’ Pinot Noir- This 2022 Pinot Noir was stored in 22% new French oak before bottling. It comes from a range of sites in the Willamette Valley. Rich loganberry and black cherry alongside black tea notes mark the nose. The palate is very bright and plush with a smooth texture, loaded with crunchy red fruits. Drink 2024-2032- 92

2022 Hazelfern ‘Three Cedars Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- This comes from a site farmed by Jessica Cortell, as the wine was stored in 25% new French oak before bottling. The offers beautiful red cherry and pomegranate seed notes on the nose alongside shades of bergamot and wet stone. Very fresh, this delivers loads of mouth-watering acidity on the palate, with very bright red fruits and citrus rind accents. Drink 2024-2034- 94

2022 Hazelfern ‘La Belle Promenade’ Pinot Noir- This 2022 Pinot Noir comes from a volcanic soil site that is high elevation. Stored in 23% new French oak, this delivers rocky soils on the nose alongside tart red fruits, blood orange zest and shades of white truffle shavings. The palate is lithe and fresh with serious tension and loads of tension. Finesse-driven and bright, only 13.2% alcohol. Enjoy now and over the next decade. Drink 2024-2034- 94

2022 Hazelferun ‘Prime Cut’ Pinot Noir- The 2022 ‘Prime Cut’ is a barrel selection wine that was stored in 35% new French oak before bottling. Wild blackberry and black currants with anise mark the nose alongside exotic spices. The wine shows beautiful flavor density and tension with loads of salty minerals and stony accents. Great now, enjoy this beauty over the next twenty years. Drink 2024-2044- 95

2022 Hazelfern ‘Sea Ghost’ Pinot Noir- The 2022 ‘Sea Ghost’ comes from three locations set on Marine Sedimentary soils. Stored in 25% new French oak this offers diatomaceous earth and salty red fruits on the nose with kumquat rind notes. The palate is refined and loaded with bright acidity and juicy red fruits. A joy to consume now, watch this evolve over the next fifteen plus years to come. Drink 2024-2039- 95

2022 Hazelfern Trousseau- Coming from the estate property, this 2022 Trousseau was stored in all neutral oak barrels before bottling. Loaded with Asian spices this offers tart red fruits on the nose with pink peppercorns. The palate is loaded with peat moss with bright red fruits. Outstanding now, enjoy over the next ten years. Drink 2024-2034- 93

Open Claim

Today we share the outstanding wines of Open Claim. Open Claim has now for years been making some of the state’s premier Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Started in 2014 by Marnie and Brett Wall, Open Claim creates a bigger style of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir that are complete wines with a beginning, middle and end. They use a limited amount of new oak, despite their fleshy character.

Tony Rynders is easily one of the Pacific Northwest’s finest winemakers Formerly with Hogue and Domaine Serene, Tony crafts some incredible wines for his own label, Tendril. He has been the winemaker at Open Claim and is doing an incredible job with this site.

2021 was a seamless vintage throughout Oregon with warm temperatures and limited heat spikes. I adored the new 2021 wines. The 2021 Open Claim ‘Fauna’s Wood’ Pinot Noir (OB, 96) which is a total stunner that will live on for wo more decades — and is beautiful now in its full-throttle mode. Learn more about these beautiful wines at http://www.openclaimvineyards.com/ Here are the brilliant 2021 and older releases by Open Claim. 

2017 Open Claim ‘Estate’ Chardonnay- A world-class wine made by winemaker Tony Rynders, the 2017 Open Claim Chardonnay is loaded with texture and weight with good underlying tension. Brioche and Japanese pear flavors combine wth salted macadamia nut and lychee. Exotic, big and burly, don’t serve this beauty too cold! Highly enjoyable now, enjoy over the next eight years. Drink 2024-2032- 95

2017 Open Claim ‘Estate’ Pinot Noir- The 2017 Open Claim Pinot Noir offers black truffle and Mashino cherry on the nose alongside black raspberry notes. The palate is silky and refined with soft tannins that frame a generous core bf red and black fruits. Delicious and polished texturally, enjoy this beautiful wine now and over the next ten plus years to come. Drink 2024-2034- 95

2022 Open Claim White Pinot Noir- A total knockout wine and truly one of the best of its kind that you will find, the burly and bold 2022 Open Claim White Pinot Noir was made without skin contact. Very golden in the glass, this offers deep cashew nut and strawberry notes on the palate alongside honeydew melon, and suggestions of salty soils. Full-bodied and dense, with a refined texture, enjoy this beautiful wine over the next fifteen plus years to come. Drink 2024-2040- 95

2021 Open Claim ‘Estate’ Pinot Noir- A dense wine made in a warm vintage, the 2021 Open Claim Pinot Noir opens with a beautiful bouquet of red rose petals, tar and tobacco leaf alongside black raspberry notes. The palate is heady and refined with serious weight, length and texture. Blackberry and black cheery notes mingle well with shades of freshly tilled loamy soils and cardamom dusted orange peel on the palate. Delicious now, watch this evolve over the next twenty years to come. Drink 2024-2042- 95

2021 Open Claim ‘Fauna’s Wood’ Pinot Noir- This beautiful 2021 Pinot Noir is a heady, black-fruit driven wine that is already nicely evolve at the three year mark. On the nose this shows beautiful black florals woven together with shades of anise, wild blackberry and bing cherry. The palate is plush and soft, as this glides throughout the drinking experience. Dense dark fruits parade with peat moss and stony minerals on the palate. A joy to consume now, enjoy this beauty over the next twenty years to come. Drink 2024-2044- 96

Sattlerhof

A winery steeped in history, the Sattlerhof family have lived in Gamlitz, Austria, since the late 1880s. The winery began with Wilhelm Sattler Senior and his wife Aloisia laying the foundation for success beginning in the 1960s. Today the two Sattler brothers, Willi and Hannes, are leading the estate with the new generation by their side. The Sattlerhof winery is now responsible for 40 hectares (99 acres) of organically farmed vines in some of the region’s most famous vineyards, including “grand crus” Kranachberg and Pfarrweingarten.

The wines were sensational across the board, putting Austrian Sauvignon Blanc on the map as a spectacular varietal that is flourishing in this region. Wines were dense and heady with beautiful flavor range. I adored the 2020 Sattlerhof ‘Ried Kranachberg’ Sauvignon Blanc (OB, 93) which is beautifully textured stuff with bright acidity and tension. I was blown away with the 2021 Sattlerhof ‘Trockenbeerenauslese’ Sauvignon Blanc (OB, 100) which is the finest examples of the varietal that I have ever tasted. Learn more at https://sattlerhof.at/ and here are my reviews of the beautiful new Sattlerhof wines.

2023 Sattlerhof ‘Sudsteiermark’ Sauvignon Blanc- Under screw cap, the 2023 Sattlerhof ‘Sudsteiermark’ Sauvignon Blanc shows green apple and petrol notes alongside freshly cut grass on the palate. Drink 2024-2028- 88

2020 Sattlerhof ‘Ried Kapellenweingarten’ Sauvignon Blanc- The outstanding 2020 Sattlerhof ‘Ried Kapellenweingarten’ Sauvignon Blanc shows a smooth mouthfeel with serious weight and tension. Melon fruits mingle well with lemon oil and grassy notes on the palate. Drink 2024-2030- 92

2020 Sattlerhof ‘Ried Kranachberg’ Sauvignon Blanc- The really good 2020 Sattlerhof ‘Ried Kranachberg’ Sauvignon Blanc offers honey and rich cantaloupe flavors that mingle well with Japanese pear and copious minerals on the palate. Full-bodied and delicious, enjoy now and over the next few years. Drink 2024-2030- 93

2022 Sattlerhof ‘Gamlitz’ Sauvignon Blanc- The 2022 ‘Gamlitz’ shows off serious texture and tension once on the mouth. Juicy lime and green papaya combine with shades of walnut and orange peel accents. Complex and delicious, enjoy now and over the next eight years to come. Drink 2024-2032- 93

2021 Sattlerhof ‘Auslese’ Sauvignon Blanc- The outstanding 2021 Sattlerhof ‘Auslese’ Sauvignon Blanc is golden in the glass, offering sweet peach, apricot and pie crust notes on the nose alongside suggestions of marzipan. The palate is hedonistic and complex with a bright acid backbone. Serious tension weaves through a palate of melon and tropical fruits, with a seamless texture. Enjoy this total stunner now and over the next fifteen plus years. Drink 2024-2039- 95

2021 Sattlerhof ‘Beerenauslese’ Sauvignon Blanc- Coming from their estate vineyard set on Sand, gravel, shell limestone, the 2021 Sattlerhof ‘Beerenauslese’ Sauvignon Blanc offers an insane array of aromatics from white peach, honeydew melon, roasted pineapple and gardenia blossom. The palate is dense and bold with serious tension and minerality with every sip. This is nearly impossible stuff to put down once opened. Dense and nervy, showing more tropical fruit flavors at this juncture, enjoy over the next twenty years to come. But why wait? Drink 2024-2044- 97

2022 Sattlerhof ‘Trockenbeerenauslese’ Sauvignon Blanc- Quite honestly the finest Sauvignon Blanc wine that I have ever tasted, the 2021 2021 Sattlerhof ‘Trockenbeerenauslese’ Suavignon Blanc is nothing short of perfection in a bottle. Dense, viscous and full of bright underlying finesse, this runs the gamut of flavors from tropical and melon fruits to deep citrus oil, creme brûlée and butterscotch notes. A sumptuous, deeply-concentrated bottling, this beauty will surely live on for another twenty plus years to come. A whopping 215 g/l residual sugar. Drink 2024-2050- 100

Fritz Wieninger

Austrian winemaker Fritz Wieninger grew up in the family heurigen (wine taverns), serving wines produced by his mother, who was one of the first female graduates from the Klosterneuburg - Enology Program. Today, Fritz Wieninger is the leading wine producer in the city of Vienna and is a champion of Gemischter Satz, a traditional field blend and a favorite wine in Vienna’s heurigen. Fritz concluded that biodynamic farming was essential to have the best possible wines. The basis of this decision was founded on the belief that healthy soil would promote natural vineyards that would allow flora and fauna to thrive. The Wieninger family cultivates their vineyards in the Bisamberg, in the 19th district, and the Nussberg, in the 21st district of Vienna, which is also where the Wieninger Winery is located. A wide range of wines results from these two areas, whose climates differ due to the separation created by the Danube River.
Here are my reviews of the new wines by Weninger.

2022 Fritz Wieninger‘Weiner’ Gruner Veltliner- The 2022 Fritz Wieninger ‘Weiner’ Gruner Veltliner offers good freshness with kumquat and peach notes alongside Gravenstein apples and wet stony accents on the palate. Enjoy now. Drink 2024-2029- 90

2022 Fritz Wieninger ‘Nussberg’ Riesling- Very nervy and a touch lean, this offers petrol notes alongside lemon and lime zest with stony minerals on the palate. Enjoy now. Drink 2024-2029- 90

2021 Fritz Weininger ‘Ried Preussen’ Riesling- This is impressive and dense dry Riesling that offers a serious texture and depth on the mouth. Marzipan and honeydew melon combine with nutty and earthy accent on the palate. Delicious now, enjoy over the next eight years to come. Drink 2024-2032- 93

2021 Fritz Wieninger ‘Ried Kaasgraben Sievering’ Gruner Veltliner- Golden in the glass, the 2021 Weninger ‘Ried Kaasgraben Sievering’ Gruner Veltliner delivers serious richness and flavor density on the mouth, as the unctuous texture coats the tongue. Yellow plum, brioche and shades of nectarine all combine with pink grapefruit blossom water on the palate. Showing good astringency and weight, enjoy this beauty now and over the next ten years to come. Drink 2024-2034- 93

2021 Fritz Wieninger ‘Gemischter Satz’ White Wine- The 2021 Fritz Wieninger ‘Gemischter Satz’ White Wine offers beautiful texture with white peach and gooseberry notes alongside pear and green apple flavors with serious mineralality on the palate. Medium-bodied, enjoy now and over the next few years. Drink 2024-2029- 91

2020 Fritz Wieninger ‘Select’ Chardonnay- Golden in the glass, the 2020 ‘Select’ Chardonnay shows off pear, baking spice dusted pie crust and vanilla cream on the palate, with good tension and density. This is seriously good stuff that will cellar well for another eight years. Drink 2024-2032- 91

2021 Fritz Wieninger ‘Grand Select’ Chardonnay- More dense than the 2020 bottling, this outstanding wine shows peaches and rich pineapple on the palate alongside shades of pastry crust and baking slices on the palate. Dense and heady, with serious viscosity, enjoy now and over the next ten years. Drink 2024-2034- 92

2020 Fritz Wieninger ‘Select’ Pinot Noir- The 2020 Fritz Wieninger ‘Select’ Pinot Noir shows off damp earth, dried cranberry and sage notes on the nose. The palate is soft and fresh with plenty of earthy elegance and a gorgeous core of tart red fruits. Enjoy now and over the next eight years. Drink 2024-2032- 91

2021 Fritz Wieninger ‘Grand Select’ Pinot Noir- Intense nan beautifully fragrant, the 2020 ‘Grand Select’ Pinot Noir shows a glorious core of red fruits alongside tobacco leaf, orange peel and suggestions of loamy soils. Full-bodied, enjoy now and over the next ten years. Drink 2024-2034- 93

2018 Fritz Wieninger ‘Wiener Trilogie’ Red Wine- Very approachable now, this delivers a soft mouthfeel with menthol and Linzer torte flavors alongside shades of eucalyptus on the palate. Enjoyable now, savor over the next few years. Drink 2024-2030- 90

FIGGINS

Happy Washington Wine Month to you all. Today we share one of the truly outstanding Bordeaux style wines made in our state. FIGGINS is an iconic brand started more than a decade ago by Chris Figgins of Leonetti fame. This is a year to celebrate for Chris Figgins as he has now completed his new winery at the FIGGINS estate vineyard. This is a Napa level of hospitality at this scenic site, with its beautiful tasting room and elaborate caves underneath. A long time in the making, the winery is one of the great spots in the Pacific Northwest to taste, with expansive views of the entire valley.

Each year their Estate Red Wine is a combination of varietals year to year but focuses on Cabernet Sauvignon from this high elevation site set on loess soils. I know that they have been slowly adding more Petit Verdot into this blend as this site arguably produces the finest Petit in the state. This is always a proprietary blend that is stored now in almost half neutral barrels before bottling. The wine is extremely age worthy as I have tasted wines from ten years of age and they still have a long way to go in the cellar. They can be somewhat austere upon release and need a lot of air or time in the decanter if you don’t have the patience to cellar them.

The new fall 2024 release wine comes from the warm and outstanding 2021 vintage which was a show-stopper throughout the state. Very few boring or lean wines were made this vintage. This is a wine that beautifully showcases the warmth of the vintage. It is a deep, concentrated and bold blend that will easily cellar well for another two decades. Learn more about these fantastic wines at figginswine.com. Here are my review of the new 2024 fall release 2021 FIGGINS ‘Estate’ Red Wine.

2021 FIGGINS Red Wine-  A proprietary blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, the stunning 2021 FIGGINS Red Wine was stored in 57% new French oak prior to bottling and is entirely sourced from their estate vineyard in the foothills of the Blue Mountains. It shows off its sexy, inky core, reveling in violets, dark currants, sweet pipe tobacco and loamy soil notes on the nose. The palate is plush, deep and concentrated, with serious structure, tension, weight and depth as this glides throughout the drinking experience. Everything is in clockwork balance here, as the green herb, iron, dark chocolate shavings and graphite tones from the Petit Verdot mesmerize, alongside the dense dark fruits from the Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. A complete wine, this is truly one of the finest ever made by winemaker Chris Figgins. Try to cellar this beauty for another two years. Drink 2026-2046- 99

Cellar Selection: 2018 Quilceda Creek 'Galitzine Vineyard' Cabernet Sauvignon

While I am sent a nonstop cornucopia of wines for review, one of my favorite things at the end of the week is to reach into my cellar and find a great pull. I have had the chance to be revisiting many of the older Quilceda Creek wines over the past year and this time I ran into the otherworldly 2018 Quilceda Creek ‘Galitzine Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon. For me this has to be one of the finest ‘Galitzine’ wines made.

This wine is sourced from this small site in the Red Mountain AVA, which is typically the warmest appellation in Washington State and an ideal region for growing red wine grapes. The location is farmed by Vineyard Manager Dan Nickolaus, and the 17-acre Galitzine Vineyard was planted in 2001-2002 exclusively to Cabernet Sauvignon Clone 8. The vineyard is clearly really coming into its own right now at the twenty year mark. Wines from this site have massive power with beautiful tar and scorched earth notes from this hot site. This is usually one of the earlier sites to be harvested by Quilceda Creek.

Onto the wine, as it comes from the epic 2018 growing season — one that was warm but did not see many 100+ degree days. For my palate this is one of the finest vintages in Washington State history, up there with the legendary years of 2005 and 2002. Enough with the intro, here is my review of the absolutely epic 2018 ‘Galitzine Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon by Quilceda Creek.

2018 Quilceda Creek ‘Galitzine Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauviginon- A totally different animal to the ‘Columbia Valley’ Cabernet, but just as good, the incredible 2018 Quilceda Creek ‘Galitzine Vineyard’ is a perfect wine that shows very inky in the glass, taking on a glass-staining deep purple. Violets, tar, tobacco leaf and scorched earth notes combine with shades of Turkish coffee on the nose. The palate is weightiness and dense, with good underlying nerve and a seamless finish. The combination of flavor density and flavor complexity with its deep core of black and blue fruits, really makes this tick. Impressive now, I can see this cellaring well for another fifteen years to come — and potentially more. Drink 2024-2039- 100

Interview with Zach Richardson, Winemaker at 14 Hands

Today we share an interview wth the head winemaker of one of the United States’s most popular wine brands, 14 Hands. You can find 14 Hands wines everywhere from wine shops to 7-Eleven and of course Costco retailers. 14 Hands was initially launched in 2005 as a restaurant focused brand. Due to popular demand, it was introduced at retail in 2011. By 2012, 14 Hands had reached 1 million cases nationally. Earlier this year Zach Richardson was named winemaker at this eastern Washington-based brand. Zach does not originally have a background in winemaking but was inspired to take the WSU enology program. I think you will very much enjoy hearing his story in wine and here is my interview with Zach Richardson, winemaker at 14 Hands.

OB: How did you decide to be a winemaker and complete the WSU Enology program?

ZR: I decided to become a winemaker after being exposed to the industry as a temporary lab technician at Columbia Crest in 2015. I never really realized such an amazing industry was hiding in my backyard growing up in the Tri-Cities.

OB: How did you decide to first work for Ste. Michelle? 

ZR: After working as a temporary lab technician at Columbia Crest in 2015, I was fortunate enough to be offered the position of full-time lab technician at 14 Hands. Having that experience at Columbia Crest allowed me to learn about the wine industry and fueled my desire to continue my career with 14 Hands.

OB: You have a bachelor's degree in geotechnical engineering. Do you see any crossover with the work you do as 14 Hands winemaker?

ZR: There is some crossover with geology and winemaking. For example, knowing the soil types in which the vineyards are planted helps when scouting for grapes. Chemistry was also a main focal point in earning my degree and that has been key in being able to have constructive conversations with our analytical lab team.

OB: 14 Hands makes a wide range of value wines. How do you battle popular demand for sweeter style wines yet creating structure in the wines?

ZR: It has been a fun challenge to develop sweeter yet structured wines. We just introduced our Sweet Red Blend which I believe rides that wave very well. It is on the sweeter end which could help bring in new wine drinkers, and the structure of the Sweet Red Blend is a great entry point for these consumers to explore other wine products without too big of a shock to the palate.

OB: What are some of your favorite producers or wines of the world? 

ZR: The world is a big place and has many great producers, but I believe Washington State makes some amazing wines! I try to drink up all that I can from the state. Kiona and Frichette on Red Mountain come to mind when I want to try something new – I always look to see what they come out with.  For producers around the world, I can’t come up with a favorite per se.  I love Rhone Varietals and look for wines from that region to try. Carménère is also a favorite varietal and I enjoy different Chilean styles.

Tendril

Today we share one of the best out of Oregon. Winemaker Tony Rynders has worked a range of head winemaker positions over the years, formerly at Domaine Serene and Hogue. He has an esteemed master’s degree in Enology and Viticulture from UC Davis, and obtained more 90+ point scores from the Wine Spectator magazine than any other winemaker during this period of time.

Today Tony makes a range of wines for other producers such as Open Claim. He as a brilliant range of wines and is even making some excellent bubbles. The NV Child’s Play ’Blanc de Blancs’ Sparkling Wine (OB, 91) is fresh and vibrant with a smooth mousse. I love the 2019 Tendril ‘Tightrope’ Pinot Noir (OB, 95) which is a late release wine that is drinking beautifully right now at the five year mark. Learn more about these beautiful wines at http://www.tendrilwines.com Here are the gorgeous new wines by Tony Rynders and Tendril.

NV Childs Play ‘Blanc de Blancs’ Sparkling Wine- The really good NV Childs Play ‘Blanc de Blancs’ Sparkling Wine is creamy and rich on the mouth with bright pear and starfruit flavors that mingle with suggestions of guava and stony minerals. This is very well-made, showing good richness and finesse. Drink 2024-2030- 91

2022 Child’s Play Chardonnay- The 2022 Child’s Play Chardonnay comes from sites throughout the Willamette Valley. This is rich and viscous wine that is drinking beautifully right now. Melon and Meyer lemon cream combine with suggestions of poached pear. Enjoy now and over the next six plus years to come. Drink 2024-2030- 91

2019 Tendril ‘Enchanter’ Chardonnay- The 2019 ‘Enchanter’ Chardonnay spent more than fifteen months in mostly neutral oak barrels before bottling. This comes off soft and seamless through the mid-palate. Oyster shell and salty minerals combine with suggestions of lemon rind, baking spice laced pie crust and rich apricots on the palate. Showing good length, enjoy this beautiful wine now and over the next ten years to come. Drink 2024-2034- 93

2019 Tendril ‘XL’ Chardonnay- The ‘XL’ saw extended barrel age (30 months) in neutral barrels before bottling. This is loaded with richness and texture, giving an outstanding sense of weight but also underlying finesse. Macadamia nut, white peach, star jasmine water and suggestions of toasty oak all combine on the palate. Wait for the near minute-long finish in this very Montrachet v Oregon Chardonnay. A total masterclass, enjoy now and over the next ten to fifteen years. Drink 2024-2036- 96

2021 Tendril ‘Pretender’ White Pinot Noir- Truly one of the outstanding white Pinot Noirs in the world, the 2021 ‘Pretender’  was entirely sourced from Chehalem Mountain Pinot Noir grapes. Stored in natural oak for 16 months before bottling, this delivers orange blossom and hazelnut on the nose alongside shades of red raspberry and pretty guava notes on the nose. The palate is soft and generous with serious texture and weight. The flavor range is scintillating here, from nutty and earthy notes to bright red fruits, and copious saline drenched melon flavors. A stunner from this warm vintage, this is already nicely evolved stuff that has a long life ahead of it in the cellar. Just don’t serve too cold! Drink 2024-2040- 96

2022 Child’s Play Pinot Noir- The really delicious and juicy 2022 Child’s Play Pinot Noir comes from sites throughout the Willamette Valley. Guava, red cherry candy and dusty soils combine with pomegranate seed notes in this very juicy Pinot Noir. Enjoy now and over the next eight years to come. Drink 2024-2032- 91

2019 Tendril ‘Tightrope’ Pinot Noir- A barrel selection wine from this slightly cooler vintage the 2019 ‘Tightrope’ is a gorgeous rendition of this wine by winemaker Tony Rynders. This saw extended bottle age and opens with red rose petals, salty soils, tobacco leaf and shades of anise. The palate is soft and refined with serious texture and good underlying verve. Shades of pine needles, salty red fruits and black truffle shavings all combine on the palate. Deep and concentrated considering the coolness of the vintage, enjoy this beautiful wine now and over the next ten plus years to come. Drink 2024-2034- 95

2019 Tendril ‘Extrovert’ Pinot Noir- The awesome ‘Extrovert’ is a 100% whole cluster fermented wine that offers the boldest expression of Pinot Noir. This is beautifully structured stuff that has a long life in the cellar to go. Rich black fruits parade with salty and stony soils, menthol and shades of exotic spices on the palate, with cedar notes. Full-bodied and delicious, enjoy now and over the next ten plus years to come. Drink 2024-2034- 94

2021 Child’s Play Malbec- The 2021 Malbec offers violets, tar and rich dark chocolate shavings on the nose with shades of pencil lead. The palate is full-bodied, dense and delicious with good structure. A killer wine made at a great price, enjoy now and over the next ten years to come. Drink 2024-2034- 92

2018 Tendril ‘Octave Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon- Mainly Cabernet Sauvignon (78%) with the remainder Cabernet Franc, this comes for the high elevation Octave Vineyard in the Walla Walla Valley. This has great a combination of weight and finesse with dense dark fruits, chocolate, green herbs and suggestions of chocolate pie on the palate. Full-bodied and full of verve, watch this outstanding Cabernet Sauvignon evolve over the next ten to fifteen years. Drink 2024-2034- 94

2019 Tendril ‘Octave Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2019 Tendril ‘Octave Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon comes from this slightly cooler vintage in the Columbia Valley. Inky in the glass, this has 23% Cabernet Franc blended in. Red bell pepper and blackberry compote combine with anise, black currants and pastry crust accents on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with good verve this is an outstanding effort considering the challenges of the vintage. Drink 2024-2034- 94

Big Table Farm

A spectacular winery, Big Table Farm is nothing short of a pillar of consistency in the Willamette Valley. Big Table Farm was founded by Clare Carver and Brian Marcy — two of the great people in Oregon wine. Marcy has a longstanding history in the wine industry, formerly serving as winemaker for Neyers prior to moving north and settling in the Willamette Valley.These are wines that age brilliantly and are known for great texture and beautiful pure red and dark fruits, with loads of nuance. They will soon make wines from their estate vineyard.

They make a world-class Rose each year. This year might be the finest edition of this wine that I have tasted yet. The 2023 Big Table Farm ‘Laughing Pig’ Rose (OB, 94) is a total stunner in terms of richness, flavor range, flavor density and underlying tension. Learn more about Big Table Farm at http://www.bigtablefarm.com/ Here are the fantastic new release wines by Big Table Farm.

2023 Big Table Farm ‘Laughing Pig’ Rose- This beautiful new 2023 ‘Laughing Pig’ Rose was stored in neural barrels for several months after bottling. Texturally beautiful, this offers red rose water, pretty cran-cherry, pomegranate seed and Satsuma orange zest on the palate. Fresh and lithe, with a polished texture, this is an incredible wine that is showing brilliantly in its bright youth. Drink 2024-2030- 94

2022 Big Table Farm ‘Elusive Queen’ Chardonnay- The top Chardonnay made by Big Table Farm, the ‘Elusive Queen’ is made from less than 5% of their Chardonnay production, as this is a barrel select wine. White peach and honeysuckle notes mark the nose alongside Japanese pear and salty minerals. The palate is seamless and beautifully textured, capturing light toasty oak accents that mingle well with the generous citrus and orchard fruit flavors. A gorgeous bottling to consume now, this has both the weight and pose to cellar well for another fifteen years to come. Drink 2024-2038- 95

2022 Big Table Farm ‘Earth’ Pinot Noir- The 2022 ‘Earth’ is a barrel selection wine made from this slightly cooler vintage where harvest continued into November in the Willamette Valley. This is dense, heady and concentrated, with damp earth and peat moss accents that collide with loganberry, black cherry compote, black truffle shavings and suggestions of kumquat rind. A complex and delicious Oregon Pinot, this gorgeous new bottling has a long life ahead of it and is one of the finest from the Willamette Valley that I have tasted in the past year. Drink 2024-2040- 96

Beaux Frères

It is my great pleasure to share the story of Beaux Freres, one of Oregon’s finest producers of Pinot Noir. Michael Etzel founded this famed Ribbon Ridge outpost more than twenty years ago. While on vacation in 1986 Michael came across an 88 acre pig farm and after some consideration he decided to purchase the land with his brother in law, Robert Parker — and the rest became Oregon wine history. Michael focused on his job as vineyard manager by planting Pinot Noir in the Ribbon Ridge AVA and while planting his vineyard he interned at Ponzi Winery. It was all the way back in1990, that Michael harvested his first estate fruit and sold the grapes winemakers Ken Wright and Dick Ponzi. Michael came to see that there was something exceptional about fruit from his vineyard and began making focused, mineral-driven Pinot Noirs from this special site. The wines were subsequently reviewed with incredible acclaim.

I adore the purity of these wines. There is something about this location that produces a purity of red fruit that is quite simply unparalleled with anything found in the Willamette Valley. The wines show some of the most aging ability that you will find in this region.

The 2022 Beaux Frères ‘Willamette Valley’ Chardonnay (OB, 95) is deep, rich and concentrated with fantastic finesse. This is elegant, concentrated Pinot noir that has a long life ahead of it. I was blown away with the 2022 Beaux Frères ‘Sequitur Vineyard’ Pinot Noir (OB, 97) which is one of the finest Pinot Noirs from Oregon that I have tasted in the past year. This beautiful wine will easily cellar for another twenty years. Learn more about this famed winery at beauxfreres.com and here is my review of the new Beaux Freres wines.

2022 Beaux Frères ‘Willamette Valley’ Chardonnay- The stunning 2022 Beaux Frères ‘Willamette Valley’ Chardonnay comes from Star Mooring and Doration as well as Pearlstad vineyards. This was stored in 30% new French oak for one year before bottling.The nose offers beautiful nutty tones alongside chalky soils, white peach, baked apple and baking spice laced pie crust notes. The palate is big, showing off an unctuous texture and beautiful length. Deeply rich and layered, enjoy now and over the next ten plus years. Drink 2024-2036- 95

2021 Beaux Frères ‘Doration’ Pinot Noir- This comes from the Doration Vineyard which was planted by Mikie Etzel back in 2015. This site has predominantly been planted to California clones such as Calera and Swan. This shows beautiful red florals on the nose alongside salty soils, red currants and shades of tart cranberry. The palate is refined and concentrated as this has great elegance, richness and underlying tension. A total stunner, this is already nicely evolved and will live on for another twenty years to come. Drink 2024-2044- 96

2022 Beaux Frères ‘Sequitur Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The 2022 Beaux Frères ‘Sequitur Vineyard’ is sourced from this famed Ribbon Ridge site that was planted back in 2012 by Carey Critchlow and Michael Etzel. This 12 acre location is planted to 17 separate Pinot Noir clones. The nose shows gorgeous red florals alongside red cheery, lavender, loamy soils and suggestions of guava puree. The palate is ultra-lush and refined with serious texture and chewy tannins. Dense and chewy, loaded with bright red fruits, this will easily be a 20 year wine. Only 12.4% alcohol. Drink 2025-2045- 97

2021 Beaux Frères ‘The Beaux Freres Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- Another wine with serious aging potential, the fabulous and flamboyant 2021 Beaux Frères ‘The Beaux Freres Vineyard’ Pinot Noir comes from Dijon clone Pinot Noir. Also very dark in the glass, this reveals rich wild blackberry and black cherry notes on the nose with stony soils, cigar box and shades of milk chocolate. The palate is plush as silky tannins frame this gorgeous core of black fruit flavors alongside crushed mint, cardamom dusted red raspberry and rich fig notes. Big and bold, this has incredible richness yet comes across weightless on the mid-palate. Give this an hour of air if enjoying now, as this beauty will live on for easily another twenty years to come. This is one of the great wines of Oregon that I’ve had the pleasure of tasting in the past year. Drink 2025-2045- 98

Januik/Novelty Hill

JIt is always a great time tasting with Andrew Januik, a man who makes a beautiful range of wines from crisp Rose to deep and concentrated Malbecs. For many years Andrew trained under his father, Washington wine icon Mike Januik, who was formerly head winemaker at Chateau Ste. Michelle and Col Solare before starting his own winery. Mike is a master of crafting great wines from literally any varietal. For years I have admired his Chardonnay wines that show insanely good aging potential — even from hot sites like the Cold Creek Vineyard. These guys are also crafting some of the greatest values wines in the state.

I love visiting this beautiful, modern facility in Woodinville. My wife and I love coming here on a bright summer day where you can taste their beautiful range of white wines. Food quality here also has gotten really good.

I adored the 2023 Januik ‘Sagemoor’ Sauvignon Blanc (OB, 92) which is beautifully textured stuff that has bright underlying acidity and really good flavor range. Even better is the 2022 Januik ‘Cold Creek’ Chardonnay (OB, 93) which is drinking beautifully right now and is also wonderfully textured, with great length.  Learn more about these great wines at  https://www.noveltyhilljanuik.com/ and here are my reviews of the great new wines by Januik/Novelty Hill.

2023 Januik ‘Sagemoor Vineyard’ Sauvignon Blanc- Bright and rich, the 2023 Januik ‘Sagemoor Vineyard’ Sauvignon Blanc offers kiwi, gooseberry and ripe melon tones on the palate, with good richness and texture. Lithe and lush on the mouth, enjoy this beautiful wine now and over the next five to seven years. Drink 2024-2030- 92

2022 Januik ‘Cold Creek Vineyard’ Chardonnay- The 2022 ‘Cold Creek Vineyard’ Chardonnay comes from this cooler vintage — albeit from a warmer site. This is fat and ripe on the palate with figs, alongside buttercream, Japanese pear and suggestions of juicy peach. Smooth and generous, this is fabulous Chardonnay that is drinking brilliantly now. Drink 2024-2032- 93

2021 Januuik ‘Columbia Valley’ Merlot- This beautiful 2021 Merlot offers ripe fig and sagebrush flavors alongside milk chocolate covered black cherry on the palate. Round and generous, with great structure, enjoy now and over the next ten years to come. Nearly all Merlot (91%) with smaller parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Drink 2024-2034- 93

2021 Januik ‘Weinbau Vineyard’ Cabernet Franc- Coming from this great site for Cabernet Franc, the 2021 ‘Weinbau Vineyard’ delivers beautiful dried herbs on the nose with potpourri and chocolate pie tones. The palate is fresh and lithe with serious texture and good underlying verve. This is seriously good stuff that has a long life ahead of it. Drink 2024-2040- 94

2021 Januik ‘Columbia Valley’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2021 Januik ‘Columbia Valley’ comes from ten different sites, with a large portion coming from Horse Heaven Hills and Red Mountain. This Cabernet Sauvignon shows sagebrush and Turkish coffee notes alongside sandalwood tones. The palate is very fresh and polished with a smooth texture. Drink 2024-2034- 92

2021 Januik ‘Ciel du Cheval’ Cabernet Sauvignon- A beautiful wine to consume even now, the 2021 Januik ‘Ciel du Cheval’ Cabernet Sauvignon offers gorgeous black florals on the nose alongside coffee grounds and shades of black currant cordial. The palate is plush and round, with a generous texture and good depth. Drinking beautifully now, watch this evolve over the next fifteen years. Drink 2024-2040- 94

2021 Januik ‘Quintessence Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon- This beautiful new 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon comes from the Quintessence Vineyard in the Red Mountain AVA. On the nose this shows roasted figs and espresso grounds alongside scorched earth tones. The palate is soft and refined with plenty of texture and juicy dark fruits. Rich and layered, enjoy now and over the next fifteen years. Drink 2024-2040- 94

202 Januik ‘Red Mountain’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2021 ‘Red Mountain’ Cabernet Sauvignon is dense and dark in the glass. The palate is loaded with rich chocolate, sagebrush and dark currant flavors alongside granite and tar tones. Coming from a blend of sites on Red Mountain, this fleshy and delicious Cabernet Sauvignon is a total home-run. Drink 2024-2040- 94

2021 Januik ‘Weinbau Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2021 ‘Weinbau Vineyard’ comes from this site that has older plantings on the Wahluke Slope. On the nose this takes on layers of huckleberry alongside coffee grounds, wet gravel and fresh sage. The palate is soft and refined with loamy soils alongside rich dark fruits and chocolate. Drink 2024-2040- 94

2021 Januik ‘Reserve Red’ Red Wine- The 2021 ‘Reserve Red’ is a beautiful barrel-select wine by Andrew Januik. Mainly Cabernet Sauvignon, this offers a smooth texture and comes off very seamless throughout the drinking experience. Turkish coffee, creme de violette, and blackberry compote all combine on the palate, alongside loamy soils. A total stunner, enjoy this beautiful wine now and over the next twenty years to come. Drink 2024-2042- 96

Domaine Serene

Today we share one of the finest houses in Oregon. An Oregon winery needing no introduction, Domaine Serene consistently produces some of the great wines that you will find in the Willamette Valley. At the helm is winemaker Michael Fay who is former Goldeneye winemaker and has now been at Domaine Serene for many years. I’ve been tracking his illustrious career for more than a decade. Last Friday I had the chance to sit down and taste his 2021 wines. They were really serious across the board, including his new collection of French wines. The new sparkling wine program remains one of the finest you will see in the Wiillamette Valley. Inspired by the MV wines of Krug, these wines now are using reserve wines along with their base, going back to the 2014 vintage. I adored the Domaine Serene ‘Evenstad Reserve’ M.V. 6 Brut (OB, 95) which is rich and viscous with serious tension and a silky mousse. The best wine I tasted was the new edition of their ‘Monogram’ which comes from the somewhat challenging 2019 vintage. I think that the 2019 Domaine Serene ‘Monogram’ Pinot Noir (OB, 99) is every bit as good as the otherworldly 2018 bottling. This is the finest wine from this vintage that I have ever tasted. Learn more at domaineserene.com and here are my reviews of the new Domaine Serene and Chateau de la Cree wines.

Domaine Serene ‘Evenstad Reserve’ M.V. 6 Brut- The Domaine Serene ‘Evenstad Reserve’ M.V. 6 Brut comes from a base wine from the 2019 vintage (70%) with wines all the way back to the 2014 vintage. The nose shows baking spice laced pie crust, toasted hazelnuts and apricot notes with ginger accents. The palate is deep and concentrated, with serious tension and good richness. The reserve wines are truly shining here. Drink 2024-2035- 95

Domaine Serene ‘Evenstad Reserve’ M.V. 5 Brut Rose- The Domaine Serene ‘Evenstad Reserve’ M.V. 5 Brut Rose utilizes a base from the 2019 vintage, with older reserve wines blended in. This offers ripe red raspberry and guava notes on the palate with shades of gooseberry and salty soils. Refined and elegant, enjoy over the next ten plus years to come. Drink 2024-2034- 95

Domaine Serene ‘Fleur de Vie’ M.V. 5 Demi-Sec- This MV 5 Demi-Sec is juicy and round with ripping acidity once on the mouth. Juicy pear and green apple flavors parade with marzipan and sweet peach. Lithe and showing a polished mousse, enjoy now and over the next ten years. Drink 2024-2034- 94

2021 Chevalier de la Cree Saint Roman- This is a new wine to the Chateau de la Cree portfolio of wines. This Saint Roman shows beautiful verve and nerve with a smooth viscosity and good sense of length. Toasted almonds and nectarine notes combine with shades of salty minerals on the palate. Refined and elegant, enjoy now and over the next eight years. Drink 2024-2032- 93

2021 Chateau de la Cree ‘Les Tillets’ Mersault- The brilliant 2021 Chateau de la Cree ‘Les Tillets’ Mersault offers toasty oak alongside starfruit and baking spice laced golden delicious apple on the nose. The palate is big and bold with beautiful underlying tension. Lemon oil combines with green apple, peach and limestone on the palate. A joy to consume now, enjoy over the next twenty years to come. Drink 2024-2044- 96

2021 Domaine Serene ‘Aspect’ Chardonnay- The 2021 ‘Aspect’ Chardonnay comes from a Clos de Lune and Triple Crown locations in the Evenstad Estate. The nose shows off brioche and banana notes alongside toasted macadamia nut accents. The palate is deep and concentrated with serious tension and richness. Great now, enjoy over the next fifteen years to come. Drink 2024-2040- 95

2021 Maison Evenstad ‘Les Vignes Longues’ Montagny- The stunning 2021 Maison Evenstad ‘Les Vignes Longues’ Montagny is a seamless wine that is already shining brightly. The wine is a barrel selection wine from this single vineyard site in Montagny. On the nose this takes on rich mixed nut and pastry crust notes alongside apricots. The palate is soft and seamless throughout the drinking experience. Heady and dense with good nerve, enjoy over the next fifteen plus years to come. Drink 2024-2040- 96

2021 Chateau de la Cree ‘Clos des Angles’ Volnay- The 2021 Volnay comes from the Clos de Angles which was purchased by the Evenstads. Black truffle shavings, wild blackberry and cranberry notes combine with peat moss on the nose. The palate is lush and big with serious weight and texture. A stunning wine, enjoy now and over the next ten plus years to come. Drink 2024-2036- 95

2021 Domaine Serene ‘Yamhill Cuvee’ Pinot Noir- The 2021 ‘Yamhill Cuvee’ was stored in 45% new French oak before bottling. This comes off dense and chewy with lush red fruits that ingle well with dusty soils, and black cherry, flirting with cola accents. Delicious, round and generous, this is arguably the best bottling of ‘Yamhill Cuvee’ that I have tasted. Drink 2024-2032- 93

20021 Domaine Serene ‘Two Barns’ Pinot Noir- The 2021 ‘Two Barns’ come from the west side of the Dundee Hills at lower elevation. This site has both Jory and Willakenzie soils. The wine shows off juicy yakima cherry and red raspberry accents alongside guava puree, orange peel and damp rocky soils. Showing a bright sense of tension and salinity, this gorgeous bottling is shining brightly right now. Drink 2024-2036- 95

2021 Domaine Serene ‘Jerusalem Hill’ Pinot Noir- This wine comes from a site set on Woodburn soils which are moderately well drained soils that formed in silty stratified glacio lacustrine deposits. This high elevation site is strongly influenced by the Van Duzer Corridor. Dense and chewy with a soft texture and good sense of weight, the wine shows off wild blackberry and black cherry at its core, with exotic spices and shades of blood orange zest. Delicious and lithe with a polished texture, enjoy now and over the next ten to fifteen years to come. Drink 2024-2040- 95

2021 Domaine Serene ‘Winery Hill Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- This beautiful 2021 Pinot Noir comes from this site that is set on Jory soils. Bitter orange and juicy cherry flavors combine with pomegranate seed, iron and shades of wet rock. Showing a smooth texture and good sense of weight, this is already neatly evolved stuff that is drinking beautifully right now. Drink 2024-2040- 95

2021 Domaine Serene ‘Aspect’ Pinot Noir- This beautiful new Pinot Noir is a blend of Grace, Mark Bradford and Fleur De Lis Vineyards which were planted from 1993-1996. This is dense, delicious and beautifully textured wine that is already beautifully evolved. Dense dark fruits parade with copious minerals and a seamless texture throughout the drinking experience. This shows no rough edges. Enjoy now and over the next fifteen to twenty years. This is a world-class Pinot Noir. Drink 2024-2040- 97

2021 Domaine Serene ‘Fleur De Lis Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The outstanding 2021 Domaine Serene ‘Fleur De Lis Vineyard’ Pinot Noir comes from this site that was planted in the mid-90s. This shows pretty red rose petals alongside tar, anise, red cherry notes and shades of bergamot. The palate is plush and lush wit ha soft texture and great sense of underlying tension — showing loads of mouth-watieng acidity. No need to cellar this beauty but it will easily cellar for another fifteen years. Drink 2024-2036- 96

2021 Domaine Serene ‘Grace Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The 2021 ‘Grace Vineyard’ comes from this southeastern facing site originally planted back in 1993, set on volcanic soils. Black raspberry and beautiful black florals mark the nose alongside damp earth, white truffle and boysenberry notes. Powerful and sturdy with tons of flavor density, this really needs a few years of bottle age. . . but the potential is absolutely there. Try to put this in the cellar for a few more years before savoring. Drink 2026-2050- 97

2021 Domaine Serene ‘Mark Bradford Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The Mark Bradforrd Vineyard is a western facing site that is slow to ripen and was named after the Evenstad’s sons. Bllack cherry compote, dusty soils and hazelnuts combine with shades of white pepper and wild blackberry combine on the nose. A gorgeous wall of black fruits combine with stony soils. Over time truffle notes combine with peat moss, alongside the core of wild blackberry and black raspberry flavors. Refined in terms of texture and viscosity, with serious underlying tension, this will easily be a 20 year wine. Try to stash this beauty away for a few more years. Drink 2026-2050- 97

2019 Domaine Serene ‘Monogram’ Pinot Noir- The 2019 ‘Monogram’ is a barrel selection wine that comes from the Grace and Cote Sud Vineyards, as Mark Bradford vineyard was not blended into this. Leaving no doubt of its stunning flavor density and flavor range, this is brooding and intense wine that has massive cellaring potential. The nose has otherworldly aromatic range from red and black florals to dusty soils, blood orange zest, wet rock, and shades of black raspberry. Dense and seamless on the mouth, this effortlessly glides throughout the drinking experience. Weightless yet massive in terms of dense dark fruits, this is a stunning wine that is absolutely on par with the otherworldly 2018 ‘Monogram’ bottling. Enjoy now and over the next twenty plus years. Drink 2025-2050- 99

2021 Rockblock ‘Horse Heaven Hills’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2021 Rockblock ‘Horse Heaven Hills’ Cabernet Sauvignon comes from the Double Canyon Vineyard. Violets, tar and tobacco leaf all combine wth heady dark fruits on the nose. The palate is plush and refined with great structure and flavor density. Rich and layered, enjoy this beautiful wine now and over the next ten years to come. Drink 2024-2035- 94

Jachter

A great story in wine, for 27 years, Dave Jachter owned and operated several successful car dealerships in Oregon. Over decades, Dave cultivated a passion for wine, and a cellar to match. After selling his dealerships Dave has travelled to France, Italy, and California wine regions, and tasted wines from around the world.  He studied at UC Davis, completing a variety of viticultural courses as he and his wife, Karen, purchased 120 acres in the Chehalem Mountains AVA in the heart of the Willamette Valley.

These were the first releases that I have tasted from this estate and I was really impressed. I love the 2021 Jachter ‘The J. Reserve’ Chardonnay (OB, 93) which is dense, bold and shows off its silky texture. These wines were refined and consistently great from this warm 2021 vintage. Learn more about this exciting new Oregon house at

2021 Jachter ‘Chehalem Mountains’ Chardonnay- The 2021 ‘Chehalem Mountains’ Chardonnay delivers great nerve and texture on the mouth. Pink Lady apple and orange peel notes combine with wet stone and lemon blossom water on the palate. Drink 2024-2030- 92

2021 Jachter ‘The J. Reserve’ Chardonnay- The 2021 ‘The J. Reserve’ is a barrel selection wine that was stored in 50% new French oak before bottling. Showing good tension and texture, this offers lemon oil and rich melon flavors alongside copious minerals on the palate. Big and round, enjoy this brilliant, warm vintage Chardonnay now and over the next ten years. Drink 2024-2034- 93

2021 Jachter ‘Case Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- This 2021 Pinot Noir was sourced from the Case Vineyard, located in the Chehalem Mountains AVA. This is plush and ripe wine with dense red fruit flavors alongside sea salt, peat moss and orange rind notes. Complex and delicious, enjoy over the next eight to ten years. Drink 2024-2034- 92

2021 Jachter ‘Cuvee Karen Ann’ Pinot Noir- The 2021 ‘Cuvee Karen Ann’ was crafted from Wadenswil and Pommard clone Pinot Noir grapes. This comes off very elegant and refined with boysenberry and strawberry fruit flavors alongside Mandarin orange zest, and salty minerals. Nicely textured, enjoy now and over the next few years. Drink 2024-2034- 93

2021 Jachter ‘Dundee Hills’ Pinot Noir- Dark in the glass, the 2021 Jachter ‘Dundee Hills’ Pinot Noir comes from Pommard selection grapes set on Jory soils. This offers a silky mouthfeel with rich dark fruits, tobacco and loamy soils on the palate. Fresh and showing good length, enjoy this beautiful wine now and over the next ten plus years to come. Drink 2024-2036- 93

Lopai Cellars

Today we share a world-class brand new winery. Lopai is led by a father and son team, Paul and Brian Lopez. Their estate-driven wine project located in the Willow Creek district of Paso Robles, California. The Lopez family has roots in San Luis Obispo County of the Central Coast dating back to the late 1800's. Paul (P-Lo) was a popular grocer in Paso Robles for 35 years before entering the wine business. With 14 vintages under his belt and stints at Villa Creek and Alta Colina, he's currently the Cellar Master at Denner Vineyards. Brian pursued a career in software engineering and technology before becoming the estate's full time vineyard manager. The LOPAI estate is located 10 miles from the Pacific Ocean, benefiting from the Pacific's steady coastal breezes. Temperatures at the estate are on average 10 to 25 degrees cooler than in downtown Paso Robles.Brian Lopez purchased the land upon which the LOPAI estate sits in 2019, and their inaugural release was in 2023.

I was floored with the overall quality of the wines. I adore the 2022 Lopai Semillon (OB, 92) which comes from the famed Vogelzang Vineyard and offers tons of texture and depth. I love the 2019 Lopai ‘Heliotrope’ Red Wine (OB, 94) which is dense and chewy — a treat to savor now. Learn more at lopaicellars.com and here are my reviews of the new Lopai wines.

2022 Lopai Semillon- The outstanding 2022 Lopai Semillon comes form the Vogelzang Vineyard in Happy Canyon. This is rich and neatly textured stuff delivering kiwi and pear flavors alongside honeydew melon notes on the palate. Great now, enjoy over the next few years to come. Drink 2024-2030- 92

2020 Lopai ‘Jada’ Syrah- The 2020 ‘Jada’ comes from the Willow Creek District and its namesake vineyard. Smoked brisket, tar and tobacco leaf play well with deep dark fruits on the palate. Delicious now, enjoy over the next few years. Drink 2024-2030- 92

2020 Lopai ‘La Montanita’ Syrah- Coming from the La Montanita Vineyard in the San Luis Obispo Coast AVA, this is inky in the glass, offering alluring aromatics of anise and black rose petals alongside bergamot and dark currants. Plush and hedonistic on the mouth, this has a gorgeous layer of black fruits that greet you, alongside stony minerals and good tension. Drink 2024-2030- 93

2020 Lopai Cabernet Sauvignon- Sourced from the Willow Creek District, this has 13% Petit Verdot blended in as well as 4% Petite Sirah. This comes off soft and juicy with  bitter chocolate and black currant flavors alongside good tension and viscosity. Enjoy now and over the next several years. Drink 2024-2030- 92

2019 Lopai ‘Heliotrope’ Red Wine- The 2019 ‘Heliotrope’ combines Cabernet Sauvignon (63%) with smaller portions Mourvèdre and Cabernet Franc coming from the Denner Vineyards. This is a total stunner with creme de violette, tar, anise and black currant jelly on the palate. Delicious and very viscous, enjoy over the next ten years. Drink 2024-2034- 94