King Estate

Today we share a famed and also historic winery that helped put Oregon Pinot Gris on the map. Meeting last weekend with King Estate director of winemaking Brent Stone, we tasted and chatted about the warm 2021 growing season and how it contrasted to those made in 2022. It was warm but not unseasonably warm out as we tasted through a range of his limited production wines.

It was many years ago that Oregon wine legend Ed King realized that the southern portion of the Willamette Valley was a perfect spot to grow Pinot Gris. They now make several hundred thousand cases of their ‘Willamette Valley’ Pinot Gris that you can find in wine shops and supermarkets across America. Brent Stone has now been at the helm since 2011. He has been doing a fantastic job with the wines that range in SKUs from Sauvignon Blanc and Rose to Sparkling Wines and inky Syrah. King Estate is arguably Oregon’s most beautiful winery with sweeping views of the valley and its vineyards.

Earlier in the week I had tasted a 2012 King Estate ‘Domaine’ Pinot Gris (OB, 94) which was fresh and also very fleshy, starting to come into nutty tones. I adored the 2019 King Estate ‘Brut’ Sparking Wine (OB, 94) which was a total knockout having spent four years en tirage. Learn more about this famed Oregon estate at https://www.kingestate.com and here are my tasting notes from the new King Estate wines.

2019 King Estate ‘Brut’ Sparkling Wine- This 2019 sparkling wine sat en tirage for four years and is near equal parts of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. This is beautiful and generous on the palate with rich melon and kumquat fruit flavors alongside shades of guava on the palate. Salty and dense, with biscuit undertones, this is drinking marvelously right now. Drink 2024-2032- 94

2012 King Estate ‘Domaine’ Pinot Gris- Uncorked after being purchased at the winery, the 2012 King Estate ‘Domaine’ Pinot Gris is a magical wine that shows the incredible aging potential of top-class Pinot Gris. Kiwi, cantaloupe and macadamia nut flavors combine with wonderful viscosity and underlying verve on the palate. This still has life ahead of it! Drink 2024-2030- 94

2022 King Estate ‘Eola Springs Vineyard Pinot Gris- A beautiful wine that shows body and texture, the 2022 ‘Eola Springs Vineyard’ Pinot Gris is the only wine that they make from this region. The site was first planted back in the early ‘70s. Stored in stainless steel, right away this opens with rich pear and brioche tones that combine with suggestions of honeydew melon. Smooth throughout the drinking experience, enjoy now and over the next eight years to come. Drink 2024-2030- 92

2023 King Estate ‘Croft Vineyard’ Sauvignon Blanc- Coming from this famed site for SB in Oregon, the 2023 ‘Croft Vineyard’ was stored in concrete, stainless steel and neutral French oak before bottling. This opens with kiwi, passion fruit and shades of Macadamia nut on the nose. The palate is deep and lithe with a smooth texture. Bright and fresh, enjoy this beautiful wine now and over the next six years to come. Drink 2024-2030- 93

2022 King Estate ‘Grand Oak Vineyard’ Chardonnay- Formerly the Nicolas Vineyard, this was rebranded as ‘Grand Oak.’ Stored in neutral and new oak barrels, concrete and stainless steel, this offers a silky texture with bright sense of salinity. Peach and salted Marcona almond combine wth shades of pie crust and baking spices on the palate. Drinking beautifully now, enjoy this Chehalem Mountains AVA Chardonnay now and over the next eight years to come. Drink 2024-2032- 93

2022 King Estate ‘Just Shy’ Pinot Noir- The 2022 ‘Just Shy’ utilizes 113 clonal selection Pinot Noir and comes form the highest elevation block at the Estate Vineyard. Beautiful red florals mark the nose alongside orange peel and suggestions of salty soils. The palate is lithe and elegant with a smooth mouthfeel, showing a pretty red fruit profile. Enjoy now and over the next eight years. Drink 2024-2032- 92

2022 King Estate ‘Chehalem Mountain Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The outstanding 2022 King Estate ‘Chehalem Mountain Vineyard’ Pinot Noir comes from this site which was planted in the late 1960s. The bottling is more broad shouldered and generous right now. Dense red fruits collide with kumquat zest, volcanic soils and suggestions of white peppercorn. Drink 2024-2038- 93

2022 King Estate ‘Seven Hills Vineyard’ Syrah- The 2022 King Estate ‘Seven Hills Vineyard’ Syrah comes from this acclaimed site in the Walla Walla Valley. Dense and chewy on the palate, this has outstanding flavor range from chocolate and sagebrush notes alongside coffee grounds and shades of blackberry pie. Fresh and lithe with good texture, enjoy now and over the next ten years. Drink 2024-2034- 93

2023 King Estate Muscat- The 2023 Muscat comes from their estate vineyard and was harvested late, checking in at 35 G/L residual sugar. Nectarine and candied ginger notes mark the nose alongside roasted pineapple. The palate is fresh and polished with a smooth texture. Delicious now, enjoy over the next six to eight years. Drink 2024-2030- 90

Harper Voit

One of the brilliant producers in the Willamette Valley, Harper Voit was founded by owner and winemaker Drew Voit and Winemaker Jessica West. Harper Voit is a small team of four people driven by the guiding principle of intentionality. Drew founded Harper Voit in 2009 after spending more than 15 years studying winemaking.

The winery makes a really nice range of wines from various sites throughout the Willamette Valley. I was really impressed with their 2020 Harper Voit ‘Gigi’ Riesling (OB, 93) which has to be one of the best wines made in the highly challenging 2020 vintage. This one comes off very clean. I adored the 2021 Harper Voit ‘Beize Vineyard’ Pinot Noir (OB, 94) which comes from the estate vineyard for Van Duzer and shows fabulous flavor range. Learn more about these great wines at https://www.harpervoit.com/ and here are my reviews of the new wines by Harper Voit.

2020 Harper Voit ‘Gigi’ Riesling- Coming from the Maresh Vineyard in the Dundee Hills AVA, this 2020 Riesling embodies class with its oily texture and good sense of weight and length. Star jasmine water and kiwi combine with walnut and shades of ripe nectarine on the palate. Showing some outstanding depth, enjoy this great wine from a challenging vintage now and over the next few years. Drink 2024-2030- 93

2019 Harper Voit ‘Elevage’ Pinot Blanc- The 2019 ‘Elevage’ Pinot Blanc comes from the Eola-Amity Hills AVA, this wine saw extended barrel age, making it extremely round, generous and approachable now. Japanese pear and toasted hazelnuts combine with ripe peach and suggestions of banana on the palate. Drinking beautifully now, enjoy over the next six to eight years to come. Drink 2024-2030- 93

2021 Harper Voit ‘Chehalem Mountains’ Chardonnay- The 2021 ‘Chehalem Mountains’ Chardonnay offers a smooth texture upon entry. Ripe melon and orchard fruit flavors combine with suggestions of poached pear and vanilla cream on the palate. Really delicious and well-made, enjoy now and over the next six years to come. Drink 2024-2030- 92

2022 Harper Voit ‘Surlie’ Pinot Blanc- The 2022 ‘Surlie’ Pinot Blanc delivers honeydew melon, toasted marcona almond and shades of pie crust on the palate. Rich and polished, with good underlying tension, enjoy now and over the next six plus years to come. Drink 2024-2030- 92

2021 Harper Voit ‘Beize Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The Bieze Vineyard is a high elevation site in the Van Duzer corridor, set on volcanic soils. This 2021 Pinot Noir comes off wonderfully rocky on the palate, loaded with bright red fruits with orange peel, forest floor and shades of exotic spice on the palate. Medium to full-bodied, with great structure, enjoy this beauty now and over the next ten plus years to come. Drink 2024-2035- 94

2021 Harper Voit ‘Strandline’ Pinot Noir- The 2021 ‘Strandline’ comes from a range of sites throughout the Willamette Valley. On the nose this takes on bright Bing cherry and tobacco leaf notes that mingle well with blood orange and shades of cardamom. The palate is fresh and neatly textured, with good length. A joy to consume now, enjoy over the next eight years. Drink 2024-2032- 92

2021 Harper Voit ‘Terrarossa Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The outstanding 2021 ‘Terrarossa Vineyard’ is sourced from this Dundee Hills location set on volcanic soils. This comes off plump, round and generous on the palate, loaded with rich red and dark fruits that mingle well with menthol and rocky soils. Fresh and vibrant in its youth, enjoy now and over the next ten years. Drink 2024-2034- 93

2021 Harper Voit ‘Antiquum Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- This 2021 Pinot Noir comes from vines set on rather rare Bellpine soils. On the nose this is loaded with a beautiful range of pomegranate seed, cherry and red raspberry tones alongside lavender and freshly tilled loamy soils. The palate is filled with texture and good underlying verve. A seriously great wine from this warm vintage, enjoy now and over the next ten plus years to come. Drink 2024-2035- 94

2021 Harper Voit ‘Bramble Hill’ Pinot Noir- This 2021 Pinot Noir was sourced from the Bramble Hill Vineyard, set in the Ribbon Ridge AVA. This is a classy and very pretty expression of Oregon Pinot Noir, showing a great combination of damp soils alongside Mandarin orange zest, dusty soils and tobacco leaf notes. Medium to full-bodied, enjoy now and over the next ten plus years to come. Drink 2024-2035- 94

Kanzler Vineyards

Today we share the outstanding wines of Alex Kanzler. The Kanzler Estate vineyard is a 14 acre site all planted to Pinot Noir set on Goldridge soils. A top portion of the vineyard formerly had Chardonnay and was replanted to Pinot Noir. Kanzler sources from several other sites including Mes Filles, One Fifteen and Walker Station vineyards. During harvest grapes are hand-sorted by 3-5 people. They then decide how much whole cluster fermentation they want to do but most wines are 20-30% whole cluster fermented. Wines are then pressed and are left alone for several months during the winter season. Wines are then blended and eventually bottled. They rely heavily on a small selection of large format oak barrels.

Since I have been tasting these wines I have been really mpressed with the overall quality. These are big Pinots and Chards that have some great stability and richness. I love the 2022 Kanzler ‘Estate Reserve’ Pinot Noir (OB, 95) which is dense and chewy and ready to consume now, speaking to the heat of the vintage. Learn more at https://kanzlervineyards.com/ and here are my reviews of the new 2022 Pinot Noirs by Kanzler.

2022 Kanzler ‘Walker Station’ Pinot Noir- The great 2022 ’Walker Station’ comes from this Green Valley site set on Goldridge soils.  Salty and rocky soils mingle well with boysenberry fruit flavors and a touch of cola on the palate. Forward, juicy, medium-bodied and smooth on the mouth, enjoy now and over the next few years to come. Drink 2024-2031- 92

2022 Kanzler ‘Estate Reserve’ Pinot Noir- Very perfumed and concentrated in the glass, the 2022 Kanzler ‘Estate Reserve’ Pinot Noir is a gorgeous effort from this hot vintage in Sonoma County. Mountain blackberry, cran-cola, black cherry compote and shades of bergamot combine with loamy soil accents on the palate. Voluptuous and dense on the mouth, this is drinking marvelously in its heady youth. Speaking to the warmth of the vintage, this might not be the longest-lived Pinot Noir but it is exceedingly delicious wine to consume now and over the next eight to ten years. Drink 2024-2034- 95

Ingrid Groiss

One of the outstanding producers of the Niederösterreich (Lower Austria), Ingrid Groiss is set on land with many diverse terroirs and loess soils. Groiss produces white wines from indigenous grape varieties, including Grüner Veltliner, Riesling, and Gemischter Satz (a traditional field blend). A small family business, Weingut Ingrid Groiss has Ingrid at the helm, her father helping with tractor work, and her mother assisting in the vineyards. The family oversees 20 hectares (49.4 acres) of organic vineyards, crafting a focused range of wines, including four single vineyard wines grown on 50-year-old vines. Ingrid Groiss studied winemaking at Universität für Bodenkultur and returned home to eventually inherit vineyards from both her mother’s and father’s sides of the family.

The wines were outstanding and showed serious depth and character. I love the 2022 Weingut Ingrid Groiss ‘Ried Sauberg’ Gruner Veltliner (OB, 94) which is rich and beautifully textured stuff that is built to age. Learn more at https://www.vineyardbrands.com/producer.aspx?id=166 and here are my reviews of the new wines by Ingrid Groiss.

2022 Weingut Ingrid Groiss ‘Gemichter Satz’ Braitenpuechtorff- A blend of three varietals, the 2022 Braitenpuechtorff  offers pear, green apple, lemon rind and petrol nots alongside good freshness on the palate. Drink 2024-2029- 90

2022 Weingut Ingrid Groiss ‘Braitenpuechtorff’ Riesling- With just the faintest kiss of sweetness the 2022 Weingut Ingrid Groiss ‘Braitenpuechtorff’ Riesling offers green apple and kumquat skin notes alongside gasoline and shades of wet stone on the palate. Enjoy this mineral-laden bottling now and over the next few years. Drink 2024-2029- 90

2023 Weingut Ingrid Groiss ‘Weinviertel’ Gruner Veltliner- The outstanding 2023 Weingut Ingrid Groiss ‘Weinviertel’ Gruner Veltliner is a knockout for the price, brimming with juicy orchard fruits with nutty and creamy accents on the palate. Enjoy now and over the next few years. Drink 2024-2030- 91

2023 Weingut Ingrid Groiss Rose- Very pretty and fresh, the 2023 Ingrid Gross Rose offers flinty tones alongside faint traces of red raspberry and red cherry with orange rind on the palate. Drink 2024-2029- 89

2022 Weingut Ingrid Groiss ‘Ried In Der Schablau’ Gruner Veltliner- Clean and polished, the 2022 Weingut Ingrid Grioss ‘Ried In Der Schablau’ Gruner Veltliner offers melon and Meyer lemon cream on the palate with a smooth finish. Showing good length and weight, enjoy at a slightly warmer temperature. Drink 2024-2034- 92

2022 Weingut Ingrid Groiss ‘Ried Auf Der Henne’ Riesling- Made in the Trocken style, the 2022 Weingut Ingrid Groiss ‘Ried Auf Der Henne’ Riesling shows green apple and wet slate notes alongside shades of kumquat rind on the palate. Nicely textured, enjoy now and over the next few years. Drink 2024-2030- 92

2022 Weingut Ingrid Groiss ‘Ried Sauberg’ Gruner Veltliner- The outstanding 2022 Weingut Ingrid Groiss ‘Ried Sauberg’ Gruner Veltliner offers beautful concentration, depth and tension on the palate. Salty minerals collide with nectarine, Gravenstein apple and suggestions of bright starfruit with baking spice dusted brioche. Complex and delicious, enjoy now and over the next ten years. Drink 2024-2034- 94

2022 Weingut Ingrid Groiss ‘Ried Pnkraz’ Gruner Veltliner- The brilliant 2022 Weingut Ingrid Groiss ‘Ried Pnkraz’ Gruner Veltliner is a stunning wine that has some serious aging potential. Right away on the nose this takes on layers of salted peach, white pepper, jalapeño pepper and suggestions of rich green melon. The palate is big and broad with serious texture and underlying finesse. Gorgeous now, enjoy this beauty over the next ten plus years. Drink 2024-2034- 94

Domaine Serene 2008 Retrospective

Today I share my thoughts on the outstanding 2008 wines by Domaine Serene. Of course this house is not needing any introduction, taking the Oregon wine scene by storm since its inception. Domaine Serene is truly one of the great wine houses of Oregon. The consistency has been key as their lineup time and time again impresses despite challenges that vintages present. Examples are making great wines in 2011, 2013 and making wines with great flavor density in 2019.

Current winemaker Michael Fay, formerly with Goldeneye, makes some amazing wines since coming to the winery back in 2017. He follows greats in Oregon, Tony Rynders and Erik Kramer. The 2008 vintage was an illustrious one in Oregon. The thing I recall most about these wines is they needed time in the bottle to fully evolve. 2008 had a cool spring and warm fall with moderate temperatures at harvest. This was a departure from the really challenging 2007 vintage. I recently had the chance to revisit the stunning 2008 wines by Domaine Serene. I was amazed how the 2008 Domaine Serene ‘Evenstad Reserve’ Pinot Noir (OB, 95) had held. This wine still has another eight years in front of it. Arguably the finest wine I tasted was the ethereal 2008 Domaine Serene ‘Grace Vineyard’ Pinot Noir (OB, 98) which has to be one of the greats from this vintage. Dense, round and generous, with a crazy long finish. Learn more about these famed wines at domaineserene.com and here is my feature on the beautiful 2008 Pinot Noirs by Domaine Serene.

2008 Domaine Serene ‘Evenstad Reserve’ Pinot Noir- The dense and heady 2008 Domaine Serene ‘Evenstad Reserve’ Pinot Noir was stored for 17 months in 70% new French oak before bottling. Ripe cranberry and red cherry notes fill the nose alongside orange peel and rocky soil accents. The palate is soft, refined and very elegant, as this is slowly moving into beautiful black truffle and black olive tertiary notes. Enjoy this beautiful wine now and over the next eight years. Drink 2024-2032- 95

2008 Domaine Serene ‘Winery Hill’ Pinot Noir- A sensational wine from a great vintage, the 2008 ‘Winery Hill‘ comes from this steep hillside vineyard set on Jory soils that neighbors the winery. It is filled with lush strawberry, red raspberry and Yakima cherry fruit flavors that mingle well with salty and stony soils on the palate. Rich and polished, with a seamless texture, this is one of the great ‘Winery Hill’ bottlings that I can remember. Enjoy now and over the next few years. Drink 2024-2032- 96

2008 Domaine Serene ‘Grace Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The brilliant 2008 Domaine Serene ‘Grace Vineyard’ Pinot Noir is a wine that is finally coming into its own after more than a decade of bottle age. Sourced from this site planted in the early 1990s, the wine was stored in mainly new French oak before bottling. Showing a translucent core in the glass, this opens with  beautiful red rose petals, rich red fruits and salty soils on the nose. The palate is refined and elegant with a seamless texture and great sense of weight. The length of this wine is astonishingly good. Showing plenty of stuffing and flavor density, this still has a long way to go in the cellar. Drink 2024-2036- 98

2008 Domaine Serene ‘Monogram’ Pinot Noir- An iconic wine made from this outstanding vintage, the 2008 Domaine Serene ‘Monogram’ Pinot Noir is a barrel selection wine that was originally devised by the late Ken Evenstad to be the flagship wine at this house. The wine is a total knockout in terms of red and black fruit flavors, showing dusty soils, tar, anise, black currants, red cherry and hints of cola on the palate. Showing serious weight, enjoy this stunning wine now and over the next fifteen plus years. Drink 2024-2044- 98

Caymus Vineyards

Today we present one of the famed sites in the Napa Valley. Caymus has built a name for themselves by helping place Napa Cabernet Sauvignon on the map for consumers. They have a very hedonistic style of wine that might not appeal to everyone. Their top wine, the ‘Special Selection’ is an incredibly age-worthy bottling. It was back in 1972 that Chuck Wagner started Caymus Vineyards with his parents, Charlie and Lorna, and created incredible success with their wines. Caymus Cabernet is sourced from 8 of Napa Valley's 16 appellations and the Caymus ‘Special Selection’ is the only wine in the world to be honored twice as Wine Spectator magazine's “Wine of the Year” for the 1984 and 1990 vintages.

Caymus and their Wagner Family of Wines produces everything from Chardonnay to Sauvignon Blanc. For those who do not enjoy big extraction in their wines, kindly glance away. The 2022 Caymus ‘Napa Valley’ Cabernet Sauvignon (OB, 92) is a dense, hedonistic wine that is also well-structured and drinking really well right now. Learn more about these great new wines at https://www.caymus.com Here are the beautiful new release wines by Caymus Vineyards.

2023 Emmolo Sauvignon Blanc- A beautifully textured wine, the 2023 Emmolo Sauvignon Blanc offers sweetened gooseberry and kiwi flavors that mingle well with crushed oyster shells on the palate. Drink 2024-2030- 91

2022 Mer Soleil ‘Reserve’ Chardonnay- This 2022 Chardonnay shows off juicy peach and toasty oak on the nose alongside ripe banana. The palate is soft and elegant with a smooth texture and good sense of weight and length. Enjoy now. Drink 2024-2030- 91

2022 Caymus ‘California’ Cabernet Sauvignon- Dark in the glass, the ‘California’ Cabernet Sauvignon shows forward and juicy dark currant and dark cherry flavors with espresso grounds and shades of black licorice. Showing good underlying finesse, this is a nice value to enjoy now. Drink 2024-2030- 90

2022 Caymus ‘The Walking Fool’ Red Wine- The 2022 ‘The Walking Fool’ was sourced from the Suisun Valley from vines set on clay loam soils. This shows good freshness and a beautiful core of red fruit flavors alongside pencil lead and shades of fresh sage. Drink 2024-2029- 89

2022 Caymus ‘Napa Valley’ Cabernet Sauvignon- This is now the 50th anniversary for Caymus Vineyards which first began back in 1972. This edition is concentrated with its core of kirsch cordial and loganberry fruit flavors with chocolate and suggestions of fresh sage. Delicious now in its full-throttle youth, so no reason to cellar this heady and well-structured w Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink 2024-2032- 92

2021 Caymus-Suisun ‘Grand Durif’ Petite Sirah- The 2021 Caymus-Suisun ‘Grand Durif’ Petite Sirah is an awesome wine coming from the Suisun Valley. On the nose this shows off violets, tar and espresso ground notes alongside shades of dark chocolate shavings. The palate is well-structured, with good depth and finesse. Gorgeous to consume now, enjoy this concentrated, dense effort now and over the next ten plus years to come. Drink 2024-2034- 93

2020 Caymus-Suisun ‘The Walking Fool’ Red WIne- A blend of Petit Sirah and Zinfandel from the Suisun Valley, this shows off ripe plum with raspberry jam and dusty soils on the palate. Medium to full-bodied, and a touch sweet, enjoy with BBQ fare. Drink 2022-2028- 89

Kopke

One of the historic Port houses founded all the way back in 1638, Kopke was founded by Nicolau Kopke and his son Cristiano who came to Portugal as representatives of the Hanseatic League. The House has been run through the generations by several representatives of the Kopke family. Today production is controlled by the Sogevinus Group is responsible for producing a total of 8.25 million bottles, with 7.05 million bottles of Port wine alone. Sogevinus exports 60% of its total wine production to more than 60 countries.

The winery is located in the the Upper Douro, in north-east Portugal, is considered the oldest demarcated and regulated wine growing region in the world and is a UNESCO Cultural World Heritage site. The Quinta de São Luiz was acquired in 1922 and it became the location where all Kopke’s DOC Douro wines are produced. This location is planted to Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Cão. There are also small plots of Tinta Barroca and Souzão.

The new vintage port came from the 2022 vintage. The 2022 Kopke ‘Quinta S. Luiz’ Vintage Port (OB, 97) is a heady, mesmerizing wine that has massive cellaring potential. It is nowhere near ready but is marvelous in its full-throttle youth. Learn more about this famed Port house at https://kopke1638.com/history/ and here is review of the new 2022 vintage port by Kopke.

2022 Kopke ‘Quinta S. Luiz’ Vintage Port- A stunning wine from 2022, the 2022 Kopke ‘Quinta S. Luiz’ Vintage Port is a heady, dense and stunning bottling that has a very long life in front of it. On the nose this shows huckleberry cordial and cassis notes alongside espresso grounds and tar. The palate is very dense and viscous with serious underlying tension. A complete wine, watch this evolve for the next thirty plus years. Drink 2035-2060- 97

Andrew Will 'Sorella' Red Wine

Today we present one of the outstanding wines of Washington State in celebration of Washington Wine Month. Andrew Will’s ‘Sorella’ was first made back in 1994. Meaning ‘sister’ in Italian, this was named after Chris Camarda late sister Jane Camarda. The wine is sourced from the famed Champoux Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA. This acclaimed site is truly one of the state’s ‘grand cru’ vineyards. It is amazing that the first grapes from this site were planted back in 1972. Today the Cabernet Sauvignon vines from this original "Block One" site are among the oldest vines in Washington. In 1990, Paul and Judy Champoux began leasing the vineyard land from the original owners. This hot site is located roughly 35 miles from Sunnyside Washington and was originally part of the expansive, 6,600 Mercer Ranch owned by the family of Don Mercer.

Andrew Will is now in its second generation as Will Carmada has served as winemaker now for many years. He is making some incredible wines and makes some killer white wines as well. Learning from his father, Chris, he has wines that show depth and power as well as good poise, with moderate new oak. The wine comes from the 2019 vintage which was a moderate growing season with a cool fall that saw a freeze event halt the growing season. The wine is a knockout wine and truly one of the best produced in 2019. Learn more about this famed winery at andrewwill.com and here is my review of the 2019 ‘Sorella’ by Andrew Will

2019 Andrew Will ‘Sorella’ Red Wine- The 2019 ‘Sorella’ is a stunning blend of nearly all Cabernet Sauvignon (80%) with smaller portions Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, sourced from the famed Champoux Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA. Beautiful potpourri notes mark the nose alongside anise, black currants, espresso grounds and suggestions of white pepper. The palate is soft and seamless with plenty of concentration despite the coolness of the vintage. Loaded with a core of red and dark fruits, alongside coffee grounds, dark chocolate shavings and graphite, this is a stunning rendition of this wine that is sure to satisfy for two decades or more. Drink 2024-2044- 97

Archery Summit

Today we share the wines of Archery Summit, one of the historic spots in the Dundee Hills. A gorgeous spot to visit with their cave experience, Archery Summit has sweeping views of the Willamette Valley and is a must visit for those who have never tasted these beautiful wines. Founded by Pine Ridge Winery legend Gary Andrus, Archery Summit sources from a host of vineyards across the valley, as well as estate fruit.

At the helm is winemaker Ian Burch who formerly made wine at Evening Land. He has been doing a really good job with this program. I love the 2023 Archery Summit ‘Vireton’ Pinot Gris (OB, 92) which is fresh with loads of texture and minerality. Even better is the 2022 Archery Summit ‘Dundee Hills’ Pinot Noir (OB, 93) which is built to age and shows beautiful red fruits with copious minerals. Learn more about Archery Summit and their great lineup of wines at http://www.archerysummit.com. Here are the excellent new wines from Archery Summit.

2023 Archery Summit ‘Vireton’ Pinot Gris- Coming from a host of Willamette Valley sites, the 2023 ‘Vireton’ offers poached pear, marzipan and starfruit notes alongside a smooth texture with a bright sense of minerality. Medium-bodied, with good verve, enjoy now and over the next few years. Drink 2024-2030- 92

2022 Archery Summit ‘Dundee Hills’ Chardonnay- The beautiful ‘Dundee Hills’ Chardonnay offers brioche and salted peach notes on the nose alongside shades of Pink Lady apple. This is fresh, beautifully textured stuff that is drinking really well in its mineral-laden youth. Drink 2024-2032- 93

2022 Archery Summit ‘Vireton’ Pinot Noir- The 2022 ‘Vireton’ comes off more on the linear side with pretty red fruits that mingle well with stony minerals and sea salt dusted orange peel. Drink 2024-2029- 90

2022 Archery Summit ‘Dundee Hills’ Pinot Noir- A beautiful wine made in this slightly cooler vintage, the 2022 ‘Dundee Hills’ Pinot Noir delivers serious nerve with beautiful pomegranate seed, red currant and tobacco leaf flavors alongside salty minerals on the palate. Medium-bodied and showing good length, enjoy this beautiful wine now and over the next ten years. Drink 2024-2034- 93

Groth

For years I have enjoyed tasting at Groth in their beautiful patio area amongst the vineyards.  One of Napa’s historic wineries, Groth Vineyards was founded in 1982 by Judy and Dennis Groth. Prior to starting their winery they found financial success while working for Ernst and Young in the South Bay. Dennis became chief financial officer at Atari and in 1981 they both purchased a large 121 acre parcel of land in Oakville back in m / 1982. These vineyards are on the floor of Napa, right in the prime area for growing beautiful Chardonnay, and Bordeaux varietals. Today, second-generation family member Suzanne Groth leads the business. New winemaker Ted Henry has an impressive resume which includes former stints at jJarvis Estate and Clos du Val. He is making some really beautiful wines. I was so impressed with the 2020 wines and the wines made in 2021 are seriously good.

Check out the beautiful 2023 Groth Sauvignon Blanc (OB, 93) which is dense and fresh with a smooth texture and nutty nuances from the 11% Semillon blended in.  I adored the 2021 Groth ‘Reserve’ Cabernet Sauvignon (OB, 97) which is amongst the finest editions of this wine that I have ever tasted. Learn more about this great historic winery at https://www.grothwines.com Here are the fantastic new bottling by Groth. 

2023 Groth ‘Estate’ Sauvignon Blanc- The 2023 ‘Estate’ Sauvignon Blanc is an outstanding new wine made from this wine made with great conditions at harvest. The wine has 11% Semillon blended in as this was entirely aged in neutral oak barrels before bottling. Kiwi, gooseberry and shades of cantaloupe all combine on the palate, with nutty accents and beautiful underlying tension. This is seriously good stuff that is one of the finest editions of this wine that I have tasted. Drink 2024-2031- 93

2021 Groth ‘Oakcross’ Red Wine- The 2021 ‘Oakcross’ was named after Groth’s Oakville Estate that was first planted back in 1973. This edition has considerably less Cabernet Sauvignon than the 2020 bottling —as the 2021 is a silky combination of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, with 34% Merlot and the remainder Petit Verdot. Violets, tar and espresso grounds mark the nose alongside dense dark fruits. The palate is bright and beautifully textured, with fantastic verve and underlying tension and weight. Everything is in clockwork balance here. Enjoy this beautiful wine now and over the next fifteen years to come. Drink 2024-2039- 94

2021 Groth Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2021 Groth Cabernet Sauvignon is an outstanding new wine that is now in its 40th edition. combines 83% Cabernet Sauvignon with the remainder Merlot and a dash of Petit Verdot. Stored in 50% new French oak, this delivers good richness with loganberry and black currants that parade with stony minerals, coffee ground and shades of graphite on the palate, with loamy soil accents. Delicious now, watch this evolve over the next fifteen years to come. Drink 2024-2039- 93

2021 Groth ‘Reserve’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2021 ‘Reserve’ is a stunning new bottling by Groth that shows off its brooding core in the glass. On the nose this takes on layers of dark and blue fruits that mingle well with wet stone, freshly tilled damp soils and suggestions of violets. The palate is dazzling and dense as this effortless glides throughout the drinking experience. Truly delicious now in its heady youth, enjoy this beautiful wine over the next two decades. Drink 2024-2044- 97

Chateau Phelan-Segur

Over the years I have really enjoyed the wines of Chateau Phelan-Segur — one of Bordeaux’s great values for the price. Value might not be synonymous with many wines of the Medoc, but Phelan-Segur has the tendency to deliver regardless of vintage. Chateau Phelan-Segur has a long history, similar to many Bordeaux properties. The Irishman Bernard Phelan bought both Domaine Le Clos de Garamey in 1805 and Ségur de Cabarnac in 1810. Ironically while living in Ireland, Bernard Phelan was a neighbor and friend of Hugh Barton who started the famed Bordeaux estate, Chateau Leoville-Barton. 

After Phelan’s passing in 1841 the estate combined to form Château Ségur de Garamey, which passed on to his son Frank Phelan, who served as mayor of Saint-Estephe for 30 years.  From 1985 to the present,  Chateau Phelan-Segur has been owned by the Gardinier Group of Xavier Gardinier, and famed enologist, Michel Rolland is employed as their consulting enologist, first starting in 2006. Veronique Dausse has been at the helm now for more than a decade. She has really improved the quality of the wines, having had many of the older wines from the ‘00s. The property has a gorgeous setting right on the Gironde river and welcomes guests to taste, with a great culinary experience as well.

Chateau Phélan-Ségur's wine tends to vary in terms of varietal percentages. Typically it is somewhere in the range of near equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot (usually slightly more Cabernet Sauvignon) with a small portion of Cabernet Franc. The grapes are initially fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats and then aged in oak barriques (50% new) for 18 months prior to bottling. I have had the chance to revisit several of these wines recently from my personal collection and have found them to be showing beautifully. 2017 was a vintage that fell in between two goldilocks vintages, however I think that this is a much overlooked vintage. Tasting better than when I first tried the wine, the 2017 Phelan-Segur (OB, 94) is a dense and decadent wine that really needs about three hours in the decanter right now. Your patience will be rewarded! Learn more about this storied Bordeaux estate at https://www.phelansegur.com/en/ Here are my tasting notes from recent tastings of Chateau Phelan Segur. 

2017 Chateau Phelan-Segur- Very heady and dense in the glass, the 2017 Phelan-Segur really needs a three hour decant if consumed now. Pencil lead and anise mingle well with creme de cassis notes on the nose. The palate is medium to full-bodied and loaded with tension, gravel soils and dense dark fruits. Texturally very beautiful now, and still quite primary, enjoy this beautiful wine over the next fifteen plus years to come. Drink 2024-2040- 94

2011 Chateau Phelan-Segur- Right at its sweet spot, the 2011 Phelan-Segur is a really good wine from a tough vintage. It is considerably more herbal now with medium-bodied cassis and black cherry flavors that mingle well with wet stones and shades of black licorice. This is a wine to consume now and over the next few years. Drink 2024-2031- 91

Devona

A hidden gem of Walla Walla, Devona is a world-class producer of Washington and Oregon wines. What began back in college at Oregon State University, Devona is the brainchild of John and Molly Abbott who formerly founded famed Walla Walla house Abeja. Before starting his own winery John worked for famed sites including Pine Ridge as well as Acacia where he was exposed to making world-class Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. He spent ten years with Canoe Ridge Vineyard and 13 years with Abeja, before founding Devona.

The winery sources from a range of famed sites throughout the Pacific Northwest. While at Abeja, John had a national reputation for crafting world-class Chardonnay. I love the new 2022 Devona ‘Rainmaker Vineyard’ Chardonnay (OB, 93) which is salty and beautifully textured. Check out the soft and delightful 2020 Devona ‘Bacchus Vineyard’ Merlot (OB, 94) which is an awesome wine from a tough vintage. Learn more about this fantastic brand of wines at http://www.devona.net and here are my tasting notes on the glorious new Devona wines.

2022 Devona ‘White Salmon Vineyard Chardonnay- A new wine for me in their portfolio, the 2022 ‘White Salmon Vineyard’ was sourced from this steep site ranging from 900-1200 feet. This is lithe, polished and neatly textured stuff that offers white grapefruit zest, cardamom dusted pie crust and shades of white peach on the palate. Juicy and round, enjoy this mineral-laden bottling now and over the next eight to ten years to come. Drink 2024-2032- 93

2022 Devona ‘Rainmaker Vineyard’ Chardonnay- The 2022 ‘Washington State’ Chardonnay is comes from the Rainmaker Vineyard in the Columbia Gorge AVA. This is a high elevation site that is a cool climate for the state. This is loaded with texture and salty minerals on the palate with citrus rind and rich pear and nectarine fruit flavors. Well-constructed, this has the weight and tension to cellar well over the next decade. Drink 2024-2034- 93

2022 Devona ‘Freedom Hill Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The 2022 ‘Freedom Hill Vineyard’ Pinot Noir   is a mostly Pommard clonal selection bottling that is rich with lovely earthy nuance now. Stored in mainly neutral oak barrels, this shows off cloves and red currants on the nose alongside menthol and dusty soil notes. The palate is rich and layered with serious concentration and verve. A glorious core of loganberry and cherry fruits greet you with kumquat zest and damp soils with suggestions of black truffle shavings. Complex and delicious, this is the best Oregon bottling that I have tasted yet from Devona — a total stunner! Drink 2024-2040- 95

2022 Devona ‘Mount Richmond Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The outstanding 2022 Devona ‘Mount Richmond Vineyard’ Pinot Noir come form the Elk Cove estate vineyard. Stored in mainly neutral oak barrels, this offers a gorgeous array of black fruit flavors, with refined tannins and excellent underlying verve. Medium to full0bodied, enjoy this beautiful wine now and over the next fifteen years. Be sure to give this beauty an hour in the decanter if savoring now. Drink 2024-2040- 94

2020 Devona ‘Bacchus Vineyard’ Merlot- The 2020 ‘Bacchus Vineyard’ Merlot is an awesome wine made in a tough vintage. Dense and delicious, this comes off very clean and elegant once on the mouth. Loaded with mocha, tar, black cherry and milk chocolate flavors, the silky texture really makes this glide throughout the drinking experience. Enjoy now and over the next few years. Drink 2024-2030- 94

2018 Devona ‘Champoux Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The outstanding 2018 Devona ‘Champoux Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon was stored in mainly new French oak barrels before bottling. Once on the nose his takes on layers of creme de cassis, pencil lead, espresso grounds and violets that all take shape in the glass. The palate is plush and dense with a gorgeous melange of black and blue fruits alongside dusty soils and refined tannins. Full-bodied but also very elegant throughout the drinking experience, enjoy this beauty now and over the next fifteen years to come. Drink 2024-2040- 95

2018 Devona ‘Bacchus Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon- Another generous and delicious bottling, the 2018 Devona ‘Bacchus Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced from 1972 Cabernet Sauvignon plantings that yield very small berries. The wine begins very smooth on the approach, with soft tannins and a seamless texture. Black cherry compote, tar, menthol and fresh sage all combine on the palate. Showing some serious viscosity and flavor density, enjoy this beautiful wine now and over the next fifteen years to come. Drink 2024-2040- 95

2018 Devona ‘Heart of the Hill Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon-The brilliant 2018 Devona ‘Heart of the Hill Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon comes from this famed site that set on Red Mountain. This is an already beautifully evolved wine now at the six year mark. Coffee grounds and scorched earth notes mark the palate alongside graphite, black currants and shades of salty soils. Enjoy this outstanding wine now and over the next ten plus years to come. Drink 2024-2036- 95

Madeira Report

Madeira: One of the Wine World’s Great Wonders

I’m fully crazy for top notch Madeira. I think that the levels of flavor range achieved in top Madeira are arguably unparalleled. This is not a wine for everyone but it is one that you can learn about and develop a palate for. There is actually a Madeira for all occasions.

‘Madeira’ is a Portuguese name for a carpenter, from madeira ‘wood’ and is also named after the island of Madeira, which was named with Portuguese madeira ‘timber’ because of the timber that grew there. The island was colonized in the 15th century under the patronage of Prince Henry the Navigator, Joao Goncalves Zarco and Tristao Vaz Teixeira who were all were driven by a storm to the island they called Porto Santo in 1419. Amazingly there is no record of anyone living on this island prior to that time.

Some have suggested that Africans may have voyaged to Madeira, just as the Vikings may have visited. In the fifteenth century the world of refining sugar came to the island to cater to the taste of the Europeans and through the seventeenth century sugarcane production became the island’s primary production.

We know that wine was once produced there but it was not not nearly as popular as their sugarcane production. There are records of of winemaking in Madeira back to the end of the 15th century and also records of preventing wines from spoiling using a neutral grape spirit. During long voyages the wines would be exposed to excessive heat and movement which changed the flavor of the wine. It is likely that this was a catalyst for the current standard of winemaking on Madeira which involves oxidizing the wine through a process of applying heat and also barrel aging the wine. Younger wines are typically crafted by using a method that accelerate the aging process by applying heat in tanks. and the aging potential while the top wines, the colheitas and frasqueiras are produced by the canteiro method. The word"canteiro" comes from the traditional supporting beams on which the oak casks are placed. This process involves the ageing of the wines in casks for a minimum period of 4 years stored under the rafters of warm attics, exposed to the natural warmth of the sun that gently heats the wine.

Wines made in the “canteiro” system are stored in casks by variety name and vintage under old rafters at the lodge. These casks are warmed by the tropical climate and evolve to be highly concentrated. The wines are slowly moved down from the top to cooler temperatures. Because of these methods of production these wines are very long lived and those produced by the canteiro method will survive for decades and even centuries, even after being opened. Wine are typically made in the style of being either dry, medium-dry, medium-rich and rich. All wines are typically between 17 and 21% alcohol. Some varietals used include Sercial, Verdelho, Terrantez, Bual, Malmsey, and Tinta Negra.

It was such a joy reviewing two top producers from Madeira and their beautiful range of wines. I adored the Cossart-Gordon 10 Year ‘Bual’ Madeira (OB, 92) which is a steal and shows intense and heady dark fruits. I love the 1975 Cossart-Gordon ‘Verdelho’ Madeira (OB, 99) which is one of the finest Madeira wines that I have ever tasted. Here are my tasting notes from the recent releases by Cosstart Gordon and Miles Madeira. Learn more about these wines and region at https://www.winesofportugal.com/

Miles

Miles ‘Rainwater’ Madeira- The Miles ‘Rainwater’ Madeira is a fresh and fruity edition of this wine showing red cherry, caramel, sea kelp and orange peel notes alongside shades of bergamot and a lengthy finish. Nutty and red fruit-driven, enjoy over the next eight plus years. Drink 2024-2032- 92

Miles ‘Seco Dry’ Madeira- The outstanding Miles ‘Seco Dry’ Madeira is very nutty with almond paste notes on the palate alongside marzipan, cinnamon and cloves alongside salted kumquat zest. Lively and neatly textured, enjoy over the next eight years to come. Drink 2024-2032- 91

Miles ‘Finest Medium Rich’ Madeira- Deeply colored, the ‘Medium Rich’ comes off very savory and salty with soy sauce and rich orchard fruits alongside caramelized onion on the palate. Drink 2024-2029- 90

Miles ‘Finest Rich’ Madeira- The outstanding Miles ‘Finest Rich’ Madeira is dense on the nose with browned butter and hazelnuts alongside butterscotch notes. This is indeed very rich and layered with good flavors and flavor density. Drink 2024-2034- 91

Miles ‘5 Year Seco’ Dry Madeira- The really good Miles ‘5 Year Seco’ Dry Madeira is very nutty in its marzipan, praline and hazelnut profile on the nose alongside peaches and shades of Pink Lady apple. The palate is beautifully balanced with good freshness and texture. A joy to drink now, this offers some serious value and would pair well with thrilling range of foods. Drink 2024-2030- 91

Miles ‘5 Year Medio Seco Madeira- The Miles ‘5 Year Medio Seco Madeira is rich and layered stuff that is drinking marvelously right now. On the nose this takes on burnt caramel with banana, orange peel and cloves. This is wonderfully balanced stuff, nicely textured stuff that is great to consume now. Drink 2024-2030- 91

Miles 10 Year ‘Rich’ Madeira- The outstanding Miles 10 Year ‘Rich’ Madeira offers toffee and burnt orange on the nose alongside sandalwood notes. Complex, well-rounded and delicious, this is harmonious stuff that is drinking marvelous now. Enjoy over the next decade or potentially more. Drink 2024-2035- 93

Miles 15 Year ‘Meio Done’ Madeira- The brilliant Miles 15 Year ‘Meio Done’ Madeira is made from Tinta Negra grapes and comprised of 5 different wines blended together. Butterscotch and toasted hazelnuts with cardamom biscotti all mark the palate. Rich and generous, with a silky mouthfeel, enjoy now and over the next ten years to come. Drink 2024-2034- 93

Miles 20 Year ‘Rich’ Madeira- The 20 year ‘Rich’ offers beautiful richness and is seamless throughout the drinking experience. Cardamom and orange rind dusted creme brûlée mingle well on the palate with roasted pineapple, dates, and and burnt brown sugar on the palate. This complex wine is drinking marvelously right now, showing really good viscosity and lip-smacking acidity. Drink 2024-2035- 94

2012 Miles ‘Medium Dry’ Tinta Negra Madeira- A brownish red hue, the 2012 Miles ‘Medium Dry’ Tinta Negra Madeira offers salted toffee, coffee grounds, and crem caramel on the nose with banana accents. The palate is soft, round and generous, with a kiss of sweetness from the Mashino cherry notes. Drink 2024-2036- 92

2000 Miles ‘Tinta Negra’ Madeira- The 2000 ‘Tinta Negra’ Madeira is a dense and fluid wine made form the millennium vintage. Dark brown and caramel colored, this offers heady red fruits on the nose alongside biscotti, espresso grounds and caramel sauce notes, with salted pralines. The palate is plush, filled with minerality, tension and depth. Lip-smacking acidity and serious weight mark this incredible wine that has decades of life ahead of it. A total stunner, enjoy now and over the next twenty plus years to come. Drink 2024-2050- 98

Cossart-Gordon

Cossart-Gordon ‘Rainwater Medium Dry’ Madeira- The Cossart-Gordon ‘Rainwater Medium Dry’ Madeira offers macadamia nut and praline notes alongside white pepper and herbal accents on the nose. Fresh and beautifully poised, enjoy now and over the next eight plus years. Well-done! Drink 2024-2032- 92

Cossart-Gordon 5 Year ‘Sercial’ Madeira- Golden in the glass, the Cossart-Gordon 5 Year ‘Sercial’ Madeira offers white raisin and creme brûlée alongside candied walnut notes. This is fresh and soft, with salty and green apple accents. Drink 2024-2030- 91

Cossart-Gordon 5 Year ‘Bual’ Madeira- Deeply performed, the 5 Year ‘Bual’ offers honey, star jasmine, sea salt drenched orchard fruits and suggestions of crem caramel. The palate is fresh and beautifully balanced, with good underline tension. Delicious and dense, enjoy now and one the next ten years. This is a steal at around 30 bucks USD. Drink 2024-2034- 92

Cossart-Gordon 10 Year ‘Verdelho’ Madeira-The brilliant Cossart-Gordon 10 Year ‘Verdelho’ Madeira is very approachable with nutty and fruity notes showings seasoned red raspberry and Yakima cherry notes alongside shades of kiwi and Macadamia nut. Beautifully textured, enjoy now and over the next ten years. Drink 2024-2034- 92

Cossart-Gordon 10 year ‘Bual’ Madeira- Really nicely balanced, the Cossart-Gordon 10 year ‘Bual’ Madeira offers honey and white raisin on the palate alongside roasted dates, cinnamon and clove notes. Fresh and showing good depth, with lovely tension, enjoy now and over the next eight to ten years to come. Drink 2024-2035- 92

Cossart-Gordon 10 Year ‘Malmsey’ Madeira- The incredible 10 year ‘Malmsey’ is made in the full-throttle, rich style, offering butterscotch and toffee notes alongside candied ginger, lemon peel and suggestions of cardamom dusted shortbread. Full-bodied, this is an absolute steal that is drinking beautifully now and will live on for another fifteen years. Drink 2024-2039- 93

Cossart-Gordon 15 year ‘Bual’ Madeira- This stunning 15 year Madeira opens with toasted hazelnuts alongside creme brûlée, roasted pineapple and suggestions of white raisin and mango on the nose. The palate is fresh and refined with serious tension and a silky mouthfeel. Dense and chewy, enjoy now and over the next ten plus years to go. Drink 2024-2035- 93

2008 Cossart-Gordon ‘Single Harvest Malmsey’ Madeira- The outstanding 2008 Cossart-Gordon ‘Single Harvest’ Malmsey Madeira comes from the warmer, southern slopes of the island. This is fresh and vibrant with plenty of nuance, showing candied ginger, tobacco leaf, caramel candy and shades of pie crust on the palate, with delicate red fruits. The lengthy finish lingers. A joy to consume now, follow this over the next fifteen years. Drink 2024-2039- 94

2006 Cossart-Gordon ‘Single Harvest Bual’ Madeira- The world-class 2006 Cossart-Gordon ‘Single Harvest Bual’ Madeira is beautifully evolved right now. Peach, wet stone and toffee notes combine with shades of macadamia nut mark the nose. The palate is fresh and vibrant,  a touch less viscous than the 2008 Malmsey. Light on its feet with its nutty and earthy nuance, enjoy now and over the next fifteen years. Drink 2024-2039- 93

1995 Cossart-Gordon ‘Malmsey’ Madeira- The stunning 1995 Cossart-Gordon ‘Malmsey’ Madeira was bottled in 2023 and was sourced from the São Jorge vineyard on the North Coast of the island. Very dense on the nose, this delivers cinnamon laced bananas foster and roasted dates on the nose alongside suggestions of toffee and espresso grounds. The palate is impeccably balanced with serious weight and underlying tension. This glides throughout the drinking experience. A joy to consume now, enjoy over the next twenty plus years to come. Drink 2024-2055- 97

1978 Cossart-Gordon ‘Bual’ Madeira- Now at more than forty years of age, the 1978 Cossart-Gordon ‘Bual’ Madeira is a simply magical wine that was originally trodden on using the traditional wooden lagares and then aged for more than 40 years in the “Canteiro” method. Tar, white pepper dusted bacon, and Cuban cigar notes mark the nose alongside toasted hazelnuts. The palate is refined and elegant with serious verve and texture. This seems to be drinking right at its peak with its beautiful concentration and balance, with nutty, herbal and light Yakima cherry fruit flavors. A stunning wine, enjoy this beauty now and over the next ten plus years to come. Drink 2024-2038- 96

1975 Cossart-Gordon ‘Verdelho’ Madeira- This stunning wine is nearly fifty years old now., the wine was aged for 29 years in seasoned American oak casks in the traditional 'Canteiro' method. The wine offers firewood, burnt orange, diesel, salted caramel and suggestions of bergamot on the nose. The palate is massively viscous and dense with a near minute-long finish that won’t quit. The incredible finesse drives through the core of the wine, as this is loaded with mouth-watering acidity. Full-bodied and dense, with a silky texture and marvelous opulence, with its core of citrus and red fruits, enjoy now and over the next twenty years to come. This is about as close to perfection as it comes for Madeira. Drink 2024-2050- 99

1975 Cossart-Gordon ‘Terrantez’ Madeira- Bottled back in 2020, this magnum bottling of Terrantez comes form this site located south of the island between Funchal and Câmara de Lobos, and in the north at São Vicente. Very deep and rich, this offers roasted pineapple, roasted dates, creosote, butterscotch, toasted hazelnuts, Marello cherry and dried mango all marvelously combine on the palate. Despite the scorched earthy elements, the body of the wine remains elegant, heady and seamless throughout the drinking experience., with serious viscosity. Obviously not for the weary, this is a mind-bending wine that is a joy to consume right now. Tasted twice with consistent notes. Drink 2024-2040- 98

Warre's

One of the famed Port houses of the world, Warre’s makes an incredible range of wines that are readily available in North America. Founded in 1670, Warre's is the first and the oldest British port company established in Portugal. By the end of the 18th century, Warre's had become one of the leading port companies, shipping 2,937 pipes in 1791, 10% of the total sold by 21 companies in that year. Andrew James ('AJ') Symington arrived in Porto in 1882 aged just 19. After a short stint working at Graham's Port and then running his own small port shipping operation, he became a partner of Warre & Co in 1905 and then became the sole owner in 1908.

Warre's sources its grapes from the Quinta da Cavadinha in the Pinhão Valley, as well as Quinta do Retiro, Quinta da Telhada, Quinta do Alvito and Quinta das Netas. The new wines were really enticing. I was particularly impressed with the Warre’s ‘Otima’ 20 Year Tawny Porto (OB, 93) which was dense and also showed beautiful freshness. The 2020 Warre’s Vintage Port (OB, 98) is a mesmerizing wine that is nowhere near ready but has massive cellaring potential. Learn more at https://www.symington.com/brand/warre-s-port and here are my reviews of the new wines by Warre’s.

NV Warre’s ‘Heritage’ Ruby Porto- Fruity in its red cherry and red raspberry profile, this is dense and rich but comes off hot. Enjoy now and over the next few years. Drink 2024-2028- 88

NV Warre’s ‘King’s’ Tawny Port- The NV Warre’s ‘King’s’ Tawny Port also is quite fruity in its dense core of red fruits with cloves and caramel notes. Enjoy now. Drink 2024-2029- 89

NV Warre’s ‘Warrior’ Port- The NV ‘Warrior’ comes from Warrior comes from sites in the Pinho and Rio Torto valleys that produce Warre’s Vintage Ports. Right now this is highly approachable, loaded with dark fruits and chocolate flavors that mingle well with good tension and graphite notes. Drink now. Drink 2024-2028- 89

2010 Warre’s ‘Late Bottled Vintage’ Porto- This beautiful, ready to drink wine offers red cherry and red currant with Cuban cigar notes on the nose alongside sweet peach accents. The palate is dense and flavorful with loads of rich red fruits that parade with a light tension. Enjoy now. Drink 2024-2029- 90

NV Warre’s Fine White Porto- The NV Warre’s Fine White Porto shows off honeydew melon and lychee notes that combine with nutty accents on the palate. Smooth and nicely textured, enjoy now and over the next few years. Drink 2024-2030- 89

Warre’s ‘Otima’ 10 Year Tawny Porto-A gorgeous bottling for the price, the Warre’s ‘Otima’ 10 Year Tawny Porto offers toffee, roasted dates and nutmeg drenched pie crust notes on the nose alongside coffee grounds. The palate is soft and elegant, as this is both rich and dense yet has a beautiful weightless appearance mid-plate. Enjoy now and over the next ten years. Drink 2024-2034- 92

Warre’s ‘Otima’ 20 Year Tawny Porto- This 20 year tawny opens with white raisin, dates and rich red fruits with burnt orange on the nose. The palate is seamless and dense, loaded with richness and flavor density. Fabulous now, enjoy over the next ten years. Drink 2024-2034-93

1992 Warre’s ‘Otima’ Colheita Port- The 1992 Warre’s ‘Otima’ Colheita Port is a marvelous showing that is right at its peak. Orange peel, cinnamon and cardamom dusted pastry and shades of caramel cake all combine on the palate. Fresh and viscous, with nutty accents, enjoy now and over the next few years. Drink 2024-2032- 93

2017 Warre’s Vintage Port- This beautiful vintage Port comes Cavadinha as well as the the two Touriga varieties which were sourced from the Quinta da Telhada. Violets, tar and Turkish coffee notes mark the nose alongside shades of creme de cassis. The palate is heady and also very elegant with depth and concentration — and a finish that doesn’t want to quit. A total head-turner, this will easily live on for three decades to come. Drink 2035-2055- 97

2020 Warre’s Vintage Port- A stunning wine that has more than a decade to hit its stride, the mesmerizing 2020 Warre’s Vintage Port is composed of a field blend of vines ranging from 80-100 years of age coming from the Quinta da Cavadinha (53%) and Quinta do Retiro (47%) vineyards. The wine takes on mocha, tar and anise alongside creme de violette notes on the nose. The palate comes off as weightless and complex, with bright tension that runs through a hedonistic core of black and blue fruits, alongside Turkish coffee grounds and shades of creosote. Leaving no doubt of its full-throttle and brooding nature, this needs at least another decade to evolve in the cellar — but the potential absolutely is there. Drink 2038-2060- 98

Toil Oregon 'Reserve' Pinot Noir

It has now been more than a decade that Toil Oregon began with a production of 200 cases. Chris Figgins always wanted a vineyard in the Willamette Valley. In 2016 he got the nerve to plant in the Chehalem Mountains AVA. His Toil wines have been met with incredible acclaim as the program makes a Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Rose that is one of the finest you will taste in the Pacific Northwest. For my palate these wines have improved over the years, becoming slightly smoother and weightless upon entry.

With the 2021 vintage Chris started a reserve program to highlight the finest barrels of his Pinot Noir. Last year’s edition was a gorgeous wine and this years is even better. The 2022 Toil ‘Reserve’ Pinot Noir (OB, 96) is taken from this cooler vintage than ’21 but is somehow showing more dense and also weightless than last year’s wine. This is one to satisfy any collector of great Oregon wine. Learn more about this great winery at toiloregon.com Here are the brilliant new wines by Toil Oregon. 

2022 Toil Oregon ‘Reserve’ Pinot Noir- This is now the second edition of this wine which is a barrel selection made by famed winemaker Chris Figgins. It is a dense, hedonistic and intense Oregon Pinot Noir bottling that is a notch better than last year’s edition. Once on the nose this takes on heady boysenberry notes alongside cloves, freshly tilled salty soils and suggestions of Hoisin sauce. The palate is rich and voluptuous with serious texture and good underlying tension. This seamless bottling is drinking marvelously right now and will surely live on for at least another fifteen years. Drink 2024-2042- 96

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