Best Buy! Cascade Foothills vigneron Pete Buffington only grows cool-climate varieties across his plantings east of Oregon’s capital city, and he continues to shine with them as the region warms up. Müller-Thurgau - Germany’s most widely planted grape - ranks second only to Pinot Gris in this 11-acre vineyard, where the cross of Riesling and Silvaner thrives. A glorious nose of … [Read more...] about Abiqua Wind Vineyard 2014 Chloe’s Breeze Estate Müller-Thurgau, Willamette Valley, $12
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Sawtooth Winery 2014 Estate Riesling, Snake River Valley, $12
Best Buy! Boise native Meredith Smith produced two gold medals with Riesling at last fall's Idaho Wine Competition, including this one. It offers aromas of lemon zest, mango and pineapple followed by flavors of juicy papaya, marmalade and a hint of lychee - a sign of the Muscat Blanc (2%). It’s a delicious off-dry wine with 1.5% residual sugar. Rating: … [Read more...] about Sawtooth Winery 2014 Estate Riesling, Snake River Valley, $12
Nine Hats 2014 Benches Vineyard Pinot Gris, Horse Heaven Hills, $12
Best Buy! Long Shadows Vintners in Walla Walla continues to offer its superb vineyard-designate Pinot Gris at an astoundingly low price, and Gilles Nicault captures our top rating for the second straight vintage. The lovely nose of yellow grapefruit, sweet kiwi and clove spice does not disappoint, leading to a stunning mouth feel of delicious tropical fruit flavors that pick up … [Read more...] about Nine Hats 2014 Benches Vineyard Pinot Gris, Horse Heaven Hills, $12
Waterbrook Winery 2014 Sauvignon Blanc, Columbia Valley, $12
Best Buy! John Freeman, only the second winemaker at Waterbrook in the Walla Walla Valley winery’s 30-year history, has grown his Sauvignon Blanc program by 25 percent in the past three years. And he hasn’t lost a step. Among the Yakima Valley sites that have produced a number of stellar Sauvignon Blancs recently is Brenton Roy’s Oasis Vineyard, and that joins fruit from … [Read more...] about Waterbrook Winery 2014 Sauvignon Blanc, Columbia Valley, $12
Acrobat Winery 2015 Rosé of Pinot Noir, Oregon, $13
Best Buy! Under its Acrobat brand, industry icon King Estate offers one of the Pacific Northwest’s largest productions of rosé. That it’s done with the fickle Pinot Noir grape at this price makes it as remarkably approachable as the wine itself. Made using the saignée method of bleeding off juice and then pressing, its stunningly brilliant wardrobe exudes a pretty nose of … [Read more...] about Acrobat Winery 2015 Rosé of Pinot Noir, Oregon, $13