The team of Sonoma-based consultant Michael Sebastiani, owner Robb Bell and the cellar team of Francisco Chairez and Tyler McCafferty have now combined for 13 Platinum winners from our panel in the past three years. Sourcing from acclaimed sites such as Joe Hattrup’s elevated Elephant Mountain in the Yakima Valley has been a key advancement, and this is the Hood River winery’s … [Read more...] about Cathedral Ridge Winery 2020 Elephant Mountain Vineyard Reserve Petite Sirah, Columbia Valley $65
Oregon
King Estate Winery 2021 Inscription Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley $20
Best Buy! The Kings recently launched this tier and went nationwide with its promotion, which explains the long list of gold medals that opened the doors to our Platinum Awards. The family’s estate plays a less significant role in the Inscription as more than a dozen vineyards come into play. Still, Brent Stone weaves a deliciously affordable and widely available Pinot Noir, … [Read more...] about King Estate Winery 2021 Inscription Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley $20
Naumes Family Vineyards 2022 Pinot Noir Rosé, Rogue Valley $30
With a century of farming orchards in Southern Oregon, the Naumes family transitioned 6 acres of its vast holdings into Pinot Noir vines in 2013. Their custom-crush operations included bringing on Wente Vineyards-trained Chris Graves as their winemaker, and this marks their first Platinum from the Great Northwest Wine panel. Ripe nectarine, cherry blossom and minerality scents … [Read more...] about Naumes Family Vineyards 2022 Pinot Noir Rosé, Rogue Valley $30
Reustle-Prayer Rock Vineyards 2022 Estate Green Lizard Grüner Veltliner, Umpqua Valley $38
Here is the younger brother of the wine that was voted Best White Wine of North America at the 2023 San Francisco Chronicle. And the trajectory of its complexity would seem to have the 2022 Green Lizard set up for additional greatness. These grapes are allowed to gain more sugar than those used for the heady Hefeabzug program, and stainless-steel fermentation makes this … [Read more...] about Reustle-Prayer Rock Vineyards 2022 Estate Green Lizard Grüner Veltliner, Umpqua Valley $38
Bayer Family Estate 2018 Brook Horse Chardonnay, Rogue Valley $32
This former cattle ranch near the Rogue River has become an 80-acre estate that Jim Bayer has turned into an equestrian center, and he’s also earned a reputation for work with Italian varieties. And yet his Pheasantbrook Vineyards also has a penchant for Chardonnay as featured within the Brook Horse label, earning its second career Platinum for Chardonnay. This product of a … [Read more...] about Bayer Family Estate 2018 Brook Horse Chardonnay, Rogue Valley $32