The Malbec category had one of the biggest class sizes of the 24th annual Platinum Awards, and this work with Red Mountain fruit by Charlie Hoppes and Mitch Venohr will serve as a marvelous memorial to the late Russ Hamilton, who died after Thanksgiving at age 71. This bottling of clone 9 Malbec was the second consecutive vintage to return a Platinum to this Sunset Road … [Read more...] about Hamilton Cellars 2019 Estate Malbec, Red Mountain $48
Washington
Liberty Lake Wine Cellars 2020 Heart of the Hill Vineyard Carménère, Red Mountain $40
Our 2022 Washington Winery to Watch, led by winemaker/owner Mark Lathrop, has made #RedMtn part of the marketing approach at his wife’s tasting room in this Spokane, Wash., suburb. Dark red fruit of Bing cherry and cassis picks up sweet bell pepper notes and dusty red rose petals. Sinewy yet beveled tannins are joined by baking spices and delicious pomegranate acidity for a … [Read more...] about Liberty Lake Wine Cellars 2020 Heart of the Hill Vineyard Carménère, Red Mountain $40
Mellisoni Vineyards 2020 Syrah, Lake Chelan $60
For the second straight year, the Mellisons achieved Platinum status with Syrah grown near the shores of Lake Chelan. Only this time, their work with Larc Hill Vineyard grapes was voted Double Platinum. The Joseph Phelps clone fruit yields aromas and flavors of blackberry, black cherry and black currant with tobacco leaf and truffle tones. Rich and velvety tannins pick up … [Read more...] about Mellisoni Vineyards 2020 Syrah, Lake Chelan $60
Tinte Cellars 2020 Irish Eyes Red Wine, Columbia Valley $48
Rhône-styled GSM blends are among the easiest to enjoy and have become brisk sellers. That’s true for this Grenache (41%) and Mourvèdre (20%) from Candy Mountain and Syrah (39%) from Dineen — two sites at opposite ends of the Yakima Valley American Viticultural Area. It’s stylish, complex and — thanks to Noah Reed Fox’s winemaking — fun to pick out the components. Moist … [Read more...] about Tinte Cellars 2020 Irish Eyes Red Wine, Columbia Valley $48
Tinte Cellars 2020 Syrah, Columbia Valley $45
Noah Reed Fox crafted one of the top GSMs of the Platinum, so it stands to reason that his standalone Syrah also achieved Double Platinum. However, this superb Syrah is a blend of historic Red Willow Vineyard in the Mount Adams foothills, Lewis near Prosser and Dineen, which contributed to the 2020 Irish Eyes GSM. Purple fruit and chocolate-covered espresso beans lead into … [Read more...] about Tinte Cellars 2020 Syrah, Columbia Valley $45