The Great Northwest Wine crew tasted more than 5,000 wines in 2013, and we have come up with 100 wines from Washington, Oregon, British Columbia and Idaho that really resonated with us. The wines were selected from blind tastings in which we were involved, including competitions we ran. Each day, we will reveal 20 wines - 10 in the morning and 10 in the afternoon. We will … [Read more...] about Great Northwest Wine top 100 wines of 2013: 100-91
Archives for 2013
Duck Pond Cellars 2012 Chardonnay, Columbia Valley, $12
The Fries family recently celebrated their 20th anniversary in the Oregon wine industry, but this consumer-minded Chardonnay from their Wahluke Slope estate vineyards brings some of the best of world with its use of 29% barrel fermentation and full malolactic fermentation. That creates a complex nose of a caramel apple, pineapple preserves on toast and backed by jasmine and … [Read more...] about Duck Pond Cellars 2012 Chardonnay, Columbia Valley, $12
Waterbrook Winery 2011 Melange Red, Columbia Valley, $16
When founding winemaker Eric Rindal launched Melange during the 1990s, consumers didn't embrace proprietary blends nearly as readily as they do now. John Freeman, who took over for Rindal with the sale to Precept, follows a similar path by using more than eight varieties, leading with Cabernet Sauvignon (25%) and followed by Merlot, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Tempranillo, Petit Verdot, … [Read more...] about Waterbrook Winery 2011 Melange Red, Columbia Valley, $16
‘Champagne: A History of Bubbles’ offers fun look via comic book
It's Christmas Day, but sommelier Oumy Diaw wants all your pain to be limited to Champagne each and every day. That begins to explain why the native of Senegal — who has offices in Manhattan, Paris and Dakar — trademarked her title as "The Champagne Sommelier" and now is distributing the coffee-table book Champagne: A History of Bubbles in the United States and Canada. … [Read more...] about ‘Champagne: A History of Bubbles’ offers fun look via comic book
Anelare 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $44
The Alexander and Campbell families created this boutique winery in 2005 in the heart of Washington wine country. It originally was a members-only winery, and most of the wine still is sold directly to Anelare's wine club members, but a bit also can be purchased by the general public. This fall, Kahryn and Forrest Alexander purchased property near famed Red Mountain with the … [Read more...] about Anelare 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $44