Three Rivers Winery 2012 Steel Chardonnay, Columbia Valley, $14
Best Buy! Sagemoor Farms north of Pasco, Wash., harvested lots from Bacchus, Sagemoor and Weinbau all on Sept. 20 for this Walla Walla winery, and Holly Turner keeps the focus on the fruit with her “steel ” program. It smells of fresh-picked pears, Uncola and lemon pepper, and there’s a follow through with lots of pear flavor and a slice of Golden Delicious apple. A hint of pineapple pops on the midpalate, and there’s ample orange acidity to make for a good quaffer. This vintage — which won a silver medal at the 2014 Seattle Wine and Food Experience Wine Competition — no longer is available at the winery, so look for it at grocers and wine merchants.
Rating: Excellent
Production: 1,504 cases
Alcohol: 13.9%
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