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L’Ecole No. 41 2015 Sèmillon, Columbia Valley, $14
Best Buy! A case can be made that Mike Sharon’s work with Sèmillon is without peer in the Pacific Northwest, and this bottling is deliciously priced for anyone needing to explore the wonders of this white Bordeaux in the Columbia Valley. He and managing winemaker Marty Clubb pull from many of the same vineyards they’ve sourced for a decade — Klipsun, Stillwater Creek, Rosebud, Desert Wind and Seven Hills — and the blend with Sauvignon Blanc (16%) is virtually identical to their 2009 vintage. Barrel aging in neutral French oak for five months leads to marvelous aromatics of starfruit and lemon with lavender, honeysuckle and dusty rose aromas. Layers of lemon oil, melon and white peach create complexity and build a beautiful body, and the lingering pulse of citrus makes it ideal with white fish, feta cheese or Cornish game hen.
Rating: Outstanding!
Production: 5,350 cases
Alcohol: 14.5%
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