Despite the warmer 2013 vintage, Spokane winemaker Kirk Phillips provides a rather lithe example of Pinot Noir using two sites in the Columbia Basin that he has experience with, Ginkgo Forest Vineyard on the Wahluke Slope and Weyns Farms in the Frenchman Hills. The blend of Martini clone Pinot Noir — developed by U-C Davis in Carnernos — from Weyns outweighs the Dijon 777 fruit from Ginkgo Forest, and his practices create a tawny color with approachable tones of dried red currant, dusty pie cherry, baking spices, saddle leather and earthiness. By no means a fruit bomb, its structure and orange zest acidity makes this a candidate for dry-rubbed and alder-grilled salmon, and these wines are available at the Scott Street winery and Lilac City grocers such as Huckleberry’s and Yoke’s Fresh Market.
Rating: Recommended
Production: 90 cases
Alcohol: 13.9%
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