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GSM among Washington’s most delicious blends

By on April 8, 2018

Seven of Hearts 2013 GSM Plus C, Columbia Valley, $25

seven-of-hearts-gsm-plus-c-2013-bottleOne of the Pacific Northwest’s most adventuresome and skilled winemakers, Byron Dooley in Carlton, Ore., reached into two vineyards on the Washington side of the Columbia River across from Oregon — Avery and Hellsgate – for this GSM-style blend. It leads with Grenache (38%) and gets contributions from Syrah (36%) and Mourvèdre (14%), plus Cinsault (12%). The barrel program he used is focused on French oak, but just 10% new wood. Beautiful aromas of boysenberry, blueberry and California red peppercorns lead to a tasty drink that’s a bit darker with a profile of blackberry, pomegranate and baking spice. Pleasing tannins and juicy acidity are nicely integrated, leading for a long and soft finish of blueberry jam.

Rating: Excellent

Production: 347 cases

Alcohol: 14.5%

Winery website

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About Andy Perdue

Andy Perdue is the editor and publisher of Great Northwest Wine. He is a third-generation journalist who has worked at newspapers since the mid-1980s and has been writing about wine since 1998. He co-founded Wine Press Northwest magazine with Eric Degerman and served as its editor-in-chief for 15 years. He is a frequent judge at international wine competitions. He is the author of "The Northwest Wine Guide: A Buyer's Handbook" (Sasquatch, 2003) and has contributed to four other books. He writes about wine for The Seattle Times. You can find him on Twitter and .

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