Callan Cellars 2019 Boushey Vineyards Picpoul, Yakima Valley $25

Dick Boushey’s vineyard in the Yakima Valley might be the epicenter of the Rhône Ranger movement in Washington when it comes to white varieties such as Grenache Blanc and Picpoul, and Washington State University alumna Lisa Callan continues to rank among the Pacific Northwest elite for her work featuring each grape. Even though she increased production by more 30% from the 2018 vintage, Callan remains deliciously precise with Picpoul, in part because she allows the fruit to shimmer by conducting all of the fermentation in stainless steel tank. Lemon shortbread adds to the soft nose on this wine also influenced by a gripping minerality layered with white flowers. Delicate and light notes of pineapple and papaya welcome you in with a bit of preserved lemon peel in the mouth. A mixture of creamy citrus, softer acidity and bright melon make this your new favorite white. Then, the finish takes you into an apple orchard. This bottling cruised like a comet into the sweepstakes as the Best White Wine at the 2020 Great Northwest Invitational Wine Competition, a judging staged at the historic Columbia Gorge Hotel in Hood River, Ore., on behalf of sommeliers, wine merchants and journalists from across the country.

Rating: Outstanding!

Production: 150 cases

Alcohol: 11.7%

Winery’s website