Chilean-born winemaker Matías Kúsulas benefits from the broad collection of Columbia Valley vineyards under the ownership of the Lawrence and Merkle families. Those include Corfu Crossing, where Josh Lawrence established clone 1 Albariño at 1,660 feet elevation in 2018. This bottling marks the second vintage since the partners took over the brand from the Fries family, and Kúsulas’s experience working for the Lawrences on their own Gård Vintners program on the Royal Slope shows with this delicious Albariño. Its intoxicating nose brings sweet herbals notes of fresh spearmint and timothy hay backed by kiwi and Granny Smith apple. There’s an interplay on the palate with mint and lime, followed by Gravenstein apple. The long finish of lime juice and pulp makes for a textured and refreshing drink that offers pleasing length. At the Kitchen at Desert Wind in Prosser, diners should consider a glass with the BLAT — bacon, lettuce, avocado and tomato with garlic aioli between two slices of sourdough bread — or the Blackberry Grilled Cheese featuring brie and prosciutto.
Rating: 91 points — Outstanding!
Production: 450 cases
Alcohol: 13.9%
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