More than a dozen wines with Elephant Mountain Vineyard on the label have won a Platinum during our judging’s history. Even though Greg Peiker doesn’t list Joe Hattrup’s stellar site above the Yakima Valley on the front, 95% of that fruit is inside this bottle, co-fermented with 5% Viognier from Hattrup’s lower-elevation Sugarloaf Vineyard. Brambleberries, Italian herbs and cherry pipe tobacco aromas lead to a gorgeous palate of raspberries enrobed in dark chocolate and a wedge of panettone with dried fruit. Considering that this wine has been awarded a Platinum for back-to-back vintages, Audentes — which means daring in Latin — has become a sure bet rather than a risk. Qualifying awards: San Francisco Chronicle (gold), Savor NW (gold)
Rating: Platinum • 92 points
Production: 44 cases
Alcohol: 14.6%
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