Washington State University grad Jessica Munnell grew up near the Columbia River in Richland. Less than an hour upriver is young JMST Vineyard — a Sustainable WA site near storied Cold Creek that’s owned and managed by Wautoma Springs co-owner Tom Merkle. Those who appreciate tantalizing expressions of Sauvignon Blanc or Picpoul (another Rhône white) will have a fondness for this, starting with the nose of white peach, honeydew melon and river rock. It’s quite bright, succulent and mouthwatering with those same fruit, joined by a sense of salinity and a strand of cotton candy in the back ahead of the lime juice finish. It’s a bottling that is showing no signs of slowing down, having earned awards that include best of class last fall at Sip Magazine’s “Best of” tasting in Seattle and another BOC this summer at the Los Angeles Invitational. For suggested pairings, there’s paella, pâté or a selection of the canned sardines available at their Prosser tasting room within the Port of Benton’s Vintners Village.
Rating: 91 points — Outstanding!
Production: 167 cases
Alcohol: 13.5%
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