Argentine winemaker Juan Pablo Valot worked at acclaimed Pinot Noir producers such as Dobbes Family Estate, Soter Vineyard and Willamette Valley Vineyards, and that experience shows in the flagship wine for this historic brand in the south Willamette Valley. There’s a Burgundian theme with its notes of light cherry, cassis, dried strawberry, saddle leather and earthiness. The … [Read more...] about Silvan Ridge Winery 2014 Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, $26
Wind Rose Cellars 2014 Lonesome Spring Ranch Sangio Red Wine, Yakima Valley, $25
David Volmut helps bring a taste of Italian reds to his tasting room guests in Sequim, six block north of Highway 101. The fruit came from Colin Morrell’s site in the Yakima Valley, five of his six blocks of Sangiovese were planted in 2007. Cherry cola and strawberry jam aromas include Italian sausage spice notes, mint and coffee. On the palate, there’s cherry and boysenberry … [Read more...] about Wind Rose Cellars 2014 Lonesome Spring Ranch Sangio Red Wine, Yakima Valley, $25
H/H Estates NV Coyote Canyon Vineyard Pour It Charlie Port-style Red Wine, Horse Heaven Hills, $32
Each time the Andrews family looks back on this fortified project, there’s a bit of melancholy involved. Coyote Canyon winery dog, Charlie Bear, pass away during its production at ripe old age of 17. Syrah (38%) and Graciano (12%) from the hot 2013 vintage came in at 27 Brix, and winemaker Justin Michaud used Mourvèdre (50%) from cooler 2011 to complete the nonvintage blend. … [Read more...] about H/H Estates NV Coyote Canyon Vineyard Pour It Charlie Port-style Red Wine, Horse Heaven Hills, $32
Merlot remains force in Northwest wine industry
In the 1980s, Washington was white wine country. Red wine was considered somewhat exotic. Then came Merlot. The Bordeaux variety known for its soft flavors and silky tannins proved to be a good match for Washington's Columbia Valley and its dry, arid soils. By the mid-1990s, Merlot was Washington's dominant red grape, and the state was gaining fame for it. In recent … [Read more...] about Merlot remains force in Northwest wine industry
Ghost Hill Cellars 2014 Bayliss-Bower Vineyard Pinot Noir Blanc, Yamhill-Carlton, $25
One of the final wines Rebecca Pittock Thompson bottled for Ghost Hill Cellars in 2015 is this still version of blanc de noir. It carries a touch of the pinkish golden hue found in a Pinot Gris with skin contact, and while it never saw oak the stirring of the lees accounts for a fascinating nose of a toffee sugar cookie, Graham cracker and caramel apple. The mouth feel is … [Read more...] about Ghost Hill Cellars 2014 Bayliss-Bower Vineyard Pinot Noir Blanc, Yamhill-Carlton, $25