For centuries, Malbec has played a minor role in its native Bordeaux. But thanks primarily to the burgeoning Argentina wine industry, the bold red grape has come into its own. Here in the Pacific Northwest, Malbec has gained a small but growing foothold with wine lovers, winemakers and grape growers - particularly in Washington, where excitement is growing for the … [Read more...] about Malbec a delicious red for Pacific Northwest
Featured wines
Only the best Northwest wines
Each year, we taste several thousand wines from around the world. We encounter great wines through samples sent to us, as well as wine competitions we participate in up and down the West Coast. Our preference is to taste all wines we review under blind conditions. For us, this means removing potential biases: We've found that knowing the producer or the price can change a … [Read more...] about Only the best Northwest wines
Northwest Sauvignon Blanc clean, bright and ready for seafood
When we think about Sauvignon Blanc, it's often in the context of regions other than the Pacific Northwest: California, New Zealand, Sancerre and Australia. Many of those areas produce distinctive Sauvignon Blancs. Here in the Northwest, though, Sauvignon Blanc is often an afterthought. It is most prominent in Washington, where it is No. 3 amid white grapes — behind … [Read more...] about Northwest Sauvignon Blanc clean, bright and ready for seafood
Pacific Northwest perfect for Viognier
In France's Rhône Valley, there are 10 white grape varieties. In the Pacific Northwest, by far the most popular is Viognier. Its ancestral home is Condrieu in the northern Rhône. In fact, Viognier is the only grape allowed in that region. Like Syrah, Viognier tends to be a low-acid, high-pH wine, so finding one with good brightness can be a task. Fortunately, in cooler … [Read more...] about Pacific Northwest perfect for Viognier
Zinfandel, Primitivo two sides of same coin
One of the great mysteries of the wine world through the years has been the relationship between Primitivo and Zinfandel. According to some, they are the same grape. But if you go out into a vineyard with a grape grower or into a cellar with a winemaker, they will swear the two are different varieties. All of this leads to confusion. For example, an Italian Primitivo can … [Read more...] about Zinfandel, Primitivo two sides of same coin