When it comes to backgrounds involving altitude, it’s easy to think of JJ and Kelly Menozzi — the husband/wife winemaking team of Aluvé stationed along Walla Walla’s Mill Creek Road. From here, the retired Air Force pilots didn’t need to reach far into the Blue Mountain foothills for fruit from Les Collines, French for “the foothills.” Bright red fruit notes of raspberry and … [Read more...] about Aluvé Wine 2019 Les Collines Vineyard Malbec, Walla Walla Valley $52
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Abacela 2018 East Hill Block Estate Reserve Malbec, Umpqua Valley $48
Kentucky-born pioneer Earl Jones planted the five primary Bordeaux varieties when he established Fault Line Vineyards in 1995, but Malbec has been the chosen one from the start. Its footprint has been expanded over time and now accounts for 7.5 acres — nearly 10% of Abacela’s 76 acres. Within those documented 25 variety site trials, Malbec falls within the “consistently great … [Read more...] about Abacela 2018 East Hill Block Estate Reserve Malbec, Umpqua Valley $48
Balboa Winery 2019 Malbec, Walla Walla Valley $45
While The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater grew its fame with Syrah, Balboa owner/winemaker Tom Glase has long made Bordeaux varieties from The Rocks a drawing card for tourists. For Malbec, he works with Stone Valley Vineyard, a late-ripening site established in 2002 by Norm McKibben as part of Seven Hills West. It’s a site now managed by Tom Waliser, whose experience with … [Read more...] about Balboa Winery 2019 Malbec, Walla Walla Valley $45
Mosquito Fleet Winery 2019 SS Bailey Gatzert Malbec, Rattlesnake Hills $42
The steamship that ended up as the Olympic Peninsula’s first automobile ferry earns the spotlight on the bottle of Dr. Brian Petersen’s decorated Malbec program, pulled from organically farmed Konnowac Vineyard and its 30-year-old vines at 1,100 feet above sea level. There’s a rich and deep purple theme to the outline of blackberry and blueberry that includes accents of black … [Read more...] about Mosquito Fleet Winery 2019 SS Bailey Gatzert Malbec, Rattlesnake Hills $42
Liberty Lake Wine Cellars 2020 Scooteney Flats Vineyard Malbec, Red Mountain $33
Self-taught Mark Lathrop turned his talent and keen investments in Red Mountain fruit into our Washington Winery to Watch Award for 2022. His work with a 2018 Malbec factored into that. Storied grower Dick Shaw, a member of the Washington Wine Hall of Fame, now owns this planting near historic Ciel du Cheval, and the block that Lathrop contracts for — 1 acre cropped to 3 tons … [Read more...] about Liberty Lake Wine Cellars 2020 Scooteney Flats Vineyard Malbec, Red Mountain $33