Best Buy! For the second time in three vintages, Maine winemaker Aaron Peet uses Riesling to add to Cellardoor’s Platinum total, now 18. He came to appreciate Pacific Northwest grapes as a student in Walla Walla Community College’s Institute of Enology and Viticulture, and he purchased this lot from the Yakima Valley’s den Hoed family. Attractive from the first whiff, it brings … [Read more...] about Cellardoor Winery 2019 Riesling, American, $16
Best Buy
Airfield Estates Winery 2021 Sauvignon Blanc, Yakima Valley $17
Best Buy! National distributors are telling Northwest vintners that Sauvignon Blanc is drawing more attention from entry-level wine drinker. Here’s an ideal landing spot. Classic aromas of gooseberry and lemongrass lead to a palate that’s bright and happy with Granny Smith apple, starfruit and lovely pink grapefruit. And if you order a case, the Miller family will pay for the … [Read more...] about Airfield Estates Winery 2021 Sauvignon Blanc, Yakima Valley $17
King Estate Winery 2021 Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley $19
Best Buy! The Kings of Pinot, quarterbacked by winemaker Brent Stone, have now scored five Platinums in the past four years with Pinot Gris. The estate along the Territorial Highway accounts for 51% of this bottling and nearly a dozen other sites also come into play for this consistently classic expression featuring orange blossom, Asian pear, starfruit and kiwi while picking … [Read more...] about King Estate Winery 2021 Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley $19
Gehringer Brothers Estate Winery 2021 Old Vines Auxerrois, Golden Mile Bench $15.99
Best Buy! Of the Gehringers’ 97 career Platinums, 11 have been with this remarkable but obscure white variety from Alsace that is sometimes labeled in that region as Pinot Blanc. While it is often sublime, Walter and Gordon Gehringer create a magical setting, starting with remarkable florals of cherry blossom, apricot and sliced Asian pear. The approach to the palate is clean … [Read more...] about Gehringer Brothers Estate Winery 2021 Old Vines Auxerrois, Golden Mile Bench $15.99
Iris Vineyards 2019 House Call Red Blend, Oregon $19.99
Best Buy! A big reason that a handful of wineries operating on the eastern side of the Cascades are operating tasting rooms in the Willamette Valley is because sometimes Pinot Noir consumers seek a change of pace. Cottage Grove winemaker Aaron Lieberman wanted to branch out a bit, too, so he worked with Rogue Valley sites Folin Vineyards and Cliff Creek Cellars’s Sams Valley … [Read more...] about Iris Vineyards 2019 House Call Red Blend, Oregon $19.99