Best Buy! The Martinez family understands the soils of the Horse Heaven Hills as well as anyone, having grown grapes here for more than 30 years. Andrew Martinez crafted this superb white wine using grapes from Alder Ridge, not far from the estate vineyard in the Phinny Hill area. It is a pretty wine with aromas of orange oil, banana cream pie and fresh mint leaf, followed by a … [Read more...] about Martinez & Martinez 2011 Alder Ridge Vineyard Viognier, Horse Heaven Hills, $13
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Waterbrook Winery 2011 Riesling, Columbia Valley, $12
Best Buy! Winemaker John Freeman headed to the heart of Washington's Columbia Valley to bring in grapes from Sagemoor, one of the state's oldest vineyards north of Pasco. The wine opens with aromas of pear, lemon, passionfruit and fresh corn, followed by flavors of Red Delicious apple, pineapple and peach. It's a yummy, off-dry sipper. Rating: Recommended Production: … [Read more...] about Waterbrook Winery 2011 Riesling, Columbia Valley, $12
Airfield Estates 2011 Riesling, Yakima Valley, $15
Best Buy! Wine Press Northwest’s 2010 Washington Winery to Watch and winemaker Marcus Miller aren’t slowing down. He built this with a complex nose that hints at fruit cocktail with banana, peach and sliced apple, backed by talcum powder and a whiff of petrol. That nose does not mislead, yielding fruit cocktail flavors, joined by mango. And while there is some residual sugar … [Read more...] about Airfield Estates 2011 Riesling, Yakima Valley, $15
Daven Lore Winery 2011 Dry Riesling, Yakima Valley, $15
Best Buy! Gordon Taylor creates two small lots of Riesling, and this deliciously bone-dry style should appeal to the more serious. Both lots — Patricia O'Brien's Sebastian Vineyard and Art denHoed's Far Away Vineyard — were harvested Nov. 14. The nose offers hints of tangelo, lime peel, peach and sandpaper dust. Asian pear and Granny Smith apple flavors are joined by … [Read more...] about Daven Lore Winery 2011 Dry Riesling, Yakima Valley, $15
Whidbey Island Winery 2011 Rosato, Yakima Valley, $14
Best Buy! Owner/winemaker Greg Osenbach created this tasty rosé using Sangiovese, Lemberger and Grenache. The resulting wine offers aromas of lime and red currant followed by bright, mouthwatering flavors of strawberry, lemon, red currant and gooseberry pie. It's a perfect foil for chicken salad, barbecue wings, pepperoni pizza or spicy samosas. Rating: … [Read more...] about Whidbey Island Winery 2011 Rosato, Yakima Valley, $14