Best Buy! Graduates of the Yakima Valley Community College wine program include Olympic Peninsula vintner David Volmut, and his Italian-themed rosé focuses on fruit from Lonesome Spring Ranch. The sensible blend of Dolcetto (59%) and Sangiovese offers an alluring strawberry/rhubarb color with aromas to match, including Rainier cherry, nectarine and a rub of dried herbs. The … [Read more...] about Wind Rose Cellars 2015 Rosato, Yakima Valley, $15
Best Buy
Drumheller Wines 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $12
Best Buy! Ste. Michelle winemaker Tim Jones takes the lead on the company’s nascent consumer-minded brand that uses grapes from prized Columbia Basin sites - Beverly Vineyard near the Wahluke Slope and Four Feathers in the Cold Creek district. A glorious nose of blackberry, black currant and elderberry also offers toast, chocolate, soy sauce and minerality. On the palate, … [Read more...] about Drumheller Wines 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $12
Jones of Washington 2015 Riesling, Ancient Lakes of Columbia Valley, $10
Best Buy! Columbia Basin winemaker Victor Palencia makes more than 1 million cases of wine for his happy clients, but he also crafts relatively small lots of superb juice for his boss - Jones of Washington. The Quincy family’s 2 Gun Vineyard grows marvelous Riesling, and this serves as a quintessential Washington Riesling - led by tropical aromas with hints of Ambrosia Salad … [Read more...] about Jones of Washington 2015 Riesling, Ancient Lakes of Columbia Valley, $10
Coach House Cellars NV Garage Red Wine Blend, Columbia Valley, $13
Best Buy! Bellingham winemakers Paxton Rembert and Scott Whitman operate a downtown tasting room in Fairhaven’s Rustic Coffee + Wine Bar, but the concept for this blend of Yakima Valley fruit was developed in Rembert’s garage. Understandably, they named this non-vintage blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (56%) and Merlot as a tribute to those beginnings. It’s a nicely balanced and … [Read more...] about Coach House Cellars NV Garage Red Wine Blend, Columbia Valley, $13
Skyfall Vineyard 2014 Chardonnay, Columbia Valley, $12
Best Buy! International wine conglomerate Deutsch Family launched this brand with the 2012 vintage, and it’s a collaboration with Yakima Valley grower/vintner David Minick of Precept. While the brand is named for the expanding Skyfall Vineyard between Red Mountain and the Horse Heaven Hills, fruit for this Chardonnay goes beyond the vines near Benton City. This Chardonnay is … [Read more...] about Skyfall Vineyard 2014 Chardonnay, Columbia Valley, $12