For the third straight year, Coco “Empress of the Platinum” Umiker has used her entry-level “Renaissance Red” — a tribute to the renaissance of her valley’s wine industry — to earn yet another Platinum. While the foundation is Syrah (53%) from Umiker Vineyard, Carménère (11%) plays a significant role behind Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon as blackberry, plum skins, blood orange … [Read more...] about Clearwater Canyon Cellars 2018 Renaissance Red, Lewis-Clark Valley $23
Idaho
Cinder Wines 2019 Tempranillo, Snake River Valley, $35
How driven is Melanie Krause to crafting Tempranillo? When winter damaged the 2017 vintage in Idaho, she drove to Southern Oregon and trucked home — a nine-hour sojourn — a load of Tempranillo grapes she purchased from acclaimed Abacela. Here, her work from Emerald Slope and Sawtooth vineyards is redolent of red fruits and spices, while the structure shows deft management … [Read more...] about Cinder Wines 2019 Tempranillo, Snake River Valley, $35
Holesinsky Winery and Vineyard 2018 100% JH Syrah, Snake River Valley $45
Idaho’s Snake River Valley has become a natural sweet spot for Syrah, and James and Caitlin Holesinsky’s work with their estate plantings has their wines lining up alongside the best in the Pacific Northwest. Complex notes of forest berries, lemon, orange blossom, spice box and Gunpowder tea emerge in a well-crafted expression of Syrah that shows purity in the glass with the … [Read more...] about Holesinsky Winery and Vineyard 2018 100% JH Syrah, Snake River Valley $45
Clearwater Canyon Cellars 2019 Carménère, Washington, $32
A decade ago, Karl and Coco Umiker produced their first Platinum when the 2011 Carménère from Phinny Hill Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills shined during our 2013 judging. Since then, the 2015 vintage of Carm was the only bottling to miss out on going Platinum — but Clearwater Canyon has held firm on its price point for this wine since 2016. While this doesn’t carry the same … [Read more...] about Clearwater Canyon Cellars 2019 Carménère, Washington, $32
Ste. Chapelle Winery 2020 Panoramic Chardonnay, Snake River Valley, $26
Despite what the A-B-C (Anything but Chardonnay) crowd says, Idaho’s largest winery has doubled production since launching this within their reserve tier in 2014. Boise native Meredith Smith’s long-held fascination for the grape — she received a bottle of Ste. Chapelle Chardonnay when she graduated from high school — is apparent as she crafts this in a fresh, fruity and … [Read more...] about Ste. Chapelle Winery 2020 Panoramic Chardonnay, Snake River Valley, $26