Best Buy! Estate vineyards first planted in 1978 at the southern end of the Willamette Valley, south of Eugene, Ore., make up most of this blend definitely appeals to the tasting room crowd. It’s hugely tropical from beginning to end, flashing aromas of guava and lychee, backed by minerality and a whiff of petrol. The drink is akin to fruit cocktail in a medium syrup, finished … [Read more...] about Sweet Cheeks Winery 2011 Vintage Riesling, Oregon, $14
Oregon
Ghost Hill Cellars 2011 Bayliss-Bower Vineyard Pinot Noir Blanc, Yamhill-Carlton, $25
This is the fifth generation of the Bayliss family to farm this 200+ acre property near Carlton, Ore., which seems to suit Pinot Noir, and winemaker Rebecca Pittock-Shouldis turned some of their fruit into one of the Pacific Northwest’s most unique wines. It is billed as a “Champagne minus the bubbles,” and it indeed smells Burgundian, leading with aromas of apple and pear, … [Read more...] about Ghost Hill Cellars 2011 Bayliss-Bower Vineyard Pinot Noir Blanc, Yamhill-Carlton, $25
Delfino Vineyard 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon, Umpqua Valley, $26
Linda Donovan, one of Southern Oregon's top hired guns, knows how to manage tannins, shown by her Platinum-winning Tempranillo last fall. This Cabernet Sauvignon for Jim and Terri Delfino, from the same vintage, shows remarkable balance, finesse and complexity with its lighter style. The aromatics include Rainier cherry, milk chocolate, blueberry, blackberry with a pinch of … [Read more...] about Delfino Vineyard 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon, Umpqua Valley, $26