There's no shortage of all-star talent at construction contractor Dennis O'Rourke's exciting and expansive young project in the Okanagan Valley's Lake Country north of Kelowna. Stephanie Stanley, a protege of acclaimed winemaker Howard Soon, built her résumé in the province at the Wayne Gretzky and Peller Estates programs in the Okanagan then Fitzpatrick Family Vineyards before … [Read more...] about O’Rourke’s Peak Cellars 2019 Block 11 Riesling, Okanagan Valley, $28
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C.C Jentsch Cellars 2016 Small Lot Cabernet Franc, Golden Mile Bench, $50
Chris and Betty Jentsch grew up farming in the Okanagan Valley, and their vineyard program spans four sites, including the acclaimed Golden Mile Bench. Their winemaker, Paula Cooper, shepherded these barrels and helped turn them into a wine with considerable finesse with a nose of rose petal, red cherry fruit and the hallmark leafiness of Cab Franc, followed by red cherry, … [Read more...] about C.C Jentsch Cellars 2016 Small Lot Cabernet Franc, Golden Mile Bench, $50
Rocky Pond Winery 2018 Reserve Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills, Oregon, $49
On long-standing item on David Dufenhorst's wine-theme bucket list has been a Willamette Valley Pinot Noir project, so the Washington state winery owner/grower worked with Keeler Vineyard near Amity, Ore., for this four-barrel release. The fanciful and fascinating aroma profile offers huckleberry, cherry jam and blueberry taffy with Baker's chocolate and cola behind those. … [Read more...] about Rocky Pond Winery 2018 Reserve Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills, Oregon, $49
Dusted Valley Vintners 2016 V.R. Special Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $62
Vintage after vintage, this tribute to the chocolate chip cookies from the kitchen of Vernon Rhodes - the late grandfather of co-founder Chad Johnson - ranks among Walla Walla's best offerings of Cab. In years past, StoneTree played a role in the blend, but here it's the venerable Dionysus site at Sagemoor near the Columbia River and Southwind Vineyard on the Oregon side of the … [Read more...] about Dusted Valley Vintners 2016 V.R. Special Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $62
Adelsheim Vineyard 2014 Sparkling Blanc de Blanc, Willamette Valley, $95
Gina Hennen had ascended to the position of associate winemaker when she started the secondary fermentation in the bottle - tirage in French - for the inaugural vintage of this program at iconic Adelsheim in the Chehalem Mountains. The base wine was a blend of Chardonnay from the estate Bryan Creek Vineyard with that of Crawford Beck in the Van Duzer-cooled Eola-Amity Hills. … [Read more...] about Adelsheim Vineyard 2014 Sparkling Blanc de Blanc, Willamette Valley, $95