One of nearly a dozen Chardonnay bottlings by the Precept Wine team, The Conqueror comes across as a clean and fruity drink with banana, apricot and apple notes, backed by crisp acidity and a touch of the Horse Heaven Hills dust found so often red and white wines from this region. Bill Murray, now skillfully produced these wines during his time at Canoe Ridge Vineyard in Walla … [Read more...] about The Conqueror Winery 2016 Chardonnay, Horse Heaven Hills $19
Outstanding
Rocky Pond Winery 2015 Double D Vineyard Syrah, Columbia Valley, $39
One of the most exciting young sites in Washington state is Double D Vineyard, an expansive planting by Seattle businessman David Dufenhorst and 15 miles southwest of Lake Chelan along the Columbia River. These four new oak barrels - two domestic and two French - were under the charge of Ron Bunnell. His reputation for work with Rhône varieties remains elite. Aromas of black … [Read more...] about Rocky Pond Winery 2015 Double D Vineyard Syrah, Columbia Valley, $39
Snoqualmie Vineyards 2016 Winemaker’s Select Riesling, Columbia Valley, $8
Best Buy! The history of this brand dates to 1983, and of the five remaining bottlings, which include its ECO tier, two are dedicated to Riesling. Joy Andersen, one of the Washington wine industry's pioneers, creates her Winemaker's Select Riesling in a delightful off-dry style that's hugely tropical as jasmine and lavender notes blend with melon, apple and ripe pear. There's a … [Read more...] about Snoqualmie Vineyards 2016 Winemaker’s Select Riesling, Columbia Valley, $8
Primarius Winery 2015 Pinot Noir, Oregon, $17
Northwest Wine Academy product Sarah Cabot has entered her second decade of winemaking in the Willamette Valley, and her talents continue to show across a variety of price points for Precept Wine. It's fruit-forward approach offers a theme of boysenberry, red currant and cranberry with notes of tarragon and Western serviceberry as acidity drives the structure rather than … [Read more...] about Primarius Winery 2015 Pinot Noir, Oregon, $17
Abacela 2017 Estate Albariño, Umpqua Valley, $21
White florals, lime and peach lead off the latest in a line of outstanding Albariño, the Abacela 2017 edition of this Southern Oregon leader's favorite Spanish white bursts with crisp lime acidity and a hint of papaya in the mouth, with a long, lean finish. It's perfect for seafood of almost any stripe. This won a gold medal at the sixth annual Cascadia International Wine … [Read more...] about Abacela 2017 Estate Albariño, Umpqua Valley, $21