Best Buy! Sauvignon Blanc is a bit of an underrated grape in Washington. Typically, it is not nearly as classically herbaceous as examples from Northern California or New Zealand, yet it often provides bright acidity and clean fruit flavors that pair well with any number of dishes, such as halibut with a caper sauce or linguine in a cream sauce. If you haven't tried a … [Read more...] about House Wine 2012 Fish House Sauvignon Blanc, Columbia Valley, $10
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Smasne Cellars 2011 Upland Vineyard Chardonnay, Snipes Mountain, $20
Upland is one of the oldest vineyards in Washington. In 1917, William Bridgman began planting wine grapes on the slopes of Snipes Mountain in the heart of the Yakima Valley - and some of those grapes remain productive today. The grapes for this Chardonnay were planted by the Newhouse family since it purchased Upland in the early 1970s. This wine opens with aromas of candy corn, … [Read more...] about Smasne Cellars 2011 Upland Vineyard Chardonnay, Snipes Mountain, $20
Lookout Point Winery 2010 Malbec, Rattlesnake Hills, $24
Malbec is an up-and-comer in the Northwest, particularly in Washington, where we are able to find as many 100 examples. This is a good example of a Washington Malbec, with dense aromas of blackberry, brownie mix and vanilla, followed by flavors of boysenberry and smooth dark chocolate. Its rich midpalate leads to an elegant finish, and we would pair this with flank … [Read more...] about Lookout Point Winery 2010 Malbec, Rattlesnake Hills, $24
Raptor Ridge Winery 2010 Estate Adalfo’s Block Pinot Noir, Chehalem Mountains, $38
The Chehalem Mountains AVA is in the northern Willamette Valley, near the town of Newberg, Ore. This tasty Pinot Noir offers aromas of cherry jam, pomegranate and red currant, as well as almost no noticeable oak. On the palate, it reveals flavors of raspberry, black truffle and black cherry. It's a gentle, approachable red with mild tannins. Rating: … [Read more...] about Raptor Ridge Winery 2010 Estate Adalfo’s Block Pinot Noir, Chehalem Mountains, $38
Chateau Ste. Michelle 2012 Riesling, Columbia Valley, $10
Best Buy! This is likely the largest single bottling of Riesling anywhere in the world, and it seems a little unfair that it is so delicious. But Ste. Michelle white winemaker Wendy Stuckey has some great fruit to work with from the broad Columbia Valley, including fruit from the Yakima Valley, Horse Heaven Hills and Wahluke Slope. This is a stunning white wine that opens with … [Read more...] about Chateau Ste. Michelle 2012 Riesling, Columbia Valley, $10