One of the state's largest productions of late harvest Riesling, it's rather tasty and far from simple. Think of fruit cocktail aromas that also pick up apple blossom, apricot, peaches, lemon/lime, honeycomb and a whiff of petrol. Nearly all of those follow through to the flavors, as well as apple sauce, baking spice and wet stone. At 7% residual sugar and late acidity, it … [Read more...] about Washington Hills 2011 Late Harvest Sweet Riesling, Washington, $10
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Lone Birch 2011 Pinot Gris, Yakima Valley, $13
Airfield Estates in Prosser, Wash., already made some of the best value wines in the Northwest, and then the Miller clan created its second lower-priced label. The Millers cropped their Black Rock Creek vineyard to 5 tons per acre for a wine that opens with a nose of lemon zest, Asian pear, starfruit, white pepper and river rock. The approach to the palate is dry (0.6% residual … [Read more...] about Lone Birch 2011 Pinot Gris, Yakima Valley, $13
Sun River Vintners 2008 Smasne Vineyard Gewürztraminer, Yakima Valley, $14
This new winery in Kennewick, Wash., produces vineyard-designate wines primarily from sites in the Yakima Valley and Horse Heaven Hills. They take an unusual approach to Gewurztraminer in the New World by giving it some age, and there's a subtle hint of barrel, too. Aromas of apple sauce, cardamom, candy corn, cotton candy and grapefruit zest transition to flavors of baked … [Read more...] about Sun River Vintners 2008 Smasne Vineyard Gewürztraminer, Yakima Valley, $14
Waterbrook Winery 2011 Pinot Gris, Columbia Valley, $12
This brisk and steely Pinot Gris from two Prosser, Wash., sites — Willow Crest and Canyon Vineyard Ranch — carries enough gooseberry aromas one might mistake it for a Sauvignon Blanc. Behind that are scents of lemongrass, Golden Delicious apple, honeysuckle and fresh-cut celery. Ripe apple and fresh-squeezed lemon lead the flavors, backed by celery leaf and a scrape of … [Read more...] about Waterbrook Winery 2011 Pinot Gris, Columbia Valley, $12
Elk Cove Vineyards 2011 Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley, $19
Second-generation winemaker Adam Campbell is amazingly consistent with Pinot Gris. Every year, it seems, he is able to dial in what must be his highest-production wine. His 2010 earned our top "Outstanding" rating, and he did it again this year, making his Pinot Gris one of the sure bets in Oregon white wines. This opens with pretty aromas of apple, pear, sweet lemon, lime zest … [Read more...] about Elk Cove Vineyards 2011 Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley, $19