During this recent stretch of warm and stunning vintages in the North Willamette Valley, Van Duzer Vineyards seems ideally situated just west of the Eola-Amity Hills appellation. Thanks to the coastal winds through the Van Duzer Corridor, the 84 acres of vines established in the early 1980s by Stanford grads Carl and Marilyn Thoma have been tracked as much as 13 degrees cooler … [Read more...] about Van Duzer Vineyards 2014 Westside Blocks Estate Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, $60
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Saviah Cellars 2015 The Jack Syrah, Columbia Valley, $18
An all-star winemaker who aligns himself with a constellation of renowned vineyards such as Elephant Mountain, Lewis, Lonesome Spring and Pepper Bridge can stitch together a Syrah that’s essentially a GSM-style red with components of Syrah (76%), Grenache (12%) and Mourvèdre (12%). And so Walla Walla winemaker Richard Funk goes beyond his estate sites Dugger Creek and Watermill … [Read more...] about Saviah Cellars 2015 The Jack Syrah, Columbia Valley, $18
Milbrandt Vineyards 2015 Pheasant Vineyard The Estates Late Harvest Riesling, Wahluke Slope, $25
Milbrandt brothers Butch and Jerry have helped turn Mattawa, Wash., and the surrounding Wahluke Slope into a wine-producing region of worldwide acclaim, yet their work with Riesling might go overlooked. Pheasant Vineyard is a warmer site than most, and that allows young winemaker Emily Haines ripen this lot of Riesling early and hang long for the purpose of producing a … [Read more...] about Milbrandt Vineyards 2015 Pheasant Vineyard The Estates Late Harvest Riesling, Wahluke Slope, $25
Wild Goose Vineyards & Winery 2016 Pinot Gris, Okanagan Valley, $17
Three generations of the Kruger family made this stunning example of Pinot Gris possible, and one of the largest productions of this Burgundian grape in British Columbia ranks among the best in the Pacific Northwest. A bevy of aromas includes lemon, lime, grapefruit and pineapple. This teases the palate into chasing flavors of pineapple, mango, green apple and lemon/lime as its … [Read more...] about Wild Goose Vineyards & Winery 2016 Pinot Gris, Okanagan Valley, $17
Long Shadows Vintners 2016 Julia’s Dazzle Rosé, Horse Heaven Hills, $20
Director of winemaking Gilles Nicault continues to dazzle with this rosé from Pinot Gris, and his experiences in Provence show in beautiful fashion as he pulls off The Benches Vineyard near Wallula Gap. That dramatic site overlooking the Columbia River upstream from McNary Dam allows the affable Nicault to prove once again that Pinot Noir isn’t the only Burgundy variety … [Read more...] about Long Shadows Vintners 2016 Julia’s Dazzle Rosé, Horse Heaven Hills, $20