Three branches of ownership are behind this family-owned winery and vineyard project in the Walla Walla Valley that’s been together for two decades. This marks the sixth vintage for their Meritage-style bottling from their three vineyards - Seven Hills, Pepper Bridge and Octave. And a year after pushing Cabernet Franc to the lead in the 2012 Trine, Jean-François Pellet returns … [Read more...] about Pepper Bridge Winery 2013 Trine Red Wine, Walla Walla Valley, $65
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Isenhower Cellars 2014 Road Less Traveled Cabernet Franc, Yakima Valley, $34
In terms of their carbon footprint, the Isenhowers take a road less traveled than most wineries in the Pacific Northwest with their long list of sustainable approaches in and around their Walla Walla, Wash., winery. For this Cabernet Franc, they relied on clone 214 fruit from Dineen Vineyard with a bit of Olsen Ranch (14%) included. Toasty aromas include black raspberry, … [Read more...] about Isenhower Cellars 2014 Road Less Traveled Cabernet Franc, Yakima Valley, $34
King Estate Winery 2015 Chardonnay, Oregon, $18
Spencer Spetnagel and Brent Stone team up for another delicious and approach white wine from Oregon’s iconic winery. They began with whole cluster pressing and barrel fermentation ahead of a five-month program of surlie aging in French oak. The nose doesn’t reflect much wood influence, offering instead its fruity scents of lemon and lime that lead into pineapple and Granny … [Read more...] about King Estate Winery 2015 Chardonnay, Oregon, $18
Coyote Canyon Winery 2012 Coyote Canyon Vineyard Tres Cruces Red Wine, Horse Heaven Hills, $25
One of the most delicious trends in the Pacific Northwest wine industry is the growth of GSM-style offerings — bottlings using Rhône Valley varieties Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre. John Gabriel’s final vintage as winemaker for owner/grower Mike Andrews produced this blend that leads with Syrah (42%), and the barrel program leads to deep and smoky aromas of toast, roasted coffee … [Read more...] about Coyote Canyon Winery 2012 Coyote Canyon Vineyard Tres Cruces Red Wine, Horse Heaven Hills, $25
Amavi Cellars 2015 Estate Sémillon, Walla Walla Valley, $24
The Walla Walla Valley deserves more acclaim as a growing region for white wines, and Jean-François Pellet adds more evidence at the sister property of Pepper Bridge. Three estate vineyards — Les Collines (57%), Goff (28%) and Seven Hills - all were picked before Labor Day for this blend with Sauvignon Blanc (12%). A key factor is the complete devotion to neutral French oak … [Read more...] about Amavi Cellars 2015 Estate Sémillon, Walla Walla Valley, $24