Kirkland real estate exec Chris Loeliger began his journey into wine while he and his wife were living in Texas. Among the lessons this new Woodinville winemaker’s learned at South Seattle Community College’s Northwest Wine Academy was where to source fruit, and his knowledge shows with this remarkable production from Joe Hattrup’s stunning Elephant Mountain Vineyards from the … [Read more...] about TruthTeller Winery 2015 Frolic Viognier, Yakima Valley, $20
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Boomtown by Dusted Valley 2014 Merlot, Columbia Valley, $19
Walla Walla winemakers Chad Johnson, Corey Braunel and Griffin Frey team up with the Wahluke Wine Co., for another solid example of Merlot under the sister brand for acclaimed Dusted Valley Vintners. Dark purple tones of blueberry, black cherry and pomegranate are joined by aromatic hints of lavender, brown sugar and chalkboard dust. On the pour, there’s brightness that leads … [Read more...] about Boomtown by Dusted Valley 2014 Merlot, Columbia Valley, $19
Cadaretta 2013 Windthrow Red Wine, Walla Walla Valley, $60
Washington winemakers continue to pursue red blends based on Rhone varieties, and Kendall Mix adds to the discussion the latest edition of Windthrow, a creation built upon Syrah (76%) with layers of Mourvèdre (17%) and Cinsault. Once again, we can marvel at the influence of Tedd Wildman’s StoneTree Vineyard as the Wahluke Slope site contributed 58% of the final blend, followed … [Read more...] about Cadaretta 2013 Windthrow Red Wine, Walla Walla Valley, $60
L’Ecole No. 41 2014 StoneTree Vineyard Grenache, Wahluke Slope, $36
Tedd Wildman’s StoneTree Vineyard on the sultry Wahluke Slope excels with red Rhone varieties, so Grenache, a rather rare and expensive grape in Washington, is a prized commodity. Ripeness seems to never be an issue at StoneTree, and this lot was harvested remarkably early - Sept. 13 - at nearly 27 Brix. The predominantly neutral barrel program allows for the fruit to shine, … [Read more...] about L’Ecole No. 41 2014 StoneTree Vineyard Grenache, Wahluke Slope, $36
Chateau Ste. Michelle 2015 Chardonnay, Columbia Valley, $15
Best Buy! One of the Pacific Northwest’s leading bottlings of any white wine touches on a number of the reasons why Chardonnay is the white of choice for many Americans. Buttery and toasty aromas include lemon curd, pear, pineapple and almond. There’s more butterscotch that begins the stream across the palate, followed by a creaminess and pineapple. Those signs of six months of … [Read more...] about Chateau Ste. Michelle 2015 Chardonnay, Columbia Valley, $15