Rick and Debbie Johnson’s multi-layered operation in Walla Walla, which includes lodging, vineyard and wine program, takes a Rhône approach to this lightly salmon-colored rosé. It started Oct. 5 with Syrah from Walla Faces Estate Vineyard, a lofty site in the Walla Walla Valley at 1,360 feet elevation along Wheat Ridge Lane. Next came co-fermention with Viognier (20%) from … [Read more...] about Walla Faces 2015 Art Rosé, Walla Walla Valley, $20
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Waterbrook Winery 2015 Sangiovese Rosé, Columbia Valley, $13
Best Buy! One of the Pacific Northwest’s largest productions of rose remains devoted to the Italian variety. Aromas of raspberry, fresh cranberry, peach skin and green peppercorn lead to flavors of Rainier cherry, strawberry and plum. Its tangerine-like acidity and sweetness profile of 1% residual sugar make this a quaffer that’s intended to be served well-chilled. Enjoy with … [Read more...] about Waterbrook Winery 2015 Sangiovese Rosé, Columbia Valley, $13
14 Hands Winery 2014 Merlot, Columbia Valley, $15
Best Buy! “Textbook” may be a cliche in describing a wine of startling character, but it can be appropriate, as here. This is one fragrant, composed and resilient Merlot, yet it upholds the variety’s reputation for being capable of accommodating a wide range of foods at the table, such as ribs, tri-tip or pasta in a tomato sauce. This won a gold medal and best Merlot at the … [Read more...] about 14 Hands Winery 2014 Merlot, Columbia Valley, $15
Telaya Wine Co. 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain, $40
Boise winemaker Earl Sullivan isn’t confident that Idaho’s Snake River Valley can get Cabernet Sauvignon to ripen at 2,800 feet elevation year after year, so he goes to the biggest sure thing in the Northwest — Washington's Red Mountain. And he’s in on the ground floor of Quintessence Vineyards, one of the region’s most exciting sites for Cab. The Telaya Wine program of 20 … [Read more...] about Telaya Wine Co. 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain, $40
Yamhill Valley Vineyards 2014 Riesling, Willamette Valley, $18
The Barn and Triangle blocks that Stephen Cary and Ariel Eberle work each year on their Riesling program reach back to the early 1980s, which makes sense since Yamhill Valley Vineyards is home of the second-oldest vineyard in the McMinnville American Viticultural Area. This off-dry offering, harvested Oct. 27, comes across as akin to a German spätlese with its aromas of dried … [Read more...] about Yamhill Valley Vineyards 2014 Riesling, Willamette Valley, $18