The estate Lone Star Vineyard, a tribute to founding winemaker Rollin Soles’s Texas heritage, takes up all the real estate in this Chardonnay from Argyle Winery that’s a beautiful example of the stylistic approach taking place in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Picked over the course of two days — Sept. 20-21 — at 22 Brix, lead winemaker Nate Klostermann’s use of 40% new French … [Read more...] about Argyle Winery 2014 Master Series Nuthouse Chardonnay, Eola-Amity Hills, $40
Latest wine reviews
Claar Cellars 2015 White Bluffs Sauvignon Blanc, Columbia Valley, $16
Joe Hudon’s stint in New Zealand with Kiwi icon Kim Crawford is on display with this latest Sauvignon Blanc from the Claar-Whitelatch family’s Salmon Safe vineyards above the Columbia River near Pasco, Wash. The nose carries slices of gooseberry pie and Key Lime pie with lychee, grassiness and just a wink of tomcat. Its strident acidity is a ripper, focusing on bone-dry flavors … [Read more...] about Claar Cellars 2015 White Bluffs Sauvignon Blanc, Columbia Valley, $16
Koenig Vineyards 2014 Botrytis Single Berry Select Late Harvest Riesling, Snake River Valley, $30
Made in the classic trockenbeerenauslese style of Germany comes this gorgeous dessert wine from the Sunnyslope area of Idaho’s Snake River Valley. Aromas of apricot, honey and rich peach are backed by thick, textured flavors of creme brulee and apricot. This wine is a stunning achievement by winemaker Greg Koenig, and the scale of his production with it is delightful … [Read more...] about Koenig Vineyards 2014 Botrytis Single Berry Select Late Harvest Riesling, Snake River Valley, $30
Westport Winery NV Rapture of the Deep Sparkling Cranberry, Washington, $28
Washington's Grays Harbor County produces some of the continent’s best cranberries, and Westport winemaker Dana Roberts uses those to create one of the Pacific Northwest's easiest-to-like wines. Given a blindfold, you mind think there's more cranberry in store with hints of raspberry and blood orange. There’s no mistaking that it's cranberry wine because of the purity of fruit. … [Read more...] about Westport Winery NV Rapture of the Deep Sparkling Cranberry, Washington, $28
Daven Lore Winery 2013 Durif, Horse Heaven Hills, $29
Yakima Valley winemaker Gordon Taylor hangs his hat on this loud and intense red grape from the Rhône Valley otherwise known as Petite Sirah - a cross of Peloursin and Syrah developed in France by 19th century botanist François Durif. Taylor pulled from Zephyr Ridge Vineyard on Sept. 27 for the P.S., which constitutes the legal minimum 75 percent of the blend as required by the … [Read more...] about Daven Lore Winery 2013 Durif, Horse Heaven Hills, $29