Precept Wine CEO Andrew Browne and Waterbrook winemaker John Freeman combine for one of Washington’s tastiest new dry rosé programs, a product of the Seattle wine company’s Canyon Vineyard Ranch near Prosser. Labeled as Grenache, it does receive a sizable contribution from Counoise (21%), and 30 percent of the lot spent time in neutral French oak barrels. It’s a showy pink with … [Read more...] about Browne Family Vineyards 2015 Grenache Rosé, Columbia Valley, $18
Washington
Wind Rose Cellars 2015 Rosato, Yakima Valley, $15
Best Buy! Graduates of the Yakima Valley Community College wine program include Olympic Peninsula vintner David Volmut, and his Italian-themed rosé focuses on fruit from Lonesome Spring Ranch. The sensible blend of Dolcetto (59%) and Sangiovese offers an alluring strawberry/rhubarb color with aromas to match, including Rainier cherry, nectarine and a rub of dried herbs. The … [Read more...] about Wind Rose Cellars 2015 Rosato, Yakima Valley, $15
Drumheller Wines 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $12
Best Buy! Ste. Michelle winemaker Tim Jones takes the lead on the company’s nascent consumer-minded brand that uses grapes from prized Columbia Basin sites - Beverly Vineyard near the Wahluke Slope and Four Feathers in the Cold Creek district. A glorious nose of blackberry, black currant and elderberry also offers toast, chocolate, soy sauce and minerality. On the palate, … [Read more...] about Drumheller Wines 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $12
Tamarack Cellars 2013 Ciel du Cheval Nebbiolo, Red Mountain, $45
There’s a growing contingent of Pacific Northwest wine experts who view Jim Holmes’ Ciel du Cheval Vineyard on Red Mountain as a Grand Cru-type site in our region for the decades of work with Bordeaux varieties. The winemaking tandem of Ron Coleman and Danny Gordon at Tamarack in Walla Walla also sees the promise at Ciel du Cheval with Barolo’s famed late-ripening grape. These … [Read more...] about Tamarack Cellars 2013 Ciel du Cheval Nebbiolo, Red Mountain, $45
L’Ecole No. 41 2013 Seven Hills Vineyard Estate Syrah, Walla Walla Valley, $37
The team from the little schoolhouse west of Walla Walla made a two-day field trip on Sept. 16-17 to pick this lot from 230-acre Seven Hills Vineyard in Oregon. Four rackings over 18 months from a barrel program that included 40% new casks produced blackberry taffy, dusty minerality, black pepper and earthiness. Inside, there’s a tasty ride with dried blueberry and Marionberry … [Read more...] about L’Ecole No. 41 2013 Seven Hills Vineyard Estate Syrah, Walla Walla Valley, $37