Best Buy! The late Jean Ferguson, founding winemaker of L'Ecole, had a soft spot in her heart for Vouvray, so Chenin Blanc has been part of the portfolio at this Walla Walla Valley icon since 1987. In fact, the erstwhile schoolhouse in Lowden produces two expressions of the Loire Valley grape each vintage. Here is the flagship bottling by winemaker Marcus Rafanelli, and it is … [Read more...] about L’Ecole N° 41 Winery 2022 Old Vines Chenin Blanc, Yakima Valley, $19
Wine of the Week
Argyle Winery 2022 Rosé Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley $22
Minnesota-grown Nate Klostermann has extended the sterling reputation of Arygle’s sparkling wine program during his two decades at the historic facility in Dundee, Ore. Some of those aspects were applied to this rosé, a product of six clones from Argyle’s loftiest and coolest blocks in its 137-acre Spirit Hill planting in the Eola-Amity Hills. "In many ways we approach our rosé … [Read more...] about Argyle Winery 2022 Rosé Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley $22
Björnson Vineyard 2022 Pamar Vineyard Gouais Blanc, Van Duzer Vineyard, $35
Those who want to taste history and be among of the first in U.S. to do so can thank the Björnson family in Oregon's Eola-Amity Hills for their delicious job of pioneering Gouais Blanc, pronounced Goo–aaay Blahn. Scott Sabbadini, whose résumé includes University of California-Davis and Maryhill Winery, has shown himself to be a quick study of this white grape that research can … [Read more...] about Björnson Vineyard 2022 Pamar Vineyard Gouais Blanc, Van Duzer Vineyard, $35
Veer Wine Project 2021 Garnacha, Snake River Valley, $34
Will Wetmore, the winemaker behind the 2021 Idaho Winery to Watch in the eyes of Great Northwest Wine's editorial team, and historic Sawtooth Vineyard combined for one of the Northwest's top examples of Grenache for young Veer Wine Project. The Caldwell-based producer offers his fans a quaffer that's front-loaded with notes of strawberry freezer jam, cherry vanilla and blood … [Read more...] about Veer Wine Project 2021 Garnacha, Snake River Valley, $34
Maryhill Winery 2019 Proprietor’s Reserve Malbec, Columbia Valley $44
The Leutholds have earned an unsurpassed seven Platinum Awards for their Malbec program, starting with the classic 2005 vintage, so it was not surprising to see one of Richard Batchelor’s bottlings finish as the No. 1 wine of this tasting. His winning melange of nearby Gunkel Vineyard (57%), an estate source at the east end of the Columbia Gorge, with Tudor Hills Vineyard in … [Read more...] about Maryhill Winery 2019 Proprietor’s Reserve Malbec, Columbia Valley $44