Best Buy! Milbrandt-owned Washington Wine Group earned five Platinums in 2023, and all five are priced at $20 or less, including the Lulu sparkling wines. It’s easy to understand why judges in California awarded these Riesling-led bubbles the gold medals that grew into a Platinum. The fine beads send out notes of peach, honeydew melon, honeysuckle, Pink Lady apple and lemon … [Read more...] about Milbrandt Family Wines NV Lulu Méthode Contemporaine Blanc de Blanc, Washington State $20
platinum awards
Zerba Cellars 2019 Cockburn Vineyard Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla $40
One of the Pacific Northwest’s most decorated wineries used this Cabernet Sauvignon from winemaker Brent Roberts to close in on its 50th career Platinum. This is the third time in four years for the Milton-Freewater, Ore., producer to earn a Platinum for one of its Cabs, and Roberts used contributions of Syrah (11%), Merlot (9%) and Cabernet Franc (5%) to showcase his knack for … [Read more...] about Zerba Cellars 2019 Cockburn Vineyard Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla $40
Capital Call Vintners 2020 Windhorse Vineyard Syrah, Columbia Gorge $42
This project took root in the Columbia Gorge with acclaimed wine-country geologist Alan Busacca and has grown via collaborations with storied winemakers Rich Cushman (Oregon) and Joshua Maloney (Washington) and Midwest entrepreneurs Steve and Nikki Bruere. Their delicious Cushman-crafted Syrah from this scenic site near the confluence of the Deschutes and Columbia rivers should … [Read more...] about Capital Call Vintners 2020 Windhorse Vineyard Syrah, Columbia Gorge $42
Chris James Cellars 2020 Barbera, Columbia Valley $45
A decade ago, Christopher and Bethany Barnes began planting their vineyard on the outskirts of Carlton, Ore., and producing wine under their Artem Wine Co., brand. While the Barnes family releases delicious estate wines from Italian varieties they tend near famous Panther Creek, they’ve used Barbera grown in the Walla Walla Valley to win gold medals. This time, that program has … [Read more...] about Chris James Cellars 2020 Barbera, Columbia Valley $45
Armstrong Family Winery 2019 Sally Mac Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley $60
Two-decade-old Clone 8 Cabernet Sauvignon plantings from the Armstrongs’s recently acquired Wheat Ridge Vineyard form the foundation of this blend that began to hit its stride this fall with high scores at two judgings in October — and yielded Timothy Armstrong his first Platinum from our panels. A pair of more famous vineyards in Les Collines and Seven Hills played supporting … [Read more...] about Armstrong Family Winery 2019 Sally Mac Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley $60