Southern Oregon’s Stephen Reustle continues to burnish his reputation for producing wines that display appropriate varietal character, and this Sauvignon Blanc is so spot-on that it could stand up to cross-examination in court. The nose displays a hint of smoke, honeysuckle and lime, then it shows off flavors of lime, lime zest, minerality and a lick of oyster shell. Pair it … [Read more...] about Reustle Prayer-Rock Vineyards 2021 Estate Selection Sauvignon Blanc, Umpqua Valley $26
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Awen Winecraft 2020 Albariño, Applegate Valley • $35
Last year, Great Northwest Wine’s editorial team selected this Medford brand as the Oregon Winery to Watch, and co-owners/co-winemakers Tom Homewood and Sean Hopkins produced a pair of high-scoring Albariños in our comparative tasting. Here, they worked with the Moore family’s Crater View Vineyard, a site near Jacksonville that supplies fruit to a number of Oregon’s top … [Read more...] about Awen Winecraft 2020 Albariño, Applegate Valley • $35
Awen Winecraft 2018 Albariño, Applegate Valley • $35
Two years ago, the tandem of Tom Homewood and Sean Hopkins used a 2018 Grenache Blanc to win Best White Wine at the McMinnville Wine Classic. Their expression of another Iberian Peninsula variety — Albariño — from the same vintage earned high praise in our summer tasting. They reached into Schmidt Family Vineyard near Grants Pass, Ore., for a brilliant example of how this … [Read more...] about Awen Winecraft 2018 Albariño, Applegate Valley • $35
Abacela Winery 2018 Estate Merlot, Umpqua Valley $26.00
While the Jones family’s storied site continues to earn international acclaim for its work with Iberian Peninsula varieties, Fault Line Vineyards and seasoned winemaker Andrew Wenzl add more proof that Southern Oregon deserves to be in the discussion of approachable Merlot. And while the historic establishment of Tempranillo continues to attract much of the attention, these 3.6 … [Read more...] about Abacela Winery 2018 Estate Merlot, Umpqua Valley $26.00