Two Great Northwest Wineries Blazing New Winemaking Trails
This week's Deep Dive is focused on two wineries that in very different ways are blazing new winemaking trails. Rocky Pond has single-handedly created and verified an entirely new AVA – Rocky Reach – here in Washington state. These are among the very finest wines I've tasted in the past year.
Authentique is the project of Nicholas Keeler, located on a lush and beautiful estate near the town of Amity, Oregon. Keeler works his magic via an impressive knowledge of varied fermentation vehicles and blending practices, which he explains in the essay below.
As this website has evolved over the past year I've zeroed in on curating exceptional wines rather than broadcasting endless reviews of whatever shows up on my porch. I want the time you spend here to be valuable. Finding really good wines out of the vast numbers of OK wines is a time-consuming activity. Unless you are in the wine business in some way it's almost impossible. I enjoy tasting and writing about wine and I'm happy to devote almost full-time hours to the task. In these weekly posts you find the distillation of all the tastings and research I've done – in other words, just the good stuff.
If you don't subscribe yet to my Paul Gregutt Substack posts please do. There is no charge and you will get previews, new and different material, and scores on all featured wines.
This week's Deep Dive is focused on two wineries that in very different ways are blazing new winemaking trails. Rocky Pond has single-handedly created and verified an entirely new AVA – Rocky Reach – here in Washington state. These are among the very finest wines I've tasted in the past year.
Authentique is the project of Nicholas Keeler, located on a lush and beautiful estate near the town of Amity, Oregon. Keeler works his magic via an impressive knowledge of varied fermentation vehicles and blending practices, which he explains in the essay below.
When I discovered this new winery and AVA last spring I was instantly transported by the feeling that here was indeed a very special place to grow grapes.
As I wrote on this website last June: More than a few winemakers have told me over the years that the best places to grow grapes in Washington are yet to be discovered. That's not completely true – some great places have already been found. But with climate change impacting virtually all West Coast vintners, the qualities that define "best places" are evolving. And the winemaking is evolving with them. Wines are getting more subtle, more aromatic, less obviously fruity and more complex. These early releases from Rocky Pond express all of those characteristics.
Rocky Pond President John Ware spent two decades at Quilceda Creek before joining Rocky Pond. I was curious to find out what had attracted him to this new, unproven winery and vineyard. His answer:
"The Rocky Reach AVA has a geological story dating back 100,000,000-70,000,00 years when islands in the Pacific were thrust under Washington and thrust up into this 32,333 acres called Rocky Reach. Then 18,500-16,000 years ago, two glaciers carved out the Columbia River, depositing sandy soils and the prolific cobblestones. We do not have any basalt like most of Washington, and in fact, are higher in silica and quartz minerals. So what does that all mean for wine drinkers? We have a distinct minerality that is fused with ripe fruit that expresses itself in the wines. Double D and Rocky Reach Estate are warm sites. The stony surfaces and cobblestones quickly warm and heat the vines and promote faster and more complete ripening. The coarser soils are more efficient in transmitting water [meaning they hold less] which encourages the vines to establish deeper roots than vines planted in silty soils."
PG: Of course the proof is in the pudding and my initial enthusiasm has been amplified and confirmed by subsequent tastings and a visit to the winery last summer. The newest releases are stunning wines from a more difficult vintage. Shane Collins, who made these new releases, now manages the estate vineyards in his current role as Director of Viticulture and Vineyard Relations. He's found that a lot of the vines, especially the older plantings going back to 2013, are very hard to get good vigor on. "Very sandy and cobblestone soils provide little water holding in the soil," he explains, "so we have learned a lot about proper balance for these vines. They will naturally hold less crop load than other locations that have previously had apples, pears, and cherries.
"What I thought we could accomplish for crop load and quality is certainly different than what I thought in 2017 when I came on board with Rocky Pond. We have changed our thinking on strategy for water management down to individual lines and sub-sections of the blocks by adding additional emitters and being able to turn the water on and off in very specific areas.
"I want to maximize the expression of the tannins and the tension of the wine while not having them express too lean or rigid. We focus on getting the plant to shut down as early as we can for any new growth on try to focus all the energy on fruit ripeness and phenolic development as the daylight becomes shorter later in the year, especially late September and October."
PG: The winemaking reins have been handed over to Liz Keyser, who moved up from Napa a year ago. I asked her to comment on her experiences in a new wine region this first year.
LK: "This growing season was a lesson in patience. The slow and cool start to the growing season set us on a path of being 1-2 weeks behind historic phenology data and meant most of our fruit was going to be harvested in a very tight window. There were many sleepless nights in early-October spent poring over weather reports and debating early picks, but ultimately I trusted that we could push hang time and the grapes would be able to bounce back from light rain, or even a frost event. We started harvesting red fruit on October 19th and were all in by November 9th (90+ tons in approx. 3-weeks). We have an incredible vineyard and cellar team who worked at a grueling pace to accomplish this harvest.
"A major strength of the Rocky Reach AVA made apparent to me this growing season is the ability to achieve even ripening across the spectrum of varieties grown at Double D and Rocky Reach Estate vineyards, even in a challenging vintage. I attribute the balanced and even ripening to the low elevation and sandy-rocky soils that radiate heat into the canopy. Being able to hold onto heat into the evening hours really helped to push ripening along. I am continually impressed by the wines produced from our vineyards in the Rocky Reach AVA. For young vines the fruit exudes so much character and sense of place.
"Overall, downsizing from the 150k+ case production [in Napa] has allowed me to reconnect with the entire winemaking process and it’s been a challenging, inspiring, and gratifying year. The first wines of the 2022 vintage will be released in Spring 2023, featuring the 2022 Stratastone Rosé and 2022 Double D Sauvignon Blanc. The 2022 vintage will be labeled with Rocky Reach AVA designation (where applicable) and Sustainable WA certification.”
As Liz notes these current releases still carry the broad Columbia Valley AVA designation rather than the newly-minted Rocky Reach AVA because TTB approval came just after these wines had already been bottled. "In subsequent vintages" President John Ware confirms, "you will see the Rocky Reach AVA designation from wines produced from the Double D and Rocky Reach vineyard sites, as well as the new 'Sustainable WA' certification."
Purchase Rocky Pond wines here
Rocky Pond 2021 Tumbled Granite White
This Viognier/Roussanne blend saw 45% new French oak prior to bottling. It's racy and focused, still rather tight with prickly citrus skin, cucumber and cactus flavors. The freshness is appealing and leads me to suggest that this be enjoyed over the next couple of years. One minor quibble – the front labels on the two Tumbled Granite wines are identical, and the dark glass makes it difficult to tell white from red. 150 cases; 14.1%; $60 (Columbia Valley)
Rocky Pond 2020 Double D Vineyard Malbec
This is pure Malbec and a textbook example of this done as a varietal wine. Blueberries galore in the nose, accented with pretty barrel toast (44% new for 22 months). Malbec initially plays out across the palate horizontally and then sets up with precision, lighter in mouthfeel than most Washington Merlots and less tannically potent than Cabernets. Nonetheless it's got length and strength and its own pleasures, a mix of berry and coffee, chicory and grain. 300 cases; 15%; $60 (Columbia Valley)
Rocky Pond 2020 Double D Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
This is 77% Cabernet; also in the blend are Merlot (18% and Syrah (5%), all from the flagship estate vineyard. This is dark and supple, toasty and firm, with taut black fruits, polished but chewy tannins and a frame of new French oak. Hints of gravel and graphite penetrate the finish and amplify the astringency of the tannins. Clearly at the start of a long life, it's structured like many of Washington's finest Cabernets from Red Mountain and the Horse Heaven Hills. 256 cases; 14.8%; $75 (Columbia Valley)
Rocky Pond 2020 Tumbled Granite Red
This is 75% Cabernet, 20% Merlot and 5% Syrah, all from the flagship estate vineyard. Compare with the 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon and the stats are almost identical, so this must be a reserve-level selection from all new barrels. With all that new oak it's loaded with baking spices, thus giving it immediate appeal despite its long term aging potential. The dark fruits are typical from the Double D vineyard, and line up taut and polished alongside sharp, polished and balancing tannins. This is a beautifully made wine which should be cellared for at least a few more years and could go into the mid-2030s. Very limited. 90 cases; 15%; $120 (Columbia Valley)
Rocky Pond 2020 Double D Vineyard Stratastone Red
This popular Rhône-style blend is 46% Grenache, 28% Syrah and 26% Mourvèdre (almost doubled from the previous vintage). Gorgeously scented with a plush mix of brambly red and purple berries, lavender and white chocolate, it's fresh, forward and fruit-driven; in other words absolutely irresistible. Those who purchased the previous vintage will be pleased to know the price is virtually unchanged. As this vineyard continues to grow and mature we can only expect more magnificent wines will follow. 436 cases; 14.8%; $46 (Columbia Valley)
Rocky Pond 2020 Double D Vineyard 11 Dams Red
One of a pair of outstanding entry-level blends from Rocky Pond, this is 54% Merlot, 29% Cabernet Sauvignon and 17% Malbec sourced from the estate vineyard. It's all Rocky Reach AVA but the winery is going with the more generic Columbia Valley designation. An unusual blend, this deftly amps up the power of the principal Merlot component while keeping the strength and detail of the other two grapes in focus. It's a fruit showcase loaded with black cherries and cassis, backed with the AVA's underlying minerality. The generous use of new French oak (50%) is kept in check while framing the wine perfectly. Given its youth this absolutely must be decanted for near term drinking, or cellared for another couple of years. Still drinking very well on the 4th day. 550 cases; 14.8%; $46 (Columbia Valley)
The winery's Keeler estate vineyard (just outside of Amity) is a Demeter-certified biodynamic site on a southwest facing hillside. The shallow and diverse sedimentary soils were once part of an ancient ocean bed.
Winemaker Nicholas Keeler employs a fascinating array of fermentation vessels including rotary large format, upright oak; stainless steel tanks; Italian amphorae and concrete eggs, sometimes mixing multiple styles in a single bottling. He has represented Allary barrels in the U.S. and along the way acquired a great deal of knowledge of French forests, barrel production and the impact of specific barrel choices on finished wines.
"My aim is to make unique wines with layers of nuance and detail" he says. "Wines fermented in different vessels are barreled down separately. This gives me a wider range of color, texture and flavor for the alchemy at the blending table. For example in my Pinot Noir oak is used for texture and color; concrete ovals for an anaerobic environment, texture and longer time on the skins; stainless for precise temperature control, respect for the vineyard/fruit character and a brighter mouthfeel. My hope is to get more detail in the wines, and for the wines to be ageworthy and captivate interest as they evolve in cellar and glass.
"I also enjoy the gentle extraction texture and carbonic aspect of the rotary 500 and 600 liter barrels. In my experience the Italian amphorae lends a unique color, highlights mineral/ceramic elements and produces a round texture during fermentation and aging. Lately I’ve been fermenting a personal favorite 115 clone block from Keeler estate to get orange peel , cherry and white pepper characters in amphorae; then aging in our medium+ all fire toast Allary Diamant Fontainebleau. It's a wonderfully complex wine that’s normally blended in the Authentique Keeler estate designate Pinot Noir."
PG: Authentique wines are released a year or two after most Oregon Pinots, which is very helpful given the somewhat reductive winemaking. As with all the wines I taste, these Authentique releases have been re-examined over several days.
Purchase all Authentique wines here
Authentique 2020 Bremen Town Riesling
Fermented in concrete egg and then aged in neutral oak, this shows the sort of experimentation happening with Riesling among its advocates in Oregon. It's aromatic and dry – in fact for some palates it will taste sour – like a squirt of fresh lemon juice. The time in concrete egg adds texture and a baseline minerality, extending the finish. This would be an ideal match for shellfish, crustaceans or poultry in a lemon sauce. 75 cases; 12%; $50 (Eola-Amity Hills)
Authentique 2019 Bois Joli Chardonnay
Sappy and seductive, this layers tart lemony acids under crisp apple, Asian pear, grapefruit and a thin seam of banana cream. The complexity and clever melding of disparate components is impressive. This should be decanted or aged another 2-5 years. Nicholas Keeler notes these are Dijon clones that were fermented spontaneously in 30% new extra tight Vosges oak barrels, then aged sur lie for 16 months. 75 cases; 13%; $60 (Eola-Amity Hills)
Authentique 2019 Fond Marin Chardonnay
This barrel selection includes grapes from Bois Joli and Keeler vineyards. At first it is sharp, almost severe, and drinks younger than its vintage. It's steely and tight, with close-wound, mineral-drenched flavors of lemon rind, lemongrass, apple skin and dried Italian herbs. If past is preview (I thought when first tasting it) this will respond well to aeration and further bottle age. Sure enough this opened up and drank far better on day three than on day one. 200 cases; 13%; $60 (Eola-Amity Hills)
Authentique 2019 The Corridor Pinot Noir
The Corridor bottling gets essentially the same care as the more expensive Pinots from Authentique. Spontaneous (wild yeast) fermentation of whole berries with a small percentage of whole clusters amps up the details and textures of this wine. Savory overtones complement the brambly berry fruit. The new oak is subtle and effective. Intended to be more approachable early than its companions, it's pleasingly full and nicely textured. Should drink well through the rest of the decade. 200 cases; 13%; $42 (Eola-Amity Hills)
Authentique 2019 Keeler Estate Vineyard Pinot Noir
As noted above the regimen includes spontaneous fermentation in rotary oak puncheons, demi-muid, upright oak, amphorae and stainless tanks. This is followed by 16 months in 40% new oak with light bâtonnage. The payoff is a wine with varied textures, layered like sedimentary rock, and somewhat muted flavors of berries, mint, sage, soil and seashell. I strongly recommend decanting this wine in order to help the flavors unpack. Best drinking should be after 2026. 300 cases; 13%; $60 (Eola-Amity Hills)
Authentique 2019 Wind Ridge Vineyard Pinot Noir
The fruit comes from Harry and Wynne Peterson-Nedry's vineyard atop Ribbon Ridge. It has that AVA's typical seashell aromatic highlights, which continue through the palate, adding elegant textures and flavor dimensions. All the 2019s from Authentique are done in a style that keeps the alcohol down and emphasizes texture, balance and ageability. This is built to age and should appeal to those who favor the mix of steely fruit, acid and mineral over a more effusive berry-driven style. 150 cases; 13.2%; $75 (Ribbon Ridge)
Authentique 2019 Murto Vineyard Pinot Noir
Own-rooted Pommard from old vines is the story here. Fermented in stainless to emphasize aromatics and precision, this was aged in 30% new oak with a slightly higher toast level than its companion Pinots. The toast is subtle but a bit more apparent than in the others and adds a layer of chocolatey nougat to the tight, tart berry fruit. This borders on being reductive and needs aeration; if possible give it another couple years of bottle age. My second and third day tastings confirm that with time a truly complex and detailed wine will emerge. Drink 2025 - 2035. 150 cases; 13.1%; $75 (Dundee Hills)
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WINERIES: The wines you submit are tasted over many hours and days in peer groups.
NEW: Scores for posted reviews are available by request. (Please indicate if you want all notes or just the published notes.)
Only reviews for recommended wines are published, with links to winery websites to facilitate DTC sales. Additional exposure comes via my posts on Substack, postalley.com, Instagram and various Facebook wine chat groups.
Please send current and upcoming releases according to your own schedule (check with me first re: weather/travel exceptions). All new releases from Pacific Northwest wineries are welcome and will be tasted. Please direct Questions/Comments to paulgwine@me.com.
Thank you for your support! – Paul Gregutt
Paul G's Salon des Vins Refusés
One hundred and sixty years ago the French government and the Academy of Fine Arts sponsored an art show called the Paris Salon. It was an annual showcase of the best academic art. A medal from the Salon was assurance of a successful artistic career; winners were given official commissions by the French government, and were sought after for portraits and private commissions.
As you might imagine competition for acceptance into the Salon was fierce, and in 1863 a second showcase – the Salon des Refusés – was held. Although works by such artists as Paul Cézanne, Gustave Courbet, Camille Pissarro, Édouard Manet and James McNeill Whistler were among the refusés on display, the show was largely ridiculed by the press and the public.
Now think about how wines are evaluated today.
One hundred and sixty years ago the French government and the Academy of Fine Arts sponsored an art show called the Paris Salon. As noted here it was "an annual showcase of the best academic art. A medal from the Salon was assurance of a successful artistic career; winners were given official commissions by the French government, and were sought after for portraits and private commissions. The paintings were classified by genre, following a specific hierarchy; history paintings were ranked first, followed by the portrait, the landscape, the genre scene and finally the still life."
As you might imagine competition for acceptance into the Salon was fierce, and in 1863 so many works were turned down that protests erupted and ultimately reached the attention of Emperor Napoleon III. He authorized a second showcase, which came to be known as the Salon des Refusés. Although works by such artists as Paul Cézanne, Gustave Courbet, Camille Pissarro, Édouard Manet and James McNeill Whistler were among the refusés on display, the show was largely ridiculed by the press and the public.
Now think about how wines are evaluated today. Most wines are never even tasted by influential reviewers and publications. Wineries often must apply for permission and sometimes pay a fee to make submissions, with no guarantee that their wines will be tasted. Some turn instead to the myriad pay-to-play wine competitions that hand out gold medals like free popcorn at the movies. Notice that highly-rated 'cult' wines are virtually never entered into these competitions. There is an unofficial hierarchy as far as who gets reviewed in the mags. Wineries and trade organizations that buy expensive advertising have a leg up. Wines from prestigious regions and grapes (Napa Valley Cabernet, French Champagne, Italian Barolo for example) are almost guaranteed a place at the tasting table. But if you have an especially fine Rogue Valley Carignan? Good luck with that!
Looked at in this way many small and excellent wineries find that their wines are refusés. Perhaps a winery is too small for distributors to work with. Or there is no budget for advertising in the major wine publications; no interest in pay-to-play influencers and wine competitions. Maybe someone's wines are too original, different, edgy or wild for most palates. Oftentimes wines are released too soon, tasted too quickly and jammed together with a couple dozen other wines in a slam bam "blind" tasting. Even worse, those wineries that hold wines back to give them proper bottle age find that the major publications have already passed that vintage by in the rush to be the first to put numbers on the most recent.
This website is dedicated to searching out and promoting the best of these refusés. After I put out a call for wines that had been overlooked by the mainstream press some absolutely marvelous bottles turned up, exceeding my expectations. I spotlight the best of them here, and welcome future submissions for my next Salon des Vins Refusés.
SIDE NOTE: My friend Tom Wark is working with those who support a bill in Washington state that would legalize wine shipments to consumers from out-of-state retailers. The current laws allow consumers to purchase directly from out-of-state wineries (hence my ability to link recommendations to winery websites). The proposed changes would expand those rights and allow consumers to order wines from out of state retailers, auction houses and wine-of-the-month clubs. Bottom line, you would have access to far more wines than are currently available to Washington residents. For example, you could purchase very limited offerings from Oregon that might only be available from a Portland or Ashland wine shop.
If you favor these changes here is a link that explains the legalities and includes an easy option to send your support to members of the House and Senate committees in charge of upcoming public hearings.
https://www.winefreedom.org/washingtoncampaign/
Meanwhile, check out these truly outstanding vins refusés from my recent tastings.
Adega Northwest
This Portland-based winery makes small lots of Alvarinho, Chardonnay, Riesling, Marsanne, Roussanne, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Mataro/Mourvèdre), Tempranillo, Touriga Nacional, Souzao, Graciano and Port Style wines. I tasted several sourced from well-selected Washington state vineyards. These are big wines, balanced and full-bodied. These 2016s appear to be the most recent (current) releases. They may be purchased here.
Adega Northwest 2016 Gamache Vineyard – Block 19 Cabernet Sauvignon
This excellent vineyard is in the new White Bluffs AVA. Here the fruit is young and juicy with flavors of salmonberry and a touch of tart rhubarb. The lightest of the three reviewed here, it should be paired with a poultry or pasta dish rather than a thick steak. 125 cases; 14.5%; $40 (Columbia Valley)
Adega Northwest 2016 Two Blondes Vineyard – Block 7 Cabernet Sauvignon
This is a supple, luxurious, palate-soaker of a Cabernet. The vineyard, planted in 2000 by Chris Camarda for Andrew Will, is now in full maturity and this wine shows it beautifully. Cassis, elderberry, dried leaves, dusty earth, coffee grounds and on and on. This is the type of wine you can happily sniff for a long time before you ever take a swallow. But once you swallow, you're hooked. 125 cases; 14.4%; $40 (Columbia Valley)
Adega Northwest 2016 Weinbau Vineyard – Block 10 Cabernet Sauvignon
This well-made wine from a classic Washington vineyard has benefitted from the additional bottle age. It's toasty with a café crème character from 21 months in 40% new oak. These Adega Cabs are all fermented in stainless steel and perfectly ripened, with a nice balance. The barrel aging adds subtle layers of toast and almond paste. Hard to pick a favorite from this Cabernet trio, but if I had to this would be it. 125 cases; 14.8%; $40 (Wahluke Slope)
Adega Northwest 2016 Double Canyon Vineyard Malbec
Produced in Portland, this single vineyard, single variety wine is deep, rich and dense, with compelling aromas of cassis, bramble, blackberries and pepper, with following flavors. Though the high alcohol may push this past tolerance for some wine drinkers, it's very well made, potent and set against balancing acids and ripe tannins. One third of the barrels were new. 100 cases; 15.1%; $32 (Horse Heaven Hills)
Anacréon
This young winery takes its name from a Greek poet who is known for his odes to love and wine.
Here is an excellent map of the estate vineyard with details on individual blocks, clones and rootstock.
These wines may be purchased here: https://www.anacreonwinery.com/shop
Anacréon 2020 Deep End Pinot Noir
This is what the winery calls its "benchmark" (largest production) Pinot Noir. All estate-grown from a low elevation, early-ripening site, it was picked before the smoke hit in 2020, though unfortunately the significant numbers of very fine 2020 Pinots all got tarred with the same smoky brush by the national wine press. Note the alcohol here, which places this firmly in a Burgundy camp stylistically. Tart, lightly savory and elegant, it handles its 40% new French oak well. Give it breathing room and the fruit pops up with that pleasing frame of barrel toast. 125 cases; 12.8%; $65 (Chehalem Mountains)
Anacréon 2020 Mine Yours and Ours Pinot Noir
This is a two-barrel selection from estate-grown Coury and Pommard clone grapes. The goal, says the winery, is "elegance and lightness on the palate". After 17 months in barrel and another eight in bottle it remains closed up, with the astringent tannins concealing the expected burst of fruit from these clones. A full day after being opened its aromatic notes of berries and bramble, earth and wet bark came out, and the elegant hints of orange peel, cherry pit, plum and chocolate could be sussed out. This seems sure to benefit from further bottle age. 50 cases; 12.7%; $80 (Chehalem Mountains)
Anacréon 2020 Center of Gravity Pinot Noir
Due for an April release, this included 20% whole clusters and got a bit more barrel and bottle age than the other two wines. Though the listed alcohol is the same, this is a bigger, sturdier wine with a more muscular balance. Plum, black cherry and even a hint of cassis roll across the palate, with savory, drying tannins bringing up the rear. Among the three 2020 cuvées from Anacréon, this is the one to tuck away for later enjoyment. 50 cases; 12.7%; $90 (Chehalem Mountains)
Arabilis
Located near Bethel Heights winery and dedicated to the production of sparkling wines, Arabilis (from the Latin for arable) clearly selects its vineyard sources with exceptional care. I was especially taken with the two Chardonnays featured below. These wines may be purchased here: https://arabiliswines.com/purchase/
Arabilis 2020 Chardonnay
Sourced from a pair of Columbia Gorge vineyards, this shows the kind of detail and lightly throttled wildness that comes from judicious handling of native yeasts and hands-off winemaking. "Rigorous field sorting" as the winery notes has also contributed to the finesse and depth of the final product. A mix of wildflower aromatics, citrus rind, sappy acids and penetrating flavors of Meyer lemon, this was aged for a full year in neutral oak and finished in stainless. This is one of a new generation of Oregon Chardonnays that deserve close attention and display previously unsuspected strengths of the grape. 84 cases; 12.8%; $32 (Columbia Gorge)
Arabilis 2021 Dampier Vineyard Chardonnay
All Wente clone from vines more than 30 years old, this reflects many of the same strengths as Chardonnays from the better known Celilo vineyard in the Gorge. A steely core is packed with dense, tangy stone and citrus fruits. Just a light touch of new oak adds notes of popcorn and toast. The wine keeps a nice focus through a lingering finish. 73 cases; 13.8%; $42 (Columbia Gorge)
Arabilis 2018 Pinot Noir
Half Sojeau and half Cristom's Eileen vineyard fruit, this is a fine evocation of Eola-Amity Hills terroir. In keeping with a modern aesthetic no new barrels were used and the ferment included whole clusters and native yeasts. This fits in nicely with other top wines from the region, mixing tightly wound accents of stem and skin with sleek cherry fruit. It's been in bottle for two years but could use a bit more time to reach full potential. 152 cases; 13.6%; $50 (Willamette Valley)
Arabilis 2019 Pinot Noir
This vintage offers good structure, upfront phenolic bite and an underlying savory/earthy character that for some tasters may overtake the fruit. Sourced from Sojeau, Zenith and an "undisclosed" Chehalem Mountain vineyard (my guess - Chehalem) this remains pretty compact and unyielding, which is typical for the vintage. Let it breathe and the aromatics bloom, with rose petals and cherry blossoms. Core flavors bring cranberry, white cherry and a touch of caraway. Best drinking window may be the back half of this decade. 132 cases; 13.6%; $50 (Willamette Valley)
Liberty Lake
Winemaker Mark Lathrop explains "the reason I picked the Syrah is because Wine Spectator reviewed my 2016 vintage (my first) and gave it a 92. It was the highest scored Washington wine in the issue and they put Sarah and I’s picture in the magazine. They reviewed my ’17 and gave it a 91. However, they have refused to accept any of my wines for review since then. It drives me nuts! The Syrah is sourced from Kiona’s Ranch at the End of the Road vineyard and my block is a stones throw from the bottom of WeatherEye which has all the buzz."
Liberty Lake 2019 Reserve Syrah
This luscious Syrah was sourced from Kiona's Ranch at the End of the Road vineyard on Red Mountain. It entices immediately with a rich, fruity fragrance. Loaded with blackberries, black cherries and cassis, this stellar effort adds varietally-specific streaks of bacon fat, espresso and cigar tobacco. The balance and depth are impressive, and suggest that this will develop nicely over the next half decade. 193 cases; 14%; $45 (Red Mountain)
Long Walk Vineyard
Long Walk Vineyard 2020 Carignan
One of the great pleasures of doing this website is the opportunity to see more deeply into any one region's wines. Sometimes it's the small, off-the-radar producers who are doing some of the most interesting, cutting edge work. I can count on one hand the number of Oregon Carignans I've ever had, so this is an especially fun discovery. Aromatic, ruby red, replete with scents of marionberry pie, this is a mouth filling wine that absolutely charms from start to finish. It's pure varietal from organically grown fruit, nicely balanced with sassy acids, ripe tannins and moderate alcohol. 71 cases; 13.6%; $38 (Rogue Valley)
Long Walk Vineyard 2020 Grenache
Grenache does well in southern Oregon. This pure varietal example captures the red berry essence of the grape, from cranberry to raspberry and a hint of cherry. Tannins are drying, astringent, and set up your mouth for a juicy burger, slice of pizza or thick steak. No new barrels were used, the winery says, "to preserve the rustic yet delicate tannins." Bravo! Decant this wine to bring out its best. 68 cases; 13.6%; $35 (Rogue Valley)
https://www.longwalkvineyard.com/wines
Rex Hill
From the winery: "Our Benchrock Pinot Noir is produced only in extraordinary vintages, highlighting exceptional blocks of our star estate vineyard, Jacob Hart. The 2017 is the first bottling in this series and is comprised of the last of the originally planted, own-rooted vines from the only spot in the vineyard with abundant clay and no rocks. Block 1 produces lighter tannins and more elegant wines than the concentrated, structured fruit resulting from the rockier blocks above it, and is Executive Winemaker Michael Davies’ personal favorite."
Rex Hill 2017 Benchrock Pinot Noir
The winery's Jacob Hart estate vineyard has a special clay block that was the source of this wine; apparently the last vintage from the original (1983) planting. Biodynamically-farmed, it comes with a moderate amount of composty/earthy highlights, set against blood orange and pie cherry fruit. There's an appealing elegance, a delicate frame that yet persists through a long, clean, detailed finish. Currently in a very fine drinking window, but built to age another decade or more. (Sold out) 93 cases; 13.9%; $100 (Chehalem Mountains)
Soter
Soter 2015 Mineral Springs Blanc de Noirs
This is the first Blanc de Noirs from Soter and it's a beauty. A lovely straw hue, with tiny bead and effusive nose, this bottle commemorates the late Michelle Soter. Pure, elegant and expressive, it gathers itself in a concentrated palate replete with passion fruit, ginger, currant and raspberry, finishing with a creamy hint of chocolate. Tasted several times over many days, it held together and lost not a bit of complexity. Drink now and over the next 20 years. 160 cases; 12.8%; $100 (Yamhill-Carlton)
https://purchase.sotervineyards.com/product/2015-Mineral-Springs-Blanc-de-Noirs
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WINERIES: The wines you submit are tasted over many hours and days in peer groups. NEW: scores for posted reviews are available by request. Only notes for recommended wines are published, no negative reviews. I link to your website to facilitate DTC sales. I take no commission, accept no advertising, and charge no fees. Please help promote this website by publishing my reviews on your own website, e-blasts, etc.
Please send current and upcoming releases according to your own schedule (check with me first re: weather/travel exceptions). All new releases from Pacific Northwest wineries are welcome and will be tasted. Please direct Questions/Comments to paulgwine@me.com.
Coming next week: The Riesling Conundrum
Thank you for your support! – Paul Gregutt
JJ Williams Talks Scores and Third Gen Changes At Kiona
With a 50th anniversary in view and a third generation firmly in control Red Mountain's Kiona Vineyards can easily lay claim to being one of Washington's most important pioneers. And though more than 60 wineries compete for Kiona grapes, for many consumers the namesake winery remains under the radar and is usually left off the myriad end-of-year 'Top 100" lists that sprout like mushrooms in December. I recently chatted about this with General Manager JJ Williams, who handles the sales and marketing while his brother Tyler holds the winemaking reins. We talked about the history, the wines, the power of scores and why/how they take "a different approach" to the making and selling of wine at Kiona.
With a 50th anniversary in view and a third generation firmly in control Red Mountain's Kiona Vineyards can easily lay claim to being one of Washington's most important pioneers. And though more than 60 wineries compete for Kiona grapes, for many consumers the namesake winery remains under the radar and is usually left off the myriad end-of-year 'Top 100" lists that sprout like mushrooms in December. I recently chatted about this with General Manager JJ Williams, who handles the sales and marketing while his brother Tyler holds the winemaking reins. We talked about the history, the wines, the power of scores and why/how they take "a different approach" to the making and selling of wine at Kiona.
Quick history: Patriarch John Williams partnered with his work buddy Jim Holmes to plant the first grapes on Red Mountain back in 1975. A book could (and should) be written about the growth and development of this all-star AVA, but I'll refer you to Kiona's website for details.
Fast forward to 2022. Kiona owns and farms five different sites (272 acres under vine) on Red Mountain and sells grapes to more than 60 wineries. Their personal production is around 30,000 cases and includes a varied mix of white and red, dry and sweet, varietal and blended wines, all estate-grown. Tyler Williams took over the winemaking from his father Scott in 2019, so the changes he brings to the red wines are just now beginning to appear.
My limited exposure to recent vintages of Kiona already seems to show a pretty clear distinction from the wines I remember from a decade or more ago. In keeping with current winemaking trends I expect that rather high alcohol numbers on the current red wine releases will trend down, as they have at many wineries around the state. An email from JJ confirms this impression.
JJ: "Historically the winery got among the last picks of the vintage from Kiona (the vineyard), since we generally would triage our contract customer’s pick preferences and targets above our own. It would drive me crazy when people/writers/industry people would say something along the lines of 'Kiona grows for a bunch of wineries, but keeps the best fruit for themselves' insinuating somehow we were nerfing what our grape customers were getting.
"Since Tyler came aboard, one of the first things he emphasized was increasing our picking capability/bandwidth, and treating Kiona (the winery) as a grape customer on its own. This is a win-win solution; we are still able to deliver the fruit our customers want, while the winery gets to have a say in what gets picked and when. We’re only a couple vintages in at this point, but if you graphed harvest Brix of the fruit we’re bringing in and the corresponding alcohols of the products made with that fruit, there’s a downward trend."
PG: Despite the 15% and higher alcohol numbers all of the current reds that I list below are balanced and rich, with excellent tannin management. The challenge ahead is to keep the power and aging potential while picking at lower brix.
Our conversation next turned to the importance of scores, as I have been chewing on how and whether (or not) to score wines ever since I left Wine Enthusiast and started this website a year ago. I have no grudge against the practice – I scored many thousands of wines while writing for the magazine. But I thought it might separate me from the pack of score-obsessed reviewers to focus on extended tastings in controlled conditions with limited numbers of carefully-chosen wines.
I asked JJ for his evaluation of my decision in light of the industry's continuing reliance on promoting numbers.
JJ: "Getting your wine in front of the distributor is why scores are important. I'm running an winery now where our scores range 89 to 93. Not high enough to really move the needle from the consumers' perspective like a 96 does. But if I'm courting a distributor in Georgia or wherever every conversation comes down to 'give me the price list and what are the scores?' That's frustrating but it's what they need to cut through the noise."
PG: Not really a surprise, given all the years scores have dominated the business side of wine sales. But it begs the question – with score inflation an undeniable fact, and with wineries and distributors and retailers choosing to promote the highest number given by whomever in order to sell their wine, what's the real value of scores? Years ago a Parker score meant something because you knew the man's palate and there was little real competition. You could agree or disagree, but at least you could dial in his particular preferences and go from there. Today scores come out of left field from myriad websites, blogs, publications, newsletters and wine competitions. Who bothers to sort out one source from another, or assign a higher value to the source rather than the number? No one as far as I can tell. If I were a winery I'd do the same thing. Check all the reviews and scores for any given wine, pick the highest number, and use that.
JJ: "Scores are a 'gatekeeper topic'. People will lean on a score from publication 'A' or a 98 and Double Gold from a competition that you paid $800 to enter. So you pick the highest number and let 'er rip."
Then there is the difficulty of obtaining any reviews at all.
JJ: "We have a good story [at Kiona], but there's a lot of compelling wines from compelling regions and with compelling packaging that we're competing with. It's difficult for wineries to get reviews. Some publications charge; some have limited times for submission windows; some reviews are published so late that the wine is already gone by the time the review appears."
PG: It's no secret that many wineries are struggling, even those with gold-plated credentials and stories to match. Costs for everything from corks to glass to grapes to wages are climbing. The wine market is beyond saturated. A handful of big companies control supermarket aisles and distribution channels. Many Millennials and younger drinkers from the alphabet generations seem more interested in spirits, beer, mocktails, cannabis and abstinence than pounding down their grandfather's overpriced, over-oaked Cabernet.
Which is why I salute the Williams family for carving out a path that both honors their history and protects their future. Their wines are good, sometimes great, and quality is definitely on an upward curve. Their business is grounded in the very ground they own. As they point out on their website, "there are no third party banks or outside investors influencing our decisions. We take ownership of our product from the first berry to the finished bottle. Kiona exists because we made it, meaning our wine carries a pure-bred pedigree that spans generations and speaks volumes."
These are honest, authentic, sturdy wines offered at very fair market-friendly prices. I've spent several days with some of the current releases. All may be purchased directly here.
Kiona 2021 Sage Advice White Wine
This 58% Roussanne/21% Viognier/21% Chenin Blanc blend is sourced from three different estate vineyards (Ranch, Artz & Kiona). Though an earlier version used Bordeaux blanc as a model, this new iteration walks a tightrope between Rhône and Loire styles, pushing out fruit skin and flesh, barrel toast and a firm tannic foundation. 130 cases; 14.2%; $32 (Red Mountain)
Kiona 2021 Sangiovese
This is light and aromatic, not done in the over-ripe Cabernet style often found in domestic Sangios. In the blend are 3% each Cabernet, Merlot and Syrah. It's subtle, a bit mute right after being opened, and even on day two it's a delicate wine that rewards extra attention. Balsa, strawberries, dried roses and other details come to mind. It's most enjoyable alone or with a light entrée. 14%; $32 (Red Mountain)
Kiona 2018 Ranch Red
Part of the winery's Vineyard Series, whose goal is to have a high-end designated wine from each estate vineyard, this is all from the Ranch at the End of the Road, the third site ever planted on Red Mountain. It's mostly Cabernet with 5% Petit Verdot and 2.5% Zinfandel. The emphasis is on the savory side of Cabernet; the tannins are astringent, ripe and balanced, and the long finish adds notes of licorice, black tea, black olive and smoke. Drink now through 2030s. 261 cases; 15.5%; $85 (Red Mountain)
Kiona 2018 Carmenère
From vines planted in 2008, the aromas bring scents of toasted coconut, followed by classic varietal plum and herb and stem flavors with a touch of green tannins. It's a low acid variety, with good focus, tight tannins, and that lingering touch of toast. The label is worth a closer look – the green represents the flavors of the grape, the shape of the vineyard (tetramino - meaning four adjoining squares) is shown on the label front; the vineyard blocks are detailed on the back and an EKG symbol represents the Heart of the Hill vineyard. 196 cases; 15%; $60 (Red Mountain)
Kiona 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon
With multiple vineyard sites covering over 200 acres on Red Mountain, Kiona is in a unique position to offer estate wines that are also meaningful blends from this high profile but small AVA. As the alcohol below indicates there's no problem as far as ripeness, though in pursuit of maximum sugars this wine sacrifices a bit of the grape's earthy green flavors in pursuit of a bountiful mix of berries and cherries. The tannins are smooth and lightly chocolatey. 4343 cases; 15.6%; $32 (Red Mountain)
Kiona 2018 Red Mountain Reserve
This is 70% Cabernet Sauvignon with a half dozen other varieties filling out the remaining 30%. It's the best of a potent 2018 lineup from Kiona, and it is aimed at showing what is special and particular to Red Mountain reds. This complex wine marries ripe berry/cherry/cassis fruit with smooth tannins dusted with cocoa and coffee grounds. It's ready to go and may be enjoyed immediately and then re-tasted over the next five to ten years. Not that it can't age longer, but that's a surefire drinking window. 709 cases; 15%; $65 (Red Mountain)
Kiona 2018 Malbec
Malbec as a varietal wine is an outlier but bottles such as this should push it further into the spotlight. All estate-grown, this is a well-ripened wine that loads the palate with rich flavors of cassis, black cherry, licorice, black tea and cocoa nibs. There's a touch of bourbon barrel and the alcohol is unabashedly high in the best old-school style. A small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon from the original 1975 block is mixed in the final blend. 372 cases; 15.3%; $40 (Red Mountain)
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NOTE: The wines I recommend have been tasted over many hours and days in peer groups and are selected for excellence. I have chosen to eliminate numerical scores from this website. Only recommended wines are shown, no negative reviews. My notes are posted with minimum delays and links to the winery website, so you may purchase recommended wines directly from the producer before they are sold out. I take no commission, accept no advertising, and charge no fees for wines reviewed.
Coming next week: Highlights of recent tastings and a special guest interview!
Please send current and upcoming releases when your schedule (and favorable weather) allows. All new releases from Pacific Northwest wineries are welcome and will be tasted. Right now I am especially interested in wines from Northwest winemakers who feel they have been slighted by the press. Maybe some of what you believe are your best wines have gotten blah scores? Maybe the slam & spit traveling reviewers flat out ignored you? Or maybe you just want an unbiassed look at a couple of current releases that you really believe are exceptional. Send me the wines with a note about why you've chosen them. Complete shipping information is on this website. Questions? Ask me at paulgwine@me.com. Results will be posted on a future 'Deep Dive'.
Thank you for your support! – Paul Gregutt
Can American Wineries Do Justice To Italian Varieties?
With rare exceptions the classic Italian varietal wines and blends such as Chianti and Barolo have not been successfully replicated or emulated here in the U.S. One small under-the-radar winery has changed the picture for me, and convinced me that there are many more Italian grapes that can make brilliant wines in America if they are planted in the right place. And apparently that place – or at least one of them – is the Chicago Park sub-region in the western Sierra Foothills AVA.
It was in the mid-1980s that the Antinori family of Tuscany began farming a 1200 acre site on Atlas Peak. The buzz back then was that they would feature Sangiovese, completing the circle that had brought so many Italian immigrants to the Napa Valley at the beginning of the 20th century. Rapid changes in partnerships, plans and plantings ultimately led to the establishment of their Antica winery in 1994, followed by the release of the first Antica wines in 2007 – a Cabernet Sauvignon and a Chardonnay!?! Today very little Sangiovese is grown and the project remains focused on classic Napa Valley varieties and Bordeaux blends.
In 1995 a second Antinori New World project was initiated, this time in partnership with Washington's Ste. Michelle Wine Estates. The Col Solare winery and vineyard was perched atop Red Mountain, and if memory serves it was initially aiming to make a SuperTuscan style blend. It too has evolved almost entirely in the direction of Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot blends, with just a bit of Syrah as well. Not an Italian varietal in sight. One wonders... if the Antinoris can't succeed with Sangiovese in America, who can?
With rare exceptions the classic Italian varietal wines and blends such as Chianti and Barolo have not been successfully replicated or emulated here in the U.S. Nebbiolo? Other than my recent tasting of Saviah's outstanding 2019 Dugger Creek Vineyard bottling, nothing else has come close. Sangiovese? Usually a pleasant but undistinguished generic red. Barbera? I've had a handful from southern Oregon that made my tongue stand at attention: a Remotion 2018 Celestina Vineyard; a DanCin 2018 Sorella; and again a Dugger Creek 2020 Barbera from Saviah that was outstanding. But these are lonely exceptions in a landscape littered with nice tries.
One small under-the-radar winery has changed the picture for me, and convinced me that there are many more Italian grapes that can make brilliant wines in America if they are planted in the right place. And apparently that place – or at least one of them – is the Chicago Park sub-region in the western Sierra Foothills AVA.
Montoliva Vineyard & Winery is the project of grower/winemaker Mark Henry, a Northwest native who memorably admits "I have a tough time seeing myself as a winemaker... making wine is not my love. I love farming." It's in the vineyard, he believes, where the magic occurs.
“Making wine terrifies me to no end,” he concedes. “I don’t really understand a lot of what is happening, on a chemistry level. If things go south I don’t have the tools or knowledge to fix it. If I’ve done everything that I possibly can out in the vineyard to produce the best quality fruit I can then the best approach in the winery is to inoculate, ferment, extend maceration, press, barrel, SO2 it, and then leave it the hell alone!”
Montoliva began as a vineyard – no winery – in 2000. Two years later Henry traveled to Montalcino, home of the famous Brunello wines, where he rented the converted barn at La Crociona and "made a pest of myself for a couple of weeks." While there winemaker Roberto Nannetti tutored him on the nuts and bolts of extended macerations, which may play an important role in the differences between ‘New World’ and ‘Old World’ wines.
Henry shares my thinking about those early attempts at "Cal-Ital" wines. "I don’t want to rag on anyone but look, all that ‘Cal-Ital’ in the late 90s was simply people thinking they were going to create the next Brunello by working with Italian varietals, but still using the approaches they were using with California Cab/Merlot/Chardonnay. All they ended up doing was creating over-priced Cab lite. You can’t work with Sangiovese or Aglianico and make anything worth drinking if you farm it to over- ripe, over-extract it, hit it with heavy oak, and then sterile filter it.”
Chicago Park is an agricultural community southeast of Grass Valley on the western slopes of the Sierra Foothills. Henry's research convinced him that its geology was similar to Italy and the elevation (over 2000 feet) seemed to suit the Italian varieties he wanted to grow. Into the ground went small plots of Negroamaro, Aglianico, Sangiovese (four clones), Primitivo, Montepulciano, Teroldego, Aleatico and Canaiolo Nero.
A second site (Wabash Avenue Vineyard), first planted in 2015, grows Falanghina, Vermentino, Nero d'Avola, Dolcetto, Teroldego and Aglianico. That seems like a lot of virtually unknown grapes to manage, and Henry sees both plusses and minuses. “It has been a learning curve. The upside to growing varietals that nobody else does is who is going to tell you you’re doing it wrong? The downside is that there is nobody to ask when you have a question. You just have to figure it out for yourself."
When I first tasted some samples from Montoliva I had zero knowledge of the wines, the winery, the winemaker or the vineyards. No presuppositions whatsoever. I was so utterly captivated that I asked to taste more of the entire portfolio. Vavavoom. The second series of wines were even better.
Montoliva fits neatly into the overriding mission of this website. I want to turn you on to lesser known wines, wineries and places. I want to feature small production wines that can charm and inspire, no matter how jaded your palate may be. And if they also happen to be exceptional values – as these wines certainly are – well that's the whole package. Here's a rundown of current releases. All are highly recommended.
Montoliva 2021 Viani Vineyard Falanghina
A Mediterranean white wine grape, this is a deep gold, relatively light in alcohol, and uniquely flavorful, with a palate-tickling yeasty character. Pollen, beeswax and hints of honeycomb are there to greet you, leading into a subtle palate with more of those flavors around light yellow fruits. This is a consummate sipping wine, and a most interesting escape from all the usual white wine suspects. 145 cases; 12.8%; $25 (Sierra Foothills)
Montoliva 2019 Nero d'Avola
This southern Italian stalwart gets a good showing here. It's sappy and rich, loaded with blueberry, blackberry and black cherry fruit. There's just enough ripeness to put a touch of pastry on the fruit flavors, and (guessing here) some time in a bit of new wood has added a pleasing toasty popcorn note. 139 cases; 13.9%; $35 (Sierra Foothills)
Montoliva 2018 Teroldego
Grown in Italy's north, this is a rustic, rough and tannic grape which combines its tannins, acids and chewy black fruits in a potent package. It's close to Tannat in flavor and style, nothing subtle here but an interesting wine that should match well with smoky barbequed meats. 139 cases; 14.1%; $35 (Sierra Foothills)
Montoliva 2019 Dolcetto
A surge of licorice runs like a rail through this potent Dolcetto. It's loaded with ripe blackberries, brambly underbrush, and a thread of smoked tea leaves and tobacco. The tannins add grip and power to a lingering finish. This is flat out exceptional in every way. 120 cases; 13.7%; $35 (Sierra Foothills – Chicago Park)
Montoliva 2018 Primitivo
Whether or not you conflate this with Zinfandel, it shares the same burst of raspberry fruit, light pepper, moderate tannins and juicy acids. All this without hitting super high levels of alcohol. It's structured for aging over the rest of the decade but drinks perfectly well right now. 100 cases; 13.9%; $32 (Sierra Foothills – Chicago Park)
Montoliva 2020 Sierra Bella
Here is your go-to pizza wine. Set the table with your finest checkered tablecloth and pour a fruit-laden glass of this Sangiovese/Teroldego/Barbera/Primitivo blend. The same fruit as featured in the winery's varietal designates goes into this carafe-ready red, which brings a lush mix of strawberries, raspberries, plums and blackberries into focus. The tannins are perfectly balanced and lend some gravitas to the wine. 250 cases; 13.8%; $22 (Sierra Foothills – Chicago Park)
Montoliva 2017 Sinistra
The blend is two thirds Teroldego and one third Barbera. The power of the fruit is almost overwhelming – a mash-up of raspberries, blueberries, blackberries and black cherries. There are strong highlights of vanilla, tobacco and chocolate, and the tannins add texture and grip. As with the entire portfolio of Montoliva wines, the potent fruit flavors are front and center. These are succulent wines to enjoy immediately, yet fresh and balanced enough to see what further cellar time brings. 125 cases; 13.9%; $35 (Sierra Foothills)
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NOTE: The wines I recommend have been tasted over many hours and days in peer groups and are selected for excellence. I have chosen to eliminate numerical scores from this website. Only recommended wines are shown, no negative reviews. My notes are posted with minimum delays and links to the winery website, so you may purchase recommended wines directly from the producer before they are sold out. I take no commission, accept no advertising, and charge no fees for wines reviewed.
Coming next week: JJ Williams Talks Next-Gen Changes At Kiona
Please send current and upcoming releases when your schedule (and favorable weather) allows. All new releases from Pacific Northwest wineries are welcome and will be tasted. Right now I am especially interested in wines from Northwest winemakers who feel they have been slighted by the press. Maybe some of what you believe are your best wines have gotten blah scores? Maybe the slam & spit traveling reviewers flat out ignored you? Or maybe you just want an unbiassed look at a couple of current releases that you really believe are exceptional. Send me the wines with a note about why you've chosen them. Complete shipping information is on this website. Questions? Ask me at paulgwine@me.com. Results will be posted on a future 'Deep Dive'.
Thank you for your support! – Paul Gregutt
Roaring '20's Revival Hits The Fizz Biz
A recent story in The Guardian sounded a double alarm for anyone hoping to celebrate the holidays with a bottle or two of Champagne.
According to this article some of the most prestigious and wildly popular Champagne brands in the world are running out of stock. We are heading into a new "Roaring '20's" era in which decadence and luxury go hand in hand. Expensive and unavailable. What to do?
A recent story in The Guardian sounded a double alarm for anyone hoping to celebrate the holidays with a bottle or two of Champagne.
According to this article the company that owns some of the most prestigious and wildly popular Champagne brands – Moët & Chandon, Veuve Clicquot, Krug and Dom Pérignon among them – has announced that they are running out of stock. Putting a positive spin on the news, they attribute the shortage to big spending by well-heeled consumers on a variety of luxury goods. We are heading, they believe, into a new "Roaring '20's" era in which decadence and luxury go hand in hand.
Coming out of the Covid years is another part of this trend. Who among us does not feel like celebrating? But if you, like me, have fallen a bit short of being among those hundreds of thousands of ultra-high net worth individuals (defined by Credit Suisse as holding $50+ million in assets) you may find that bottle of Dom ($265) or Krug ($265) or Cristal ($350) or even good old reliable Clicquot ($98) is a bit out of reach.
What to do?
Of course there are many fizzy options at much lower prices. Prosecco remains popular, as does Spanish cava. But the first defining difference that separates most of the cheap fizz from the real deal is the term 'méthode champenoise'. Sparkling wines that do not have that phrase on the label have been made by much simpler and cheaper practices, principally charmat, which simply injects CO2 into the still wine. Wines that do adhere to the Champagne method have been re-fermented in the bottle (among other requirements). Some very good 'méthode champenoise' wines can be made from other grapes such as Riesling, but they are not exact substitutes for the real thing.
Which is the second defining difference – the composition of the blend. Though the French laws permit some obscure grapes such as Petit Meslier, Arbanne and Fromenteau to be grown and made in the Champagne region, the vast majority of Champagne that reaches this country is made from some combination of Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir.
So where in the U.S. can you find sparkling wines made that come very close to Champagne by employing the 'méthode champenoise' and using only those three Champagne grapes? And that go a step further by maintaining reserves so that basic non-vintage brut wines are built upon multiple harvests, while single vintage wines are made only in the best years and generally given extra time on the lees prior to being disgorged?
California and Oregon are the places that qualify best in my experience, though many if not most California sparkling wines fight to avoid excess fruitiness and over-ripe base wines. Which leads me to the Willamette Valley.
On the face of it, Oregon sparkling wine is a no-brainer. Cool climate grapes, with a focus on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, are the meat and potatoes of Willamette Valley viticulture. Soils, though not Kimmeridgian chalk, do have some spots where ancient sea beds have risen to the surface. And one pioneering winery – Argyle – has been turning out highly-regarded bubbly for the past 35 years.
Argyle began as a partnership between grower/vintner Cal Knudsen and Australia's Brian Croser. They went all-in with 15,000 cases the first year. Winemaker Rollin Soles set the standard immediately by using wild yeasts obtained from French Champagne house Bollinger. For at least a decade no sparkling wines from the Pacific Northwest could match Argyle's quality. That changed with the arrival of Tony Soter, who’d earned a reputation for excellence with his California brand, Etude.
Carefully-selected clones and low crop levels are paramount. Soter’s Brut Rosé, first produced in 1997 with purchased grapes, was his response to “too much forgettable [domestic] fizz in the market, which doesn’t leave you with any memory of flavor. Our ambition is to make a wine that's serious, maybe a little bold by world standards.”
“The challenge in California,” he explained to me a few years ago, “is the grapes get too sweet before they are perfectly ripe, driven by warm temps and sunshine. Here in Oregon the whole cycle is a month later, so there's a more subtle approach to maturity here that translates into more flavor at a given sugar. So in California you get a more lush flavor that's boozy - it tends to be a little hot, and sometimes the delicacy and typicity is compromised.”
Rollin Soles left Argyle over a decade ago to focus on sparkling and still wines at his Roco winery. He places great importance on the details of dosage trials. "There’s nothing more subtle, elegant and challenging than a dosage trial” he insists, adding "the méthode champenoise process is far more complex and challenging than simply making still wines."
The cost of equipment and the long timelines between picking the grapes and finally releasing the sparkling wines held Oregon's production in check until a decade ago when Andrew Davis founded the Radiant Sparkling Wine Company. He opened in 2013 after making wines with Soles at Argyle for a half dozen vintages. The goal was to provide both the expertise and the specialized equipment required for the efficient production of sparkling wines. “I'd seen the potential through Argyle,” Davis explained in a 2016 interview, “so why were there not more people doing it?” He concluded it was in large part a lack of the physical equipment specific to sparkling wine production. “It takes up a large footprint, it's expensive and very technical. I know a lot of people were daunted – it's one thing if you have a barrel of Pinot Gris or Pinot Noir that goes reductive or has a stuck fermentation; you can fix it. But thousands of individual bottles over multiple vintages are a different story.”
There are many dozens of Willamette Valley wineries making méthode champenoise wines now, most limited to a couple hundred cases. Domaine Serene is one of the few that has built a dedicated sparkling wine facility on the grounds of their Dundee Hills estate, and recently released a 2014 Récolte Grand Cru Blanc de Blanc to expand a lineup that already includes a brut, a brut rosé and a demi-sec.
As good as these Oregon sparklers are – and I've tasted most of them over the years – they are not inexpensive. Or at least they weren't until prices for French Champagne went through the roof. Now a lot of them are starting to look like bargains.
Here are my favorites from tastings I've done this year. Except as noted, these are still available for purchase online.
Recommended Oregon Sparklers
Argyle
Argyle 2018 Blanc de Noirs
Along with Pinot Noir the cuvée includes 20% Pinot Meunier, both sourced from the Spirit Hill vineyard. Argyle makes as many as a dozen different sparkling wines in a given year and has been the leader in Oregon bubbly since it was founded 35 years ago. This has a fine bead, sharp acids, a light hint of spice and plenty of crisp green apple flesh and skin. The balance is spot on, and it's a fine value among many more expensive Oregon offerings. 3983 cases; 12.5%; $30 (Willamette Valley)
https://shop.argylewinery.com/product/2018-Blanc-de-Noirs
Argyle 2011 Extended Tirage Brut
Argyle's long history allows the winery to age some wines en tirage for up to a decade prior to disgorgement. This is from a very cool year, which gave these grapes (60% Pinot Noir/40% Chardonnay) extra hang time. It's delicate and lightly honeyed, with hints of blonde raisins, toasted hazelnuts and lemon meringue. This is the sort of wine that may show best at room temperature rather than chilled in an ice bucket. 1530 cases; 12.5%; $85 (Willamette Valley)
https://shop.argylewinery.com/2011ExtendedTirageBrut
Cho
Cho 2017 Laurel Vineyard Brut Rosé
Sourced from a high elevation vineyard in this new AVA, this is a deliciously flavorful wine with touches of raspberry, cream and vanilla. The flavors are already showing excellent depth and persistence, suggesting that this wine will continue to evolve and perhaps even improve. It was just honored as a Top 100 wine of the year on the Wine Enthusiast website. I featured it on this website some months ago; now it is sold out. 40 cases; 12.5%; $65 (Laurelwood District)
Domaine Divio
Domaine Divio 2018 Vintage Brut Crémant
Crémant, as Divio's Bruno Corneaux notes on the back label, is the méthode champenoise technique used to produce sparkling wine in regions outside of Champagne. Here the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes were sourced from the Hyland Vineyard, which he manages. This might also be labeled Brut Rosé as it is a pale rose color. The wine has a fine bead, constrained fruit flavors that touch on strawberry, rhubarb and watermelon, good length and a clean, crisply refreshing finish. 100 cases; 12.8%; $70 (Willamette Valley)
https://domainedivio.com/wine/2018-willamette-valley-cremant/
Flâneur
Flâneur 2018 Extra Brut
Reflecting the evolving sophistication of Willamette Valley méthode champenoise sparklers, this vintage dated blend includes 40% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot Noir and 25% Pinot Meunier from the winery's La Belle Promenade vineyard. The flavors are neatly meshed, lightly toasty, with green apple and fresh lemon fruit flavors holding down the core. It's clean and clear and should evolve well for a decade or longer. 374 cases; 12.5%; $65 (Chehalem Mountains)
https://shop.flaneurwines.com/product/2018-Extra-Brut
Left Coast
Left Coast 2015 Estate Blanc de Noir
This all Wadenswil clone Pinot Noir, method champenoise wine has some years under its cork but remains expressively fresh and vibrant. Spicy apple and Asian pear fruit shines brightly, along with zesty acids. It's the sort of clean, brisk bubbly that Oregon does especially well. Drink now and over the next decade or longer. Not available online. 80 cases; 12.5%; $55 (Van Duzer Corridor)
Pashey
Pashey 2018 Coast Range Estate Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs
This single vineyard, vintage-designated all-Chardonnay méthode champenoise wine has a fine bead and displays the elegance of a true blanc de blancs style of Champagne. Crisp, sculpted flavors of green apple, apple skin, jicama, white melon, lemon pith and rind bring layers of subtle detail. Drink from now and through the mid-2030s. 315 cases; 12.6%; $65 (Willamette Valley)
https://www.trisaetum.com/product/2018-Pashey-Blanc-de-Blancs-Coast-Range-Estate
Roco
Roco 2018 RMS Brut
The RMS cuvée brings exceptional ripe fruit to bear in a classy sparkling wine done in the classic Champagne method. It's 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay with deep and delicious flavors that combine apple pie, pear tart, minerally acids and nuances too subtle to name. The depth, penetration and all out length will have you refilling your glass before you have finished swallowing the first sip. 200 cases; 12.5%; $65 (Willamette Valley)
https://shop.rocowinery.com/product/2018-RMS-Brut
Roco 2019 RMS Brut Rosé
This is 100% Pinot Noir from the practiced hand of Rollin Soles, who kicked off Oregon's sparkling wine industry at Argyle some 35 years ago. The flavors center around strawberry and cherry, with a yeasty base that adds hints of bread dough and pastry. The flavors linger and extend through the finish, which portends further development with some years in the bottle. 429 cases; 12.5%; $65 (Willamette Valley)
https://shop.rocowinery.com/product/2019-RMS-Brut-Rose
Soter
Soter 2015 Mineral Springs Blanc de Blancs
This vintage-dated wine spent almost six years on the lees before being disgorged in December 2021. It's spicy and aromatic, with a wintergreen note piercing through the citrus fruit. With a bit of breathing time the flavors expand and a broader fruit palate emerges. It remains brilliantly fresh, crisply defined, elegant and dense with a long life ahead. Drink now to 2035. 177 cases; 12.8%; $100 (Yamhill-Carlton)
https://purchase.sotervineyards.com/product/2015-Mineral-Springs-Blanc-de-Blancs
Soter 2018 Mineral Springs Brut Rosé
Winemaker Chris Fladwood and grower/owner Tony Soter have knocked it out of the park once again with this stunning vintage rosé. Pretty to look at, lovely to taste, it's bursting with strawberry and cherry highlights. Roughly four fifths Pinot Noir and one fifth Chardonnay, it was fermented in a mix of oak and (mostly) stainless and aged four years on the lees prior to disgorgement this past May. It's harmonious and inviting, with just the right touch of fruit in an elegant style. 1100 cases; 12.8%; $72 (Yamhill-Carlton)
https://purchase.sotervineyards.com/product/2018-Mineral-Springs-Brut-Rose
Winter's Hill
Winter's Hill 2018 Sparkling Wine
The relatively high alcohol for a sparkling wine speaks to the ripeness of the grapes and the overall heat of the vintage. It makes for a more full and round palate, with lush citrus and apple flavors that hint at more tropical fruits. The blend is 50/50 estate grown Pinot Blanc and Pinot Noir. It's fresh and tangy, and I'd recommend drinking this bottle over the next five years. 40 cases; 13.5%; $55 (Dundee Hills)
https://wintershillwine.com/product/2018-sparkling-wine
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NOTE: The wines I recommend have been tasted over many hours and days in peer groups and are selected for excellence. I have chosen to eliminate numerical scores from this website. Only recommended wines are shown, no negative reviews. My notes are posted immediately with links to the winery website, so you may purchase them directly from the producer before they are sold out. I take no commission, accept no advertising, and charge no fees for wines reviewed.
Coming next week: American Wineries Take On The Challenge of Italian Grapes
Please send current and upcoming releases when your schedule (and favorable weather) allows. All new releases from Pacific Northwest wineries are welcome and will be tasted. California wineries please inquire before sending wines. Only recommended wines will be published on this website.
Please contact me at paulgwine@me.com with your feedback and suggestions for future posts. Thank you for your support! – Paul Gregutt
Here Comes That Damn Turkey! What Wine Do I Drink?
For some decades now the obligatory Thanksgiving week wine column has inevitably circled the turkey, as if that mandatory holiday fowl were some deeply mysterious entrée requiring special expertise to accompany. I confess I've written more than a few of these columns at the behest of various editors, and I'm happy to give you the condensed wisdom of my numerous expositions on this important matter. What wine to serve at Thanksgiving?
For some decades now the obligatory Thanksgiving week wine column has inevitably circled the turkey, as if that mandatory holiday fowl were some deeply mysterious entrée requiring special expertise to accompany. I confess I've written more than a few of these columns at the behest of various editors, and I'm happy to give you the condensed wisdom of my numerous expositions on this important matter. What wine to serve at Thanksgiving?
ANY WINE!
OK, we've got that out of the way. It really doesn't matter what, nor does it really have to be wine. Beer and turkey? Why not? But since this website is dedicated to wine writing, if you really want to try beer instead, let me point you to my friend Steve Body's excellent website The Pour Fool for a comprehensive and highly opinionated look at the world of suds.
As for me, I've gone through several different phases of actually choosing my own Thanksgiving wines over time. My main strategy for a number of years was to host a dinner with a rather sizeable guest list, so that I could open a great many bottles and let everyone choose for themselves (after I had of course 'qualified' each bottle with a sip or two). When Beaujolais Nouveau had its moment of glory back in the day I'd feature a bottle or two (one from France, one from Oregon) as a nod to the season. When those wines plateaued at their current insipid status I turned to vintage-dated cru Beaujolais from France. Those wines are still a good option though not always easy to find.
In recent years I've leaned into Oregon Pinot Noir which remains about as good a single choice option as you can find (and you can find many good ones by scrolling through recent posts on this website). But this year, given our excessively cold weather (at least here in the Pacific Northwest) I'm diving directly into the heartiest reds I can find, zeroing in on Syrah, G-S-Ms and other substantial Rhône-style red blends. I'll toss in a couple of outstanding Viogniers also, because some folks don't like reds and few white wines are as well-suited to a vast spread of rich side dishes.
Years ago, while at a mandatory Thanksgiving dinner with my-then large and diverse family of in-laws, I was introduced to a particular specialty of a distant relation which featured a topping of melted marshmallows over some sort of a squash mélange. It made an indelible impression on me and re-surfaced just now as I was thinking about the versatility of Viognier. Bingo! Viognier would be the one and only perfect accompaniment for Aunt Marietta's marshmallow surprise, though I'm sorry to say she is no longer with us to prove the point.
But moving on, culling through recent tastings of Northwest wines I've selected these as excellent go-to options for the upcoming holiday season. And remember, whether brined or boiled, roasted or grilled, smoked, sliced, diced, spatchcocked or im-Palined – it's just turkey. Drink whatever you damn well feel like!
Recommended Viogniers
Quady North 2020 Steel-Ox Viognier
This low-alcohol Viognier is vibrant with a lovely mix of green melon, apple, cilantro and lemon verbena. The botanicals highlight the fruit, and the balancing acids keep it fresh and lively. From a flavor standpoint it falls somewhere between an all-stainless Chardonnay and an un-grassy Sauvignon Blanc. However you define it, it's a delicious bottle with plenty of food-friendly flexibility.
277 cases; 12.6%; $25 (Applegate Valley)
Saviah 2021 Saviah Estate Vineyard Viognier
Picked at low brix and fermented in concrete egg, this is a high acid style that benefits from its lightness while avoiding fatness and bitterness. Savor the subtle elegance of the stone fruit, pineapple and citrus, highlighted with accents of white flowers. It pulls together with just the right lushness to the palate. It's clean, crisp, deep and detailed, and should age very well for up to a decade.
136 cases; 13.2%; $35 (Walla Walla)
TruthTeller 2021 Frolic Viognier
Fermented in all stainless, this blends Yakima Valley and Walla Walla Valley fruit, yielding a light, mineral-drenched, citrusy white wine that sings with electricity. Even for those who shy away from truly ripe, intense – let's say it – hot, alcoholic Viogniers, this has great appeal. It's racy, elegant, loaded with citrus rind, botanical highlights and refreshing acids. In short, it's a dream drink for summer and fall. This may or may not get better with age, but why wait?
183 cases; 13.5%; $25 (Columbia Valley)
Recommended Rhône-style Blends
DeLille 2020 Le Dessein Red
Formerly marketed as Métier, this GSM blend is a meaty, serious red with a lovely mix of meaty, savory and fruit-driven flavors. Blueberries, black cherries, cassis, strawberry leaf and a touch of mineral all combine and lead through a powerful finish. Boushey, Stone Tree and Ciel du Cheval vineyards contributed the fruit, with the overall blend beautifully handled.
1400 cases; 14.5%; $45 (Columbia Valley)
Kerloo 2019 The Ninja Red
This interesting wine is composed of 55% Red Willow vineyard Syrah and 45% Rockgarden vineyard Mourvèdre. It's an interesting take on the more common G-S-M blend; here missing the Grenache. What remains is more savory and acidic, less fruity, but structured and sturdy with plenty of back end power. The two vineyards, at opposite ends of the Columbia Valley, make an unusual though complementary pairing.
96 cases; 13.4%; $57 (Columbia Valley)
L'Ecole 2020 Seven Hills Vineyard GSM
The three grapes are equally distributed here, all grown in the estate's Seven Hills vineyard. It hits a potent 15% alcohol, yet feels just right, poised and balanced. The red and purple berries, black cherries and plums share the center ring with lightly toasty tannins, black olive highlights and a streak of espresso. This is on the strong, dark side of the GSM universe, with excellent penetration through the finish. Should cellar well for the rest of the decade.
275 cases; 15%; $41 (Walla Walla)
Quady North 2020 GSM
This is 39% Grenache and 32% Syrah and 29% Mourvèdre. I'll quote the back label because honestly I can't improve upon it. "A classic blend, it works because the bright fruit of Grenache is structured by the tannin from Syrah and offset by the game and herbal qualities of Mourvèdre." Wild berries, tart cherries, a touch of truffle and lingering tannins pull this all into a full and satisfying finish.
374 cases; 13.7%; $25 (Rogue Valley)
TruthTeller – The Miscreant Project 2020 GobSMack'd
The casual label reader might easily miss the layers of puns and jokester references scattered on the wine labels and throughout this winery's highly entertaining website. Here the name puts the letters GSM in caps, which tips off the blend: 47% Syrah, 27% Grenache and 27% Mourvèdre. Another sensational value from the Miscreant Project, this layered and textured wine mixes light red fruits, sandalwood, almond butter, smooth almost silky tannins and a finishing hint of buttered popcorn into a splendidly lovely and affordable bottle.
262 cases; 14.5%; $19 (Columbia Valley)
Recommended Quady North
For quality and value across a deep lineup of Rhône-style wines southern Oregon's Quady North leads the pack.
Quady North 2020 Bomba Grenache
Wow - this is sure to please those who love Grenache as much as I do. It's front-loaded with cherry and blackberry and marionberry fruit flavors and has just the right touch of phenolic highlights to frame and focus them. Light accents of pepper and herb finish up the tail. As with all the Quady North wines, this delivers exceptional flavor at value pricing.
207 cases; 14.1%; $25 (Rogue Valley)
Quady North 2019 4-2,A Syrah
If anyone is making a better under-$30 Syrah in the Northwest I haven't tasted it. This is the lowest-priced Syrah in Quady's excellent lineup, a sappy, snappy bowlful of fresh-squeezed black cherries. The accents of pipe tobacco, anise, orange peel and dark chocolate are lightly applied and well-integrated. This drinks just fine as soon as the cork is pulled, but the open bottle can be finished on the second day with equal pleasure.
1028 cases; 14.2%; $27 (Rogue Valley)
Quady North 2017 Steelhead Run Vineyard Syrah
This shows plenty of acidity with accompanying suggestions of green and yellow citrus. The tart berry fruit is lightly-ripened, like wild blackberries picked just ahead of a rain. There is a sturdy phenolic frame around the core, and a finish with medium concentration and length suggests drinking this over the next three or four years. Way better on the second day.
73 cases; 14.4%; $35 (Applegate Valley)
Quady North 2018 Mae’s Vineyard Syrah
This is lighter but more accessible than the reserve Flagship bottling from Mae's. It's an elegant wine that fully expresses varietal character. Cooked plum, berry, coffee, hints of citrus rind and layer after layer of delicate complexity are in play. There's more here than meets the palate, at least at first sip.
75 cases; 14.2%; $35 (Applegate Valley)
Quady North 2018 Mae’s Vineyard Flagship Syrah
The Flagship Syrah is held back for additional bottle age prior to release but this could benefit from more. The flavors mix brambly berries with juicy citrus; there's even a crisp hint of green apple. Let it breathe! I tasted the 2014 version of this wine just a couple of weeks ago and found it was right now drinking at a spectacular level. Six to ten years past vintage is often optimal for top-tier Syrahs. Drink this 2025 to 2030.
104 cases; 14.4%; $75 (Applegate Valley)
Other Recommended Syrahs
Dusted Valley 2020 Tall Tales Stoney Vine Vineyard Syrah
The expanding number of Rocks District vineyards has been important for the development of the region's wines over the past decade. As these new vineyards mature, the wines get better, deeper and more detailed. This is not a big Syrah but it's solid through and through, with classic varietal flavors expanded by the typical Rocks District details of cured meat, soy, coffee and umami. Aged in neutral puncheons, it's a wine that gives you more enjoyment if you give it more attention.
180 cases; 14.2%; $62 (Walla Walla - Rocks District)
Saviah 2020 Syrah
Saviah has quietly accumulated a fine portfolio of estate vineyards scattered around the Walla Walla Valley, and many are part of this excellent blend. It's supremely drinkable, which is to say delicious despite its youth and balanced for immediate enjoyment. Plush with purple fruits, a streak of licorice, a sassy swatch of butterscotch and lifted with refreshing acids, this is one of those wines you won't be able to keep your hands off.
532 cases; 14.5%; $35 (Walla Walla)
Saviah 2020 The Stones Speak Estate Syrah
This is a high-density site just recently planted so the best years are yet to come. All the right pieces are in place for a clear evocation of Rocks District Syrah, but the wine does not yet show the power of older vines. As with all the Saviah Syrahs, it's made in a classic style, perfectly balanced, detailed with dusty tannins, dried herbs and streaks of anise and espresso. Very fine winemaking and a peek at a vineyard that will certainly be a superstar in the near future.
311 cases; 14.4%; $60 (Walla Walla - Rocks District)
Saviah 2020 Reserve Syrah
The best wine in a stunning lineup, this is built from top tier estate fruit from the Funk Estate, Stones Speak and Watermill vineyards. It gets the new barrel treatment (40%) and carries the additional imprint of the Rocks District where the vineyards are located. Intense, detailed, compact and expressive, it's loaded with brambly berries, savory herbs, licorice, espresso, dark chocolate, ash and even touches of lemon rind. What a glorious bottle it is, one that should continue to develop beautifully over the rest of the decade.
410 cases; 14.3%; $50 (Walla Walla)
Time & Direction 2019 Old School Syrah
Co-fermented with 5% Viognier) this punches through with pepper and stem, espresso and chocolate, balsamic and plum, tobacco and vanilla. The classic Syrah components are all here in a young, tight and powerful wine. The 2018 version of this wine may still be available and shows the potential for development with a bit more bottle age. Among the upcoming fall releases this is my clear favorite, though it remains tightly wound and definitely in need of a good decanting.
100 cases; 14.7%; $40 (Royal Slope)
Tranche 2019 Blue Mountain Vineyard Syrah
Lush aromas mix a riot of purple and black fruits with a whiff of chicken yard funk. The flavors form a focused thread down the palate, with accents of iodine and ginger and violets. Aged in one third new puncheons for over two years, it's still a few years shy of optimal drinking, so aerate aggressively.
285 cases; 14.6%; $75 (Walla Walla)
The Walls 2018 River Rock Vineyard Mahana Syrah
This well-appointed Syrah has a tight, tough structure with a mix of herb, pine needle, bark and brambly berry flavors. The earthy, lightly funky umami character of The Rocks AVA is also evident though it's labeled (by law) simply as Walla Walla Valley. Fruit lovers – give this extra breathing time in order to pump up the blackberries.
14.9%; $56 (Walla Walla)
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NOTE: The wines I recommend have been tasted over many hours and days in peer groups and are selected for excellence. I have chosen to eliminate numerical scores from this website. Only recommended wines are shown, no negative reviews. My notes are posted immediately with links to the winery website, so you may purchase them directly from the producer before they are sold out. I take no commission, accept no advertising, and charge no fees for wines reviewed.
Coming next week: Bubbles!
Please send current and upcoming releases when your schedule (and favorable weather) allows. All new releases from Pacific Northwest wineries are welcome and will be tasted. California wineries please inquire before sending wines. As always only recommended wines will be published on this website.
Please contact me at paulgwine@me.com with your feedback and suggestions for future posts. Thank you for your support! – Paul Gregutt