Just released, this entry-level Pinot celebrates the 50th anniversary of the planting of the Hyland vineyard. Petit references younger vines that go into this cuvée, but there's nothing diminutive about the flavors. With a burst of wild berry, savory herbs, hints of mint and tomato leaves, along with barrel highlights of cinnamon spice, this young wine has already melded its components nicely. It's penetrating and sharp, good now but with more bottle age should be even better. 1500 cases; 13.4%; $30 (McMinnville) 92/100

https://www.hylandestateswinery.com/product/2021-Petit-Estate

Good grip, texture and weight with a mix of blackberry, black cherry and cassis fruit flavors. There's a nice streak of cigar box, cracked walnuts, a hint of char, espresso and black rock, all refined and balanced. This is a fine expression of Washington Cabernet from an iconic vineyard. Note that the blend includes 5% Golden Ridge Merlot. 50 cases; 14.2%; $44 (Columbia Valley)

https://arennesscellars.com/products/2019-cabernet-sauvignon-dionysus-vineyard

Principally Cabernet with 6% Petit Verdot in the blend, this was aged in 22% American oak, which might have been a winemaker experiment as the mainline reds are aged in French oak. This is the sort of treasure that comes along from time to time when a winery finds some leftover barrels and makes a wine that far exceeds its price. This carries the Red Mountain AVA, which seems to confirm it comes from Aquilini's expansive estate vineyards. It's loaded with red and black fruits, barrel flavors of espresso and char, and some pretty stiff tannins from the PV, which is usually kept below 3% in most blends. At this price it's a steal, and ready for your tri-tip, barbeque or smoked meats once winter decides to exit the premises. 4640 cases; 14.5%; $25 (Red Mountain)

https://aquiliniwineshop.com/product/chasing-rain-cabernet-sauvignon-2019/

This is done in a contemporary mode, all stainless fermentation and aging, clean and crisp, with acid-driven citrus and tree fruits. Ten years ago it would have been an outlier for its exceptional quality; today it's representative of how good Oregon Pinot Gris has become. Chill lightly and pair with salads, lighter seafood, sushi or pasta in a white sauce. 450 cases; 13.5%; $28 (Willamette Valley)

https://www.panthercreekcellars.com/product/2021-Panther-Creek-Pinot-Gris

The new vintage of Coulée is a true GSM – 58% Syrah, 21% Grenache and 21% Mourvèdre sourced from estate vineyards on Red Mountain and in the Walla Walla Valley. Fermented in concrete and aged 18 months in one fifth new French oak, this more than meets the objectives stated below. It's seamless, sexy and svelte, a lush mix of berries, plums and black fruits. The tannins are polished and fused into the fruit perfectly, with a side order of savory herbs, umami, olives and espresso. 600 cases; 15%; $45 (Columbia Valley)

https://forcemajeurevineyards.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/2020-Parabellum-Coulee-Tech-Sheet.pdf

The barrel select is sourced from several Elkton sites and blends old vine Wadenswil and Pommard with newer Dijon 115 and 777 clones. In recent vintages River's Edge has pulled back on both new oak and finished alcohol and for me that makes the wines better and more ageworthy than ever. This is a balanced mix of strawberry, raspberry and pomegranate with a pleasing amount of toasty barrel highlights. There is no need to decant; it's delicious right out of the bottle. These wines are finished with a screwcap which makes it easy to pour a glass and quickly seal them back up for a second or third day. 398 cases; 13.2%; $26 (Elkton Oregon)

https://www.riversedgewinery.com/store

If you follow classic Oregon Pinot Noir you surely know the wines of Ken Wright, one of the most important vintners of the past 40 years. But you may not know this family brand, named for his two sons. Tyrus Evan wines are priced lower than the Ken Wrights, and focus on Washington rather than Oregon vineyards. This brand new release is a classic Bordeaux blend drawing almost half its grapes from the outstanding Cold Creek vineyard. It's bright and spicy with cassis, black cherry, cocoa, espresso and baking spices galore. It sets up firm but fruit forward, and can benefit from decanting to pull all its components into balance. 1568 cases; 14%; $24 (Columbia Valley)

https://shop.kenwrightcellars.com/Shop/Tyrus-Evan

Oregon has just a handful of wineries that can produce classic Willamette Valley Pinot Noir at this price in such quantities. Coming out of the difficult 2020 vintage, 2021 was a relief, with good fruit across the state and ripened with iimpressive yields. This won't make your socks roll up, but it will tempt you to pour that second and third glass as it's an easy-drinking, balanced and true-to-variety effort. 40000 cases; 13.2%; $20 (Willamette Valley)

This classic, stylish Walla Walla Cab is a six Bordeaux grape blend with Petit Verdot and Malbec the most significant non-Cabernet contributors. It's full-bodied and seamless, potently aromatic with dark notes of espresso, char, tobacco and dark chocolate. A half dozen vineyards contributed to the blend, but nine tenths of the wine comes from old blocks of Seven Hills and the McClellan Estate vineyards. Plenty was made so it should be easily found or purchase online. A very well-structured wine with a decade or more of aging potential it was still drinking quite nicely on the 4th day after first being opened. 1800 cases; 14.5%; $30 (Walla Walla)

https://www.sevenhillswinery.com/wines/walla-walla-valley-cabernet/

If you like your Riesling bone dry and sappy with lip-smacking juiciness look no further than this new release from Matt Berson at Portland Wine Company. Grapefruit, Meyer lemon, tangerine and more are in the mix. The tension is electric, the definition and focus are pinpoint and spot on. There is nothing missing here for this particular style. 270 cases; 12%; $20 (Willamette Valley)

https://www.portlandwinecompany.com/buywine/2018-riesling-wv

When originally reviewed in October of 2021 I described this as chewy and toasty, with ample tannins setting it up against mulberry and plum fruit. The wine comes into focus in the back of the palate, extending the flavors through a full-bodied and clean finish. Re-tasted this past week it was even better, richly fruity, lightly chocolatey, spicy and bold yet perfectly balanced and crisp. What a difference a year makes! 100 cases; 14.9%; $24 (Rogue Valley)

https://peterwilliamvineyard.com/product/gsm-2018-grenache-syrah-mourvedre/

This value blend hits hard and fast with a big burst of herries and mint, vanilla and bourbon tea, tobacco and blueberry pie. The 2018 vintage was good from the start, and the extra bottle age only makes this wine better. The blend is 40% Syrah, 40% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon from unnamed Washington state vineyards (likely Weinbau and Bacchus). Aged 10 months in one quarter new oak, at this price, it's a steal. 6000 cases; 13.5%; $15 (Columbia Valley)

https://kingestate.com/products/2018-next-columbia-valley-red-blend/

This blended red brings together grapes from a plenitude of Red Mountain, Horse Heaven Hills, Rattlesnake Hills and Walla Walla Valley vineyards. It's principally Cabernet Sauvignon, with small amounts of Merlot and Petit Verdot. Though produced by an Oregon winery, it's classic Washington in style and focus. Chewy, chunky flavors of black cherry, cassis, tobacco, graphite and slate combine in a powerful wine that emulates Washington Bordeaux blends selling for considerably higher dollars. Though this is not an expensive wine, it includes grapes from such iconic sites as Klipsun, Seven Hills and Elephant Mountain, afforded extended aging in one quarter new oak. 1024 cases; 14.2%; $40 (Columbia Valley)

https://www.pamplinfamilywinery.com/2018-jrg-red-wine/

This is a well-made Oregon Pinot Noir at an affordable price. It's an earthy style that offers fresh Pinot flavors from an iconic AVA – the same Dundee Hills where Eyrie's David Lett first planted Pinot Noir back in 1965. Watermelon, strawberry, lingenberry and plum are augmented with accents of salty greens and clean earth. With ample aeration the aromas open up and seduce! As is often true of very young wines, this smelled and drank much better on the second day. 270 cases; 13.7%; $29 (Dundee Hills)

https://wintershillwine.com/product/2021-pinot-noir-watershed

Sourced from the new estate vineyard, this is loaded with fresh, ripe applesauce fruit goodness. It's 20% barrel fermented and the rest in stainless steel. Crisp yet putting the emphasis on apple rather than citrus fruit, it's a full-bodied, front-loaded, very appealing style that should be enjoyed over the next three or four years. 448 cases; 13.4%; $20 (Willamette Valley)

https://lujonwinecellars.com/product/2016-willamette-valley-chardonnay/

This is two thirds Vermentino, the rest split between Marsanne and Roussanne. If you like the wildness that comes with indigenous yeasts, biodynamic grapes and non-interventionist winemaking, this is your wine. It's quite different from the previous vintage but in many ways more interesting. Floral, citrus and sweet herbal flavors compound in a racy, sleek, spicy and quite fascinating wine. Rare to find such depth and complexity at this price. NOTE: the Druid's Fluid 2020 Red Blend was a featured value wine last spring, and the new 2021 vintage of the red is every bit as good.

285 cases; 12.6%; $25 (Applegate Valley)

https://troon-vineyard.obtainwine.com/product/2021-biodynamic-white-blend

Here is your perfect 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 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. See all Montoliva reviews under ‘Deep Dive’. 250 cases; 13.8%; $22 (Sierra Foothills – Chicago Park)

https://www.montoliva.com/product/sierra-bella-2020/

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 standout value among many far more expensive Oregon offerings.

3983 cases; 12.5%; $30 (Willamette Valley)

https://shop.argylewinery.com/product/2018-Blanc-de-Noirs

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)

https://quadynorth.orderport.net/product-details/0638/2019-Syrah-4--2a-750ml-142pct

Always a reliable budget bottle, this version of The Jack draws upon some well-known Walla Walla and Columbia Valley vineyards (notably Lewis!) for its fruit. In the blend are small amounts of Grenache and Mourvèdre. Ten percent new oak adds just the right toasty touch. It's a supple, clean, varietally-true wine with plenty of purple fruits and hints of bacon fat.

2151 cases; 14.5%; $18 (Columbia Valley)

https://www.saviahcellars.com/wine/the-jack/2019-jack-syrah/