Washington

Country: US / Northern Blend Variety: Syrah Washington Winery: Rôtie Cellars / Washington Cofermented with 5% Viognier, this perfumed wine brings aromas of green olive, stems, potpourri, blue fruit and moist earth. The palate is chock-full of layered boysenberry and earth flavors, earthshaking in their intensity, with a mouthfeel that only heightens the interest.

Country: US / Pinot Gris-Viognier Variety: White Blend Washington Winery: Thurston Wolfe / Columbia Valley (WA) The blend is 70% Pinot Gris and 30% Viognier. The Gris provides the fruit base, with pear/apple flavors; the Viognier adds some light lemon and citrus blossom accents. This is a big wine, bone dry.

Country: US / Variety: Semillon-Chardonnay Washington Winery: Covey Run / Washington A dry style, tightly wound with hints of herb and spice. Simple, crisply rendered, and very fresh, with citrus-flavored fruit.

Country: US / Variety: Merlot Washington Winery: Gordon Brothers / Columbia Valley (WA) Strong cinnamon and mocha scents illuminate this wine, and the fruit shows some pretty cherry qualities. A bit of dill creeps in too, showing the effect of this cooler vintage on a cooler site. —P.G.

Country: US / Variety: Gewürztraminer Washington Winery: Tucker / Yakima Valley There are true, varietal scents of apricot, peach and honeysuckle. Fresh fruit in the mouth shows crisp, citrus and orange flavors, with some spritzyness on the tongue, and plenty of orange rind in the finish. This is fruity and dry enough to be well […]

Country: US / Variety: Pinot Gris Washington Winery: Columbia Winery / Yakima Valley Pinot Gris is starting to have a presence in Washington, and the straightforward, citrus-flavored fruit shown here suggests a middle-of-the-road style. It’s a tart, palate-cleaning wine with a hint of citrus-rind bitterness in the finish.

Country: US / Variety: Sauvignon Blanc Washington Winery: Arbor Crest / Columbia Valley (WA) Sauvignon Blanc has long been the winery’s calling card, but this vintage isn’t quite up to past standards. Some high-toned scents add edginess to the tropical fruit, and some bitter skin flavors are borderline too much. Good, but they can do […]

Country: US / Les Collines Variety: Syrah Washington Winery: Tertulia / Walla Walla Valley (WA) A real success, this intensely spicy Syrah loads in mouth-softening flavors of buttermilk, cocoa and cinnamon. Lots of toast and coffee, with a creamy, textural mouthfeel. The rich, ripe, almost sweet cherry fruit is like a mouthful of fresh pie.

Country: US / Artist Series #7 Red Wine Variety: Red Blend Washington Winery: Soos Creek / Columbia Valley (WA) Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon share top billing here, in a sleek, stylish, beautifully polished wine loaded with blackberries, black cherries and cassis. Firm and textural, it layers in subtle spices, dark chocolate, espresso and moist […]

Country: US / Blanc des Coteaux Variety: Rhône-style White Blend Washington Winery: Olsen Estates / Yakima Valley The fruit is forward and lush, the grapes nicely blended and complementary, yielding a complex, mouthfilling wine with a riot of tropical, stone and citrus fruit flavors. There is a trace of new oak and a lingering finish […]

Country: US / Variety: Chardonnay Washington Winery: Olsen Estates / Yakima Valley A wonderful follow-up to the debut vintage, this generous Chardonnay brings green apples, stone fruits and suggestions of pineapple, with a judicious use of new oak that refrains from becoming more than a pleasing nuance. Excellent balance, with a firm, lingering finish that […]

Country: US / Ciel du Cheval Vineyard Variety: Syrah Washington Winery: AlmaTerra / Red Mountain Really fragrant, with this vineyard’s near-perfect mix of fruit, rock and barrel. This is restrained, elegant but powerful—raspberry fruit over crushed rock, with vertical structure, an immaculate mouthfeel, and a finish that continues to resonate for minutes after the swallow.