Washington

Country: US / Coalescence Red Wine Variety: Red Blend Washington Winery: Tulpen / Columbia Valley (WA) This is 70% Cabernet, 20% Merlot. Dark, tight and loaded with fruits, this balanced, juicy wine has it all—elegance, length, finesse and mouth appeal. Blackberry and black cherry fruits dominate, with light suggestions of pretty leaf, tobacco, earth and […]

Country: US / Matchless Red Variety: Red Blend Washington Winery: Otis Kenyon / Walla Walla Valley (WA) The blend changes annually—here it’s two thirds Merlot and one third Cabernet Sauvignon—but the wine remains accessible and spicy, a mix of currant and berry, pepper and cedar.

Country: US / Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon Washington Winery: Feather / Columbia Valley (WA) Aggressive tannins and an unusually strong herbal component make this new vintage of Feather a bit difficult to assess at this moment. It’s peppery and stemmy in the nose, earthy and tannic in the mouth, with suggestions of asparagus. Quite a change […]

Country: US / Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon Washington Winery: Elevation Cellars / Columbia Valley (WA) Earth and olive streaks wrap around tight, compact fruit flavors of berry and plum. The aging in French oak—60% new—adds a light touch of spice without dominating. The tannins are clean, crisp and gently powdery.

Country: US / D2 Variety: Bordeaux-style Red Blend Washington Winery: DeLille / Columbia Valley (WA) Highlighted by forward, pretty, cherry-candy flavor, this is an appealing vintage for D2—DeLille’s second-label Bordeaux-style blend. Accented with integrated notes of herb, nougat and milk chocolate, this finishes with a streak of minerality that provides a bit of gravitas.

Country: US / Variety: Sémillon Washington Winery: Amavi / Walla Walla Valley (WA) This Sémillon is made from all Walla Walla Valley fruit, with 11% Sauvignon Blanc in the blend. It was barrel-fermented and -aged, and the time in barrel and on the lees has given the wine an extra dimension of texture. The fruit […]

Country: US / Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon Washington Winery: North by Northwest / Walla Walla Valley (WA) NxNW makes much less of its Walla Walla Cabernet than of its Columbia Valley bottling, though both wear the same price tag. This is the one to find—a deep, dark wine rife with smoke and espresso. Black cherry and […]

Country: US / The Spinner Variety: Red Blend Washington Winery: Nefarious / Columbia Valley (WA) Made from three-quarters Merlot and one-eighth each Cabernet Sauvignon and Mourvèdre, this new version of The Spinner seems to be surfing a wave of spicy berry that’s about to smash into a wall of chocolate. But it never crashes, instead […]

Country: US / Defiance Vineyard Variety: Syrah Washington Winery: Nefarious / Lake Chelan Wonderful purity is on display in this mineral-driven, tart, racy and expressive Syrah from the estate vineyard. The bright and tangy berry flavors may strike some palates as a bit on the sour side, but there is more than enough ripeness here […]

Country: US / Variety: Merlot Washington Winery: Mercer / Columbia Valley (WA) A blocky, toasty, chewy wine with a flavor mix of herb and earth and berries. The tannins are rough and leave a slightly bitter impression.

Country: US / Variety: Claret Washington Winery: Matthews Estate / Columbia Valley (WA) The complex blend of Bordeaux grapes does not quite jell into a wine with specific focus. It’s dark and tastes of black cherry, with grainy tannins and a chalky finish. The acids are not well integrated and the wine seems disjointed in […]

Country: US / 2 Spires Red Variety: Red Blend Washington Winery: William Church / Columbia Valley (WA) A sharp, herbal blend of Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon, showing hints of resin in its aromas. The pale red fruit flavors are tart, light, and simple.