![]() Other vineyards in Washington yield wines with swagger, but Harrison Hill has always been about finesse. The vines are among the oldest in the state, and DeLille’s 25th vintage from the site only adds to that sense of history. Harrison Hill, an unassuming vineyard just off Highway 82 in Sunnyside, was first planted in 1962. DeLille Cellars Harrison Hill Red Wine Snipes Mountain 2018 $105 ![]() The result is all about freshness, with aromas and flavors of black currant, plum, and herb. It’s rare to see a Bordeaux-style blend like this aged in neutral oak, even more unusual that its sojourn is so brief. One to watch out for.Cor Cellars Momentum Red Blend Horse Heaven Hills 2019 $22Īging a wine in new oak adds flavor, fills in the cracks flavorwise, and rounds out the mouthfeel, but this process takes time. Majority Cabernet Franc, we were bowled over by this lovely wine. Fresh strawberries and cream, crisp, fresh and dry, with a nice rounded texture. ![]() Seven Hills clearly has Anjou as an inspiration. There’s not that much rosé in Washington State, and the quality is patchy, but that’s starting to change. A beautifully balanced wine. (imported by Wine Treasury, but this wine is not currently listed) Elegant and restrained, with fresh citrus, Asian pear and green apple, with a smattering of spice from very well integrated new French oak. I didn’t really get on with Chardonnay in Washington, but this was the exception. ![]() This would make a great ‘by the glass’ wine. (not yet imported) I found quite a few Washington Cabernets too big, too extracted, but this bucks that trend. Bright, with pencil lead, fresh red cherries and blueberries, this is good value at around $24. Think leather, smooth tannins and dark spice. (imported by Flint Wines RRP £39)įrom a partnership between the mighty Ste Michelle and Germany’s Ernst Loosen, a sleak, elegant wine with zippy lime sherbet, tinned mandarins and wet pebbles, the robust acidity giving an assertive spine of freshness. (imported by Enotria&Coe RRP £26.50)įrom the Columbia Crest winery, a division of Ste Michelle (yep, them again), a relatively new wine from a vineyard region known as ‘The Burn’, a contender for AVA status sometime soon. Made by a top Manhattan Sommelier-turned-Walla-Walla-winemaker, Greg Harrington, this Mourvèdre is something of a drag queen: pretty and floral on the nose, fruity and fun, but with real muscle underneath. Gramercy Cellars, L’Idiot du Village, 2015īizarrely, I tasted this in the UK, rather than on my trip to Washington. This wine apparently has a cult following, and it’s easy to see why. A saline core, with a delicious, plump lees texture. (seeking representation – US$60) This beautiful wine titillates with what Washington State can deliver with Syrah. (seeking representation – US$90)īetz Family Winery, ‘La Côte Patriarche Syrah, 2016īlack pepper, blackberry and peppered salami lead into a surprisingly fresh, delicate wine, with red cherries and blueberries dancing around an enticingly wild core. (imported by Liberty Wines – RRP £47)Ī really unusual, fresh, aromatic wine, with grapefruit pith, citrus blossom and notes of raw almond. 95% Syrah and 5% Viognier, with blackberry, cracked black pepper, burnt orange and smoky bacon, a fantastically balanced wine with a delicious mineral streak through to the finish. Good value too. (imported by Roberson Wines – RRP £18)į rom an up-and-coming Syrah specialist, the plot is a dried-up river bed containing large rocks reminiscent of Châ teauneuf-du-Pape. On the palate it is crisp, refreshing and deliciously savoury. 80% Sauvignon Blanc, the remainder Chardonnay and Marsanne. Gooseberry and green pepper aromas lead, with fennel and mixed fresh herbs. This wine is bat shit crazy, but it works. Biodynamically farmed, this is a complex feast, with a gentle touch and a distinctive varietal signature. (imported by Roberson Wines – RRP £35). Dense, dark and fascinating, with foraged blackberry, violets and juicy purple plum, cinnamon, toasted clove and chewy red liquorice. Syrah shines in Washington and this is its brightest star. Hedges Family Estate, ‘ Descendants Liegeois Dupont ’ Syrah, 2010 In Mr Vinosaurus’s Washington Top 10 there are 3, count ’em, Syrahs – a grape he believes excels in the State.
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