BUYING GUIDE - Wine Enthusiast Magazine

lumbia Valley). As fresh as a young white wine can be,
this sappy Riesling opens with lovely floral aromas, that
lend the palate a bit of Gewürztraminer-like soapiness.
It turns spicy and penetrating, with Meyer lemon and
other expressions of tart citrus. —P.G.
abv: 12.6% Price: $17
88
Hogue 2010 Riesling (Columbia Valley).
For full review see page 12. Best Buy.
abv: 12.2% Price: $11
88
Three Rivers 2010 Bacchus Vineyard
Riesling (Columbia Valley). Off-dry, with
flavors of fresh pear drizzled with honey. It’s a charming
Riesling, fruity and gently sweet, though with enough
backing acid to keep it food-friendly. —P.G.
abv: 12.2% Price: $15
VIOGNIER
93
AntoLin Cellars 2010 Viognier (Yakima
Valley). This southern Rhône-style blend includes
10% each Marsanne and Roussanne. It’s flat out
lovely and silky smooth, with scents and flavors of honey-laced
flowers. Lemon, lime and grapefruit dominate
the palate, with superb balance and persistence. Certainly
one of the best Washington State Viogniers I have
ever tasted. Editors’ Choice. —P.G.
abv: 13.5% Price: $19
92
àMaurice 2009 Viognier (Columbia Valley).
Always a strong suit from àMaurice, the
2009 Viognier has a cocktail mix of lemon drop and
botanical herbs and spices. Pungent, bright and deliciously
lively, this is a thrilling, high-wire wine. Editors’
Choice. —P.G.
abv: 14.5% Price: $25
90
àMaurice 2010 Sparrow Viognier (Walla
Walla Valley). This is the estate bottling, lush
and round, with a Chardonnay-like mouthfeel from barrel
fermentation. Flavors of citrus and apricot fruit, expressions
of a cool vintage, pull it into sharp focus. A
smattering of toast and butter threads through the finish.
—P.G.
abv: 14% Price: $33
89
Watermill 2010 Viognier (Columbia Valley).
Nicely done, still young and sharp, but
carrying interesting scents of lemon and lime rind,
orange liqueur, and peppery spice. Excellent acidity
buoys it up through a satisfying finish, with just a slim
suggestion of warmth. Should continue to improve with
another two or three years in the bottle. —P.G.
abv: 14.5% Price: $16
OTHER WHITE WINES
92
Buty 2010 61% Sémillon/21% Sauvignon/18%
Muscadelle (Columbia Valley).
This shows a darker shade than most young whites, almost
a burnished gold. Soft and complex, with ripe,
slightly confected fruit flavors, it’s super smooth, with
honeysuckle highlights around waxy stone fruits. Excellent
length. Editors’ Choice. —P.G.
abv: 13.8% Price: $25
92
Insania 2010 White (Red Mountain). This
Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc blend is firm, powerful
and polished. The fruit runs the gamut from citrus
to melon to white peach, finishing with some youthful
bite. Already a succulent, mouthfilling gem, but should
improve for another five years. Editors’ Choice. —P.G.
abv: 14.2% Price: $25
91
Hogue 2010 Gewürztraminer (Columbia
Valley). For full review see page11. Best Buy.
abv: 13.5% Price: $11
89
SuLei Cellars 2011 Spring Creek Sauvignon
Blanc (Columbia Valley). SuLei’s
Tanya Woodley ferments her Sauvignon Blanc in stainless
steel, then ages it in a mix of neutral oak and stainless
steel barrels. In this new vintage some residual
sugar (just under 1%) remains, to soften the otherwisesearing
acidity. It works well, crafting a fleshy wine loaded
with citrus and honeydew. The finish lingers and has
plenty of lift. —P.G.
abv: 13.5% Price: $18
88
Convergence Zone Cellars 2011 Sunbreak
Chenin Blanc (Snipes Mountain
District). From the Upland Vineyard, this sweetly
fruity (3% residual sugar) wine bursts with fresh flavors
of grapefruit and pear. The expansive, fleshy midpalate
leads into a clean finish with excellent grip. —P.G.
abv: 12.2% Price: $17
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
94
Watermill 2008 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
(Walla Walla Valley). Just three barrels
of this outstanding reserve were produced. It’s full bodied,
richly fruity and broadly textural, it holds its alcohol
well, with strawberry jam highlighting a lush palate of
ripe, sweet fruits. The barrel notes of toast, caramel and
mocha are the frosting on the cake. Editors’ Choice.
—P.G.
abv: 15.4% Price: $35
92
Fielding Hills 2009 RiverBend Vineyard
Cabernet Sauvignon (Wahluke Slope). A
fine effort from Fielding Hills, in a year in which the alcohol
levels of their wines appeared to spike. This Cabernet
retains the firm, compact character of previous
vintages, with notes of graphite, earth and iron in a base
of rich cassis. The tannins are polished and dense. Cellar
Selection. —P.G.
abv: 15.6% Price: $42
91
Den Hoed 2008 Andreas Cabernet Sauvignon
(Horse Heaven Hills). Broad and
toasty, the 2008 Andreas is pure Cabernet Sauvignon
from the Wallula Vineyard. Lush plum and cherry fruit
is set against generous, toasty new oak. Nuanced highlights
of herb, rye seed and even a dash of cayenne peek
through on the finish. The wine spent a full year in bottle
prior to release, but could certainly age for another
decade or more, and is likely to improve significantly.
Cellar Selection. —P.G.
abv: 14.6% Price: $80
91
Maryhill 2009 Proprietor’s Reserve Cabernet
Sauvignon (Columbia Valley). For
full review see page 9.
abv: 13.8% Price: $30
90
Camaraderie 2008 Reserve Cabernet
Sauvignon (Columbia Valley). The Camaraderie
reserves—both this and the Merlot—have
spent an extra year in barrel, and the benefit is that
they have broadened out a bit. The vineyard sources are
Champoux, Artz and Meek. This offers tart berry, and
astringently-tannic flavors, with chalk, smoke and lead
pencil streaks. Excellent balance and mass. Cellar Selection.
—P.G.
abv: 14.6% Price: $38
90
Fidelitas 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia
Valley). This pure Cabernet is stubbornly
unyielding at first, showing a lean and herbal expression.
But with extensive (overnight) breathing time,
the fresh and bright flavors of boysenberries and cassis
pop into focus, the tannins are ripe and polished, the
finish still tightly wound but textural and long. Cellar
Selection. —P.G.
abv: 14.6% Price: $25
90
Maryhill 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia
Valley). For full review see page 10.
Editors’ Choice.
abv: 13.6% Price: $17
90
Revelry 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon (Red
Mountain). Bold flavors of clove, spice,
tobacco, vanilla and dark chocolate jump from the glass.
This is a style of wine akin to hyperrealism in painting.
Barrel flavors are emphasized over fruit, but it all holds
together with a massive amount of sweet spices. —P.G.
abv: 14.5% Price: $46
90
Walla Walla Vintners 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon
(Walla Walla Valley). Though labeled
Cabernet Sauvignon, this Bordeaux-style blend
includes all six red grapes. It’s a medium-bodied wine
that deftly mixes black cherry and cassis with chocolate,
toast and licorice highlights. —P.G.
abv: 14.5% Price: $35
89
Camaraderie 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon
(Washington). Young, tight and primary, this
stylish, astringent Cabernet includes 10% Merlot in the
blend. Blueberry, cassis, black cherry and chocolate flavors
mingle in this tannic, ageworthy wine. —P.G.
abv: 14.6% Price: $28
89
Castle Rock 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon
(Columbia Valley). For full review see page
12. Best Buy.
abv: 13.5% Price: $12
89
Frenchman’s Gulch 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon
(Washington). Young and bright, this
is loaded with fresh boysenberry and tart cherry flavor.
At first sip, it seems concentrated with excellent structure
and length; as it breathes some green tannins begin
to show in the finish. Overall a good effort. —P.G.
abv: 14.5% Price: $25
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