Guide to Wine Scores

After earning a BS in Biology at WSU, winemaker Kelly Johnson spent 14 years working in and managing the winemaking lab at the Napa Valley-based Trinchero Family Estates. She returned to her hometown of Lyle, Wash. to launch Tetrahedron Wines in 2015. She offers lab services to the array of wineries in the area, too. Tetrahedron Wines 2016 Graves Vineyard Chardonnay, … [Read more...] about Tetrahedron 2016 Graves Vineyard Chardonnay, $28

Software executive Mike Martin and winemaker Ali Mayfield admit they share an insatiable curiosity and passion for crafting great wine. Perfectionism might be added to the list, too, based on the mix of exciting reds and whites most recently sampled from this new winery in Walla Walla. If the wines could speak, they’d sound like an eloquent and enlightened conversation with the … [Read more...] about The Walls Vineyards in Walla Walla

In the nearly nine years that I have been sampling John Bookwalter wines, I can honestly state that I have never been disappointed with a single one, and in fact they typically over deliver and bring about stimulated conversation among the tasting group.  Truth be told, his wines continue to raise the bar with successive vintages, proving him to be among the state’s finest star … [Read more...] about J. Bookwalter 2014 Suspense & 2014 Readers

Goose Ridge Vineyards made history recently when it became the first winery in Washington to have four stand-alone tasting rooms—Woodinville, Richland, Leavenworth, and now the newest one in downtown Walla Walla. While each tasting room has its own personality, they all share common qualities that include service for tastings, a varied selection of wines paired with light bites … [Read more...] about Goose Ridge Opens 4th Tasting Room

Under the steady guidance and stewardship of owners Rob and Brenda Mercer, Mercer Estates Winery has become a formidable force in recent years, not just in terms of wine production growth, but in the areas of vineyard development, sustainable farming practices, and perhaps most important to consumers, high quality wines at exceptional value. The Mercer’s family has been … [Read more...] about 7 Releases From Mercer Wine Estates

Eye of the Needle Winery founders Bob and Lauren Bullock are super sleuths of Washington wine whose mission is to search out incredible values sourced from a number of the state's finest vineyards. Their most current releases include several premium and small-lot wines that continue to raise the bar once more. Here are nine releases we recently reviewed, offered at a wide range … [Read more...] about 9 Releases From Eye of the Needle

Can you say, “What’s at your address?” That’s the clever tagline used by the winemaking team of Pam Adkins and Julie Bulrice to help folks pronounce the name of their winery (an amalgam of their last names). Like yin and yang, the couple devotes their energies to their respective areas of expertise, with Pam as head winemaker and Julie tasked with sales and … [Read more...] about Adrice Wines Relocates From California

Ben Viscon worked at the Seattle-based REI for 13 years before he hit a pivotal career point and decided he’d rather follow his bliss and become a full-time winemaker. He’d been making wine at home for years before refining his knowledge at UC Davis. After becoming bonded and licensed, Ben released his first wines in 2014. All his urban winery production, including bottling and … [Read more...] about 2 Releases From Viscon Cellars

When former Microsoft executive Marty Taucher was studying at Northwest Wine Academy, he sought out an internship at DeLille Cellars where he met winemaker Chris Peterson. They struck up a friendship and Marty, an active angel investor, eventually shared his idea for launching his own winery. Chris jumped on board and their partnership was formed in 2010. “Avennia is inspired … [Read more...] about 3 Releases From Avennia

Back in March of 2016, Tasting Room Magazine wrote about Kyle and Cassie Welch and their inaugural releases from a bold new adventure, Longship Cellars. It was Kyle’s spirited enthusiasm and keen red wines that captured our attention. One year and several new releases later, he still has our attention. Kyle’s latest 2014 releases are serious, intricate red wines that show a … [Read more...] about 4 Releases From Longship Cellars

Thousands of visitors flock annually to Tsillan Cellars, the largest estate-grown winery in Chelan. “What you taste at our winery is grown right outside the door,” says  founder Dr. Bob Jankelson, the visionary behind the magnificent Italian villa-styled winery, ristorante and tasting room where for a decade he has been producing an incredible variety of award-winning reds and … [Read more...] about Tsillan Cellars Arrives in Woodinville

Long Shadows Vintners 2016 Poet’s Leap Riesling, $20 Crisp and well sculpted, this version offers aromas and flavors of pear, apple, apricot and honeysuckle interwoven with white flower, citrus and spice notes. A slight touch of effervescence lends appeal on the clean and refreshing finish. Editor's Choice - Outstanding Production: 4,900 cases Alcohol: 12.5% Long Shadows … [Read more...] about Long Shadows & Nine Hats

Winemaker Casey McClellan's family first arrived in Eastern Washington in the 1880s, putting down roots while farming wheat in the fertile region. One hundred years later, he and his father worked side-by-side on the Walla Walla Valley's first significant planting of Bordeaux varietals in what became the original blocks of Seven Hills Vineyard. Casey and his wife, Vicky, went … [Read more...] about Seven Hills 2014 Walla Walla Valley Red Wine, $35

A family owned boutique winery founded in 2007, located in the beautiful Columbia Gorge, Jacob Williams is named in honor of owner Brad Gearhart’s two sons, Jacob and William. For over a decade, Brad has worked with winemaking veteran John Haw and sources fruit from the Columbia Valley and Columbia Gorge AVAs. John Haw spent many years crafting Pinot Noir in nearby … [Read more...] about Pinot Noir + 5 Current Releases from Jacob Williams Winery

Bill Grassie began making a few hundred cases of wine in 2011 and has been accelerating production ever since. “I have drank wine for a long time but I didn’t necessary set out to start a winery,” says Bill. “But I bought this property on five acres in Fall City, Wash. in 2007 and had this bare patch of land in the front yard. I couldn’t figure out what to do with it, so I … [Read more...] about William Grassie Wine Estates Hits The Ground Running

EFESTE, pronounced F-S-T, is an acronym for the winery's founders. Their idea to make two barrels of wine based on the Ferrelli annual tradition of winemaking has since evolved  into a significant label. You can taste their wines at the winery and tasting room in Woodinville, Wash. EFESTE 2013 Final-Final Red Blend, $30 Editor's Choice – Extraordinary Production: 4,100 … [Read more...] about EFESTE 2013 Final-Final and 2013 Estate Petit Verdot

The Mercer family has been on the move in eastern Washington since the 1880s, where their pride of stewardship over their land has been evident in the family’s rich history as ranchers, farmers, and wine grape growers. The family’s farm lands and vineyards are in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA, recognized as one of the state’s top viticultural regions, and practically synonymous … [Read more...] about 6 New Releases from Mercer Wine Estate

Mari Womack’s inaugural releases easily pass muster in Woodinville’s competitive arena. Damsel Cellars may be one of Washington’s newer wineries, however Mari’s polished touch demonstrates this winemaker-to-watch has a knack for crafting serious reds. “I came from a restaurant background working in college and caught the wine bug in my ‘20s,” she says of her early love. Any … [Read more...] about 3 Reds From Damsel Cellars

The talented team behind Rocky Pond has been busy. Since first reporting on this winery in 2015, they’ve since opened a tasting room in the Woodinville Warehouse District and another in downtown Chelan. One gets the feeling they are just getting started. Owners David and Michelle Dufenhorst’s wine story began about six years ago in Orondo, Wash. where they bought land to … [Read more...] about Rocky Pond Comes To Woodinville & Chelan