Guide to Wine Scores

After Victor Palencia graduated from Walla Walla Community College’s viticulture and enology program, he immediately began racking up an impressive resume that included stints at Basel Cellars and Saviah Cellars.  At his current fulltime day job as head winemaker for a custom crush facility in Mattawa (co-owned by Jack Jones and Dick Shaw) he oversees production of millions of … [Read more...] about Palencia 2012 Yakima Valley Grenache, $36

Leigh McMillan works in the high tech industry and Kristen Dorrity is a lawyer, both valuable skillets (if not indispensible) as winery owners.  “Making wine is a combination of a lot of things from science to farming and art and business, so it has a lot of components to it that are fun and interesting,” McMillan told Tasting Room Magazine.  She took studied winemaking at … [Read more...] about Welcome Road 2012 Atelier, $32

The dream to start this winery came about in Beijing as four friends sat overlooking the Forbidden City, the former Chinese imperial palace.  Three of them worked at an investment firm and the other was a banker, thus the connotation “market” vineyards and playful wine labels like Arbitrage, Basis Points and Benchmark. General manager Kelly Precechtel Bright joined the … [Read more...] about Market Vineyards 2010 Basis Points Red Wine, $35

“We have enjoyed hundreds of wines and now are making our own,” says owner and winemaker Phil Warren, whose wine explorations with his wife, Danette have led them to Napa, Temecula, Texas and South Africa.  Their first visit to Red Mountain was 18 years ago—in those early days wineries like Kiona, Oakwood Cellars and Terra Blanca had tasting rooms set up inside their homes.  … [Read more...] about Tucannon Cellars 2011 Mourvèdre, $30

In 2007, founders Tony and Linda Haralson, a pharmacist and nurse in the Yakima community, turned their dreams of owning a winery into a reality after ten years of home winemaking.  The name, AntoLin, is a collective of their first names, signifying their partnership.  “Our goal is to craft quality wines in low production quantities so that we can pay attention to detail, have … [Read more...] about AntoLin Cellars 2009 Yakima Valley Syrah, $24

Winemaker Jason Morin and his wife Erin pay tribute to their family traditions at this boutique Woodinville Warehouse winery.  Jason grew up in Gig Harbor, Wash., as part of a Croatian fishing family. “In the third grade I got my start making wine with my grandfather in his basement,” he told Tasting Room Magazine.  “As a family we have always enjoyed wine and the sharing of … [Read more...] about Ancestry Cellars 2011 Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, $45

When solar industry executive Russ Hamilton and his wife Stacie, a CPA, began to consider retiring, they realized their two main hobbies were wine tasting and traveling.  “I thought, how can we take those two passions and make them tax deductible,” says Stacie.  In 2006, they approached winemaker and consultant Charlie Hoppes, who agreed to make wine for them.  The couple later … [Read more...] about Hamilton Cellars 2010 Red Mountain Malbec, $40

Winemaker David O'Reilly is a pioneer in the Yakima Valley AVA, home to his Union Gap estate vineyard.  His ability to coax magic from the grapes is evident across the entire spectrum of this multi-brand winery, from solidly-crafted value wines to super premium single-vineyard designates. The Owen Roe 2013 'DuBrul Vineyard' Chardonnay is sleek, tightly-focused and textural, … [Read more...] about Owen Roe DuBrul Vineyard Chardonnay, $48

Owner and winemaker Gino Cuneo has been making wines in Oregon and Washington for a quarter century.  He has spent the past 15 years pioneering how Italian varietals express themselves in American soil.  His latest vineyard project, Calvri, is located in the Horse Heaven Hills, though to see it you’d think you were in Piedmont, Italy, where Cuneo has traveled frequently to … [Read more...] about g. Cuneo Cellars 2011 Seccopassa, $60

Last fall Victor Palencia launched his winery in one of the wine incubators at the Walla Walla airport and the young entrepreneur is on the move again with a newly opened tasting room in Walla Walla’s quaint downtown. Palencia’s brand reflects his heritage and lessons he learned from his family. They relocated from Michoacan, Mexico to the Yakima Valley when he was just two … [Read more...] about Palencia 2012 Yakima Valley Casa Amarilla, $36

Winemaker David O’Reilly grew up in Ireland before migrating to North America, where he honed his palate at wineries in California and Oregon before building a reputation at Sineann, which he had co-founded prior to launching Owen Roe. Owen Roe’s first vintage was in 1999 with the goal of making wines from top sites in Oregon and Washington. Committed to quality, all their … [Read more...] about Owen Roe 2011 Union Gap Vineyard Red Wine, $85

Sorella means sister in Italian and the wine was made to honor winemaker Chris Camarda's sister when it was first produced in 1994. The portrait on the label is now Chris' late wife Annie who died in 2005. Fruit from vines averaging 35 years old was used in this outstanding single-vineyard (Champoux) Bordeaux style blend: 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc … [Read more...] about Andrew Will 2011 Champoux Vineyard Sorella, $84

Den Hoed brothers, Bill and Andy, team up with another Washington wine pioneer, Allen Shoup, to create a blend of classic red grape varietals and a single varietal Cabernet Sauvignon from their jointly owned Wallula Vineyard. Their father, Andreas Den Hoed, migrated from Holland and labored to save enough money to bring his fiancee, Marie to join him. As one of the first … [Read more...] about Den Hoed 2009 Andreas Cabernet Sauvignon, $80

Three decades of winemaking experience is showcased in David Forsyth's single-vineyard wines.  Only two to three barrels of each wine are made annually and are available only through the Forsyth Family Vineyards wine club and a few select wine shops.  Prior, Forsyth worked for many years at Hogue Cellars and Mercer Estates.  This Cabernet Sauvignon was held back for release to … [Read more...] about Forsyth Brio 2007 McKinley Springs Horse Heaven Hills, $50

Spokane-based winemakers Joe and Rebecca Gunselman have stong ties to the Horse Heaven Hills AVA at their estate vineyard, Gunselman Bench.  This lovely, limited production Bordeaux varietal red blend was sourced from a number of vineyards, including Gunselman, Andrews Horse Heaven Ranch, McKinley Springs, and Phinny Hill vineyards. Nose: Fragrant aromatics of red and black … [Read more...] about Robert Karl 2010 Horse Heaven Hills Inspiration, $45

Brothers Bob and Roger Gamache pay tribute to their cousin Paul Champoux for the instrumental role he played in establishing the Horse Heaven Hills growing region with this elegant limited release wine that represents their vineyard select line. It's 100% Cabernet Franc, all sourced from Champoux Vineyard. Charlie Hoppes was consulting winemaker. Nose: Aromas of red … [Read more...] about Gamache Vintners 2009 Heritage Reserve Cabernet Franc, $42.50

Woodinville-based winemaker Darby English sourced fruit for this Syrah from Discovery Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA. The modest-sized vineyard is owned by Milo and Kay May and managed by notable grower Paul Champoux. Nose: Macerated berries, coffee with bittersweet chocolate shavings, violet, cigar box. Taste: Well-sculpted with intense depth and loads of exotic … [Read more...] about Darby Winery 2011 Discovery Vineyard Syrah, $42

Winemaker and owner David Larsen sourced this Bordeaux-style varietal from five blocks of Cabernet Sauvignon from the famed Champoux Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills and blended it with Cabernet Franc and Merlot. A remarkable and sumptuous red blend. Nose: Blackberry, plum, tart red berry, mulled spices, sandalwood. Taste: Vibrant and pure, with taut tannins and bold … [Read more...] about Soos Creek 2010 Champoux Vineyard Red Wine, $40

From winemaker Richard Batchelor's deft hand comes Maryhill’s Vineyard Series small-lot Cabernet Sauvignon, aged 20 months in 60% new French oak. This lush red wine is a beautiful example of why Cabernet is still the "king of grapes" in the famed Horse Heaven Hills AVA. Nose: Dusky aromas of cherry, red plum, sassafras, caramel and graphite. Taste: Rich and supple with a … [Read more...] about Maryhill Winery 2011 Alder Ridge Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, $40

This reserve-tier Coyote Canyon Vineyard wine is a Super Rioja style, blended from third-generation grower Mike Andrew’s estate-grown Tempranillo and Graciano. Andrews grew up with a love for family, farming and especially that of raising Registered Hereford cattle. His reserve label is called H/H, the brand his family once used to brand the left hip of the female cattle, which … [Read more...] about H/H Estates 2010 Michael Andrews Red Reserve, $38

Chateau Ste. Michelle's Canoe Ridge estate vineyard lies on a steep, windswept south-facing slope on the bank of the Columbia River. It is believed that velvety tannins – a trademark of the Horse Heaven Hills AVA – are a result of the effects of strong winds that constantly barrage the vineyards from the nearby river. The 2009 growing season was ideal. Nose: Tantalizing dark … [Read more...] about Chateau Ste. Michelle 2009 Canoe Ridge Estate Syrah, $35

A unique varietal, Cinsault is used primarily as a blending grape, but when Woodinville winemaker Bob Harris tasted the barrel samples from the 2012 vintage, he knew it was worthy of its own single varietal bottling. Nose: Glorious aromas of wild strawberry, rose petals, puff pastry and mineral spice. Taste: Lush, polished and pure with silky tannins and crushed pebble … [Read more...] about Robert Ramsay Cellars 2012 McKinley Springs Cinsault, $32