Guide to Wine Scores

Seven Hills Winery 2016 Seven Hills Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla Valley, $50 Editor’s Choice – Outstanding (91-94 pts.) Aged for 22 months in French oak barrels, the elegant yet powerful structure that carries this single-vineyard red wine has long been a trademark of this flagship Walla Walla Valley winery. Seamless in style, expressing abundant flavors of rich, … [Read more...] about 2 Releases From Seven Hills Winery

Maryhill’s third (and latest) tasting room is a grand-sized 4,890-square-foot tasting room in downtown Vancouver, WA. It’s part of a $1.5 billion waterfront development along the metro-friendly Waterfront Renaissance Trail, a popular five-mile paved biking and walking path. The tasting room boasts an outdoor patio with expansive views of the Columbia River and Mount Hood. … [Read more...] about Maryhill Comes To Vancouver, WA In Grand Style

Born out of a passion for the Walla Walla Valley, Bledsoe Family Winery was founded two years ago by former NFL quarterback Drew Bledsoe and his wife, Maura. After his retirement from the NFL in 2007, Drew and his wife returned to his hometown of Walla Walla and planted their first vineyard, McQueen. Over the next ten years, they established and developed three more Walla Walla … [Read more...] about Bledsoe Family Winery Opens Tasting Room

As the next step in its evolution, Canvasback opened a tasting room in June of 2019 in Walla Walla's southside wine district. Founded by Napa’s Duckhorn winery, Canvasback laid down roots in Washington when it planted predominately Cabernet (with some Merlot) on a prime 20-acre plot situated near the top of Red Mountain in 2014. The winery is armed with a stronghold of … [Read more...] about 2 Releases From Canvasback, Now Open In Walla Walla

Fortuity Cellars is an apt name for this Yakima Valley-based winery whose story began with a text message. When Lee and Emily Fergestrom got married in 2016 they fell in love with the idea of building their lives around wine and launching their own company. Since launching, Fortuity Cellars has worked with other consulting winemakers in the Yakima Valley. They broke ground … [Read more...] about Fortuity Cellars Named 2019 Rising Startup of the Year

What began as a hobby in the home of Todd Threlkeld and his wife Anne Stevens in 2011 has developed into a full-fledged winery. In 2016 they had their first commercial harvest, and have since gone from being a “garage and basement winery” to opening a Seattle tasting room and wine production facility in the SoDo neighborhood in 2019. Previously holding down careers as a high … [Read more...] about “Moderate Interventionist” Wines From T2 Cellar

Negociant “super sleuths” Bob and Lauren Bullock, owners of Eye of the Needle Winery in Woodinville, WA continue to up the ante with their latest releases of white and red blends. Their longtime relationships with some of the finest growers and vineyards in the state give them access to top quality fruit at savings that they pass on to their customers. These releases offer … [Read more...] about New Releases From Eye Of The Needle Winery

Seabeck Cellars prides itself on being a family business, operated by husband and wife Steve and Lynda Rants, their son Scott Rants and his wife Ravynn. Each team member contributes their expertise; Ravynn focuses on their website, social media, and photography, Lynda on bookkeeping, and Steve handles the cellar tasks alongside Scott, who wears the title of winemaker. And of … [Read more...] about Seabeck Cellars Is A Family Affair Worth Noting

Part of a rich Washington farming legacy, it’s no surprise that Gard Vintners has broadened its reach in the state with a tasting room in Walla Walla. The other tasting room locations are in Ellensburg and Woodinville. Operated by husband and wife team Lisa and Josh Lawrence, the couple met in college and after getting married, moved back to Royal City where Josh had grown … [Read more...] about Gard Vintners Launches 3rd Tasting Room

This popular Wenatchee-based winery has now opened a tasting room in the quaint Bavarian-themed village of Leavenworth. Prior to the husband and wife team of Doug and Debé Brazil starting the winery and onsite restaurant 15 years ago, they had traveled the world and cultivated a sophisticated love of wine and an appreciation for approachable leisure. At Chateau Faire Le Pont … [Read more...] about Chateau Faire Le Pont Opens In Leavenworth

While it took many years and several hurdles for all-star winemaker Kendall Mix to release his first vintage of Lawrelin Wines, his patience certainly paid off with a micro-winery that releases incredibly aged vintages. Lawrelin got its start back when Kendall still worked at Chateau Ste. Michelle in 2000 and was given the opportunity to make wine for himself. Impressed with … [Read more...] about “Library Wines” From Lawrelin Cellars

Equal parts enchanting and down to earth, the expansive new site of Blooms Winery in the town of Freeland on Whidbey Island has been thoughtfully cultivated by owners Virginia and Ken Bloom. They have brought a high level of attention to the newly constructed tasting room and restaurant, 5511 Bistro. The bistro offers banquet space, a massive morning-side deck, and a charming … [Read more...] about Blooms Winery Expands With New Bistro

Lobo Hills owners Tony and Diana Dollar have a zest for life and each other. While the two have shared countless adventures, including traveling the country by van and motorcycle, Lobo Hills might never have existed had it not been for the occurrence of a terrible accident. In 2007, after being struck by a car while riding his bike and sustaining multiple injuries, Tony took a … [Read more...] about Lobo Hills Opens In Woodinville

Devium Wine might be one of the newer kids on the block, but Keith Johnson’s side project is bursting with passion. While enrolled in the Walla Walla Community College Enology and Viticulture program, Keith worked side by side with Jerry Solomon and Trey Busch, partners of Sleight of Hand Cellars. In 2011 when they moved facilities, Keith moved with them. When Keith decided he … [Read more...] about 2 Releases From Devium Wine

GM and vineyard manager Will Beightol and winemaker Kate Michaud have teamed to craft another beautiful release from Double Canyon. Will happens to be the winery's first employee, hired in 2007 to manage the estate vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills. Kate was brought on in 2017, the same year Double Canyon built a technologically advanced production winery in West Richland, WA, … [Read more...] about Double Canyon 2016 Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet Sauvignon, $25

Recognized as one of Washington States premier wineries, DeLille Cellars was founded in 1992 by Charles and Greg Lill, Jay Soloff and winemaker Chris Upchurch. Their attention to detail and quality in their Bordeaux-style blends brought acclaim early on, not just to the winery but helped raise eyes as to the state’s grand potential as a world-class wine grape growing … [Read more...] about 4 Releases From DeLille Cellars

Mercer Estates Winery founders Rob and Brenda Mercer are unrelenting in their mission to deliver exciting estate-grown wines at incredible values, from everyday sippers to ultra-premium reserves. Their latest releases continue their commitment of quality-first from vineyard care to the bottle. In addition, these releases signal the talent of Mercer Estates winemaker, Jeremy … [Read more...] about Summer Whites, Rosé and Small-Lot Reds from Mercer Estates

Graham and Gillian Cox are the latest to open a winery in the burgeoning Artisan Hill District of Woodinville. The winery’s name, Lord Lion, is a nod to their English heritage. “The tasting room decor and the wine names also reflect our English heritage, but that is where the ‘Englishness’ ends,” says Gillian. “The wine produced at Lord Lion is true artisanal style Washington … [Read more...] about Lord Lion Makes A Splash Across The Pond

Winemaker Justin Basel has worked in Washington's wine industry his entire life, beginning at age 12 when he helped with chores around his family’s vineyard. “I started working on the winery side my senior year of high school and have participated in every harvest since 2001,” he says. “My wife Brianne and I had always talked about starting a small-lot, single-lot program and … [Read more...] about 5 Releases From Solemn Cellars

It’s fitting that Marco De Santis, a first-generation Italian American, named his winery after the Latin word for “root” because his story began with finding and returning to his family’s roots. His great grandfather traveled from a small village in Italy to Tacoma in 1904 to work on the railroad. Marco says he returned to his family roots in Washington 111 years later to … [Read more...] about Radix Wine Finds Roots in Tri-Cities