There are dozens of varietals growing in Washington and we’ve pinpointed a few of our favorite geek-wines worth hunting down
Written by editor John Vitale
Varietals are listed in alphabetical order:
1. Albariño
This acidic-propelled white wine falls in that league that goes with all kinds of seafood, especially shellfish, yet its versatility extends beyond that niche.
Coyote Canyon Winery has been a front-runner, bottling their first Albariño in 2008. With less than 30 acres of Albariño grown in the state, they harvest just a little over two acres on their estate. “Our site is very vibrant and produces some tropical flavors along with the more traditional notes of citrus and stone fruit,” says Coyote Canyon’s winemaker Justin Michaud. “I have always enjoyed Albariño. For me it is somewhere in between Pinot Gris and Sauv Blanc. More people seem to be drinking white wines these days and seem more interested in exploring new flavors.
Albariño producers we love: Adrice Wines, Adamant Cellars, Amelia Wynn, Castillo de Feliciana, Category 5 Cellars, Cougar Crest, Coyote Canyon Winery, Grosgrain Vineyards, Harbinger Winery, Maryhill Winery, Michael Florentino, Naches Heights Vineyard, Palencia Winery, SuLei Cellars, Thurston Wolfe Winery, Whidbey Island Winery
2. Barbera
A red wine offering back-of-the-palate tang with bracing acidity. This makes Barbera more than food friendly; it’s a downright companion alongside a wide variety of rich and hearty fare.
“Our Barbera grows along the greatest river in the west, the grand Columbia River,” says John Little Jr., winemaker at Rio Vista Winery in Chelan. He and his father, John Little, planted Barbera ten years ago. “Because the berries are small with high skin-to-juice ratio our Barbera develops a rich dark color with a fruit-forward flavor accented with bright acids.”
Barbera producers we love: Cavu Cellars, Dolio Winery, Coyote Canyon Winery, Forgeron Cellars, Hard Row To Hoe, Lost River Winery, Madsen Family Cellars, Maryhill Winery, Monte Scarlotto Estate Winery, Rio Vista Wines, Roland Wines, Waving Tree Winery, Whidbey Island Winery, Wind Rose Cellars, Woodward Canyon
3. Carménère
This red wine is the rarest of the six official red Bordeaux grape varieties. Telltale herbaceous notes of capsicum sometimes characterize it. The grape brings a spice note to red blends yet has the ability to show brilliant complexity and depth when bottled solo.
Bob Delf, owner of Northwest Cellars in Kirkland, says his first vintage of Carménère was in 2007 when he first fell in love with the variety. “It is a very distinctive flavor; at its best it has black and/or white pepper notes, and some vintages border on jalapeno. It is not overly tannic, so it’s approachable young but also ages beautifully,” he says.
Carménère producers we love: AntoLin Cellars, Bartholomew Winery, Cooper Wine Company, Drink Washington State, Ginkgo Forest Winery, JM Cellars, Martinez & Martinez, Northwest Cellars, Otis Kenyon, Reininger Winery, Watermill Winery, Whidbey Island Winery
4. Dolcetto
D is for Dolcetto—delectable, delightful and divine. It means “little sweet one” in Italian because it’s an easy sipper with fruit-driven flavors (though not sweet), where grape tannins play second fiddle. Dark fruits, licorice and hints of tobacco are common characters of this darling red wine.
Winemaker David Volmut has produced small batches of Dolcetto at Wind Rose Cellars in Sequim since 2010. “I like that the grape is unique and different than the usual Washington wines. It gives great color to wine but also structure,” he says. “Typically, the Italians make the wine dry, but very fruity. Often the wine is not barrel aged. I’ve tried to follow that tradition, aging the wine only in stainless steel.” He also uses Dolcetto in his Italian style blend of Rosé.
Dolcetto producers we love: Airfield Estates, Dolio Winery, Maryhill Winery, Tsillan Cellars, Whidbey Island Winery, Wind Rose Cellars, Woodward Canyon
5. Grenache Blanc
This Rhône varietal white wine is beloved for its zesty citrus edge carrying intense flavors and a dry finish. And it’s versatile—when aged in stainless or concrete, it takes on steely minerality; when aged in oak it takes on a plusher style.
Lisa Callan, winemaker and owner of Callan Cellars in Woodinville has been making Grenache Blanc from Boushey Vineyard since 2016. “It was a fluke that I was able to get my hands on it. I really didn’t know much about the varietal until grower Dick Boushey mentioned he had some available,” says Lisa. “Turns out, it’s one of my favorites and is now a staple at the winery ever since the first vintage.”
Grenache Blanc producers we love: The Bunnell Family Cellar, Cairdeas, Callan Cellars, Eternal Wines, Kerloo Cellars, Revelry Vintners, Rôtie Cellars, Sol Stone, Syncline Winery, Two Vintners
6. Grüner Veltliner
Quite similar to a racy Sauvignon Blanc except with “greener” notes in the profile, yet with vibrancy and a thrilling backbone of dry minerality. Call it a “Grüner” (pronounced Groo-ner) and your friends will think you’re studying for a Somm exam.
Craig Leuthold, owner of Maryhill Winery, released the company’s first bottling of Grüner Veltliner last year under their Proprietor’s Reserve label. “Maryhill has a very broad wine portfolio and we are constantly looking for new varietals to introduce people to,” he says. “We love the tart acidity and the fact that it is a very food-friendly wine.”
Grüner Veltliner producers we love: Balboa Winery, Glacier View Cellars, Maryhill Winery, Pacific Rim, Syncline Winery, W.T. Vintners
7. Marsanne
Exhibiting a lush, weighty mouthfeel, this white wine could be a substitute for Chardonnay in that sense. But the similarities end there because the flavor spectrum is vastly different, often evoking notes of beeswax, roasted nuts, pears, fig, lemon and exotic spices.
Charlie and Lacey Lybecker of Cairdeas Winery have been working with Marsanne since 2013. “I love Marsanne because of its texture. We have used it in white Rhône varietal blends and have also more recently started bottling it as a single varietal,” Charlie says. “When picked early you get bright acidity but the wine still has roundness on the palate and appears soft. When picked riper you get more fleshy notes and the wine can be quite big and oily.”
Marsanne producers we love: àMaurice, Cairdeas Winery, Damsel Cellars, Eternal Wines, Sherman Winery, Tertulia Cellars
8. Primitivo
If you appreciate big, bold, jammy Zinfandel, you’ll likely be an admirer of Primitivo because the two grapes are closely related. Except this Italian varietal has a slightly Old World flair, with earthy, rustic notes, chewy tannins and accents of black cherry, plum and currant.
Dr. Wade Wolfe, owner of Thurston Wolfe Winery in Prosser, was the first to plant Primitivo grapes in Washington in 1998, using vines he brought up from California. “Although our Primitivo is very similar to that from Clone 6 of Zinfandel—which we also grow at Zephyr Ridge—the clusters and berries are smaller than standard Zinfandel. Overall, it is like a friendlier version of Zinfandel with all its positive [vineyard] attributes,” says Wade.
Primitivo producers we love: Charles Smith Casamith, Coyote Canyon Winery, Dolio Winery, Harbinger Winery, Hard Row To Hoe, Maryhill Winery, Thurston Wolfe Winery, Whidbey Island Winery, Wind Rose Cellars
9. Roussanne
This white Rhône grape is a chameleon, able to be crafted in a leaner, vibrant style or with creamier texture and greater complexity. It offers enticing aromatics of stone fruits and floral scents, lime and honeysuckle.
Josh and Lisa Lawrence of Gärd Vintners planted Roussanne in 2007 in the Royal Slope AVA. “Roussanne is an important variety originally from southern France that for a long time wasn’t much found outside the Rhône Valley,” says their viticulturist Matias Kusulas. “It was normally used as a blending component with Marsanne, but single varietal wines can be very aromatic and texturally pleasant, and can produce elegant and unique wines.”
Roussanne producers we love: Alexandria Nicole Cellars, Bosma Estate Cellars, The Bunnell Family Cellar, Cairdeas Winery, Canoe Ridge Vineyard, Coyote Canyon Winery, DeLille Cellars, Gärd Vintners, Isenhower Cellars, Lagana Cellars, Maryhill Winery, Patterson Cellars, Sonder Wines, Stottle Winery, Sparkman Cellars, Warr-King Wines
10. Sémillon
One of the world’s 18 “noble grapes,” Sémillon offers fresh, crisp and zingy wines with mineral-driven structure and lip-smacking flavors of green apple, pear, lemon-lime and blossoms.
L’Ecole N° 41 in Walla Walla started working with Sémillon since the winery’s first vintage in 1983. “Semillon is an overlooked and, to some extent, misunderstood varietal that only shines in certain parts of the world,” says L’Ecole’s owner Marty Clubb, adding, “Washington State’s dry growing conditions and diurnal range temperatures allow this varietal to retain higher levels of acidity, producing elegant wines with a pronounced sense of freshness.”
Sémillon producers we love: Amavi Cellars, Barons, Blooms Winery, The Bunnell Family Cellar, Burnt Bridge Cellars, Domanico Cellars, Fidelitas, Frichette Winery, L’Ecole N° 41, Maryhill Winery, Succession Wines, Welcome Road Winery
11. Siegerrebe
This delicate floral Alsatian white wine (pronounced Zee-gar-RAH-beh) pairs well with foods from German cuisine to Asian. It’s a subtle cousin of Gewürztraminer, evident in the bouquet of floral aromas.
The first Siegerrebe grown in the United States were planted on Bainbridge Island by wine pioneer Gerard Bentryn in the early ‘80s. Vintner/viticulturist Mike Lempriere of Perennial Vintners obtained cuttings from Bentryn and planted them at his own Bainbridge vineyard in 2006. “It has the same lychee characteristic as Gewürz, however it’s not as overwhelming in flavor, especially the floral rose character that Gewürz may have,” notes Mike. “Its versatility in terms of wine styles is also amazing—whether dry, slightly sweet, very sweet or bubbly, they’re all wonderful!”
Siegerrebe producers we love: Bainbridge Vineyards, Carpenter Creek Winery, Edward Lynne Cellars, Lopez Island Vineyards, Perennial Vintners, San Juan Vineyard, Whidbey Island Winery