If you like wines from France, Italy and Oregon, try these featured Top Wine Picks from our “Washington Vs. The World” series. Below we review 16 Washington State wines crafted in 4 different styles: GSM Rhônes, Dolcetto, Pinot Noir and Viognier.
GSM BLENDS
What You Need To Know: “GSM” is an acronym for Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre, a classic red blend of three powerhouse varietals from the Rhône region of Southern France now popular in growing regions all over the world. Cinsault, Counoise and Carignan are sometimes added to GSM blends, as is common in the Châteauneuf-du-Pape region. GSM’s are a sublime combination of rustic and ripe flavors, and exceptionally food-friendly, as you’ll discover in these featured wines from Washington State.
Maryhill Winery 2010 Marvell GSM $32
Marvell in Latin means “extraordinary” and this single-vineyard designate is just that.
Nose: Enchanting aromas of boysenberry, warm plum sauce, sweet pipe tobacco and an edge of tar.
Taste: Stylish, generous and seductive flavors of steeped blackberries, brambly and earthen red fruit, black tea and spice. There’s a pretty streak of graphite and tar on the lengthy finish.
Walter Dacon 2009 GSM $38
Lloyd and Ann Anderson excel at crafting Rhône and Mediterranean varietals at this charming Shelton, Wash.-based winery.
Nose: Alluring and floral aromas, with blackberry and raspberry tart, vanilla and graphite.
Taste: Dense and powerful with flavors of macerated blackberries, dark cherries, spice and brooding earth. Full-bodied velvety tannins linger on a persistent finish.
Mercer Estate Reserve 2010 Ode to Brothers $40
This top-tier GSM blend is produced from the winery’s finest premium barrels with grapes sourced from the Horse Heaven Hills AVA.
Nose: Captivating red fruit infused with floral scents, leather and sandalwood aromas.
Taste: Elegant and sophisticated, with polished structure and depth. Crushed cherries, red currants, raspberries and black tea enlived with a dash of white pepper on the sleek, long finish.
Betz Family 2011 Bésoleil $45
Iconic Betz Family Winery introduces Counoise into one of their flagship blends of Southern Rhône varietals common to the Châteauneuf-du-Pape region.
Nose: Intriguing aromas of red currants, pepper, raspberry and a flinty edge of graphite.
Taste: There’s a floral quality underneath the ripe cherry-driven fruit, backed by earthy overtones, savory herbs, and white pepper spice. Supple in style with balanced tannins and a long finish.
DOLCETTO
What You Need To Know:: Dolcetto is a dark-skinned grape from the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy. Often referred to as Piedmont’s “third” red grape, it’s an early-ripening cousin to Nebbiolo and Barbara. Comparatively to these, Dolcetto is typically softer, fruitier, lower in acidity, and ready to drink at a younger age. It is considered a light easy drinking, dry red wine, with characters of black cherry and licorice. Dolcetto pairs well with pizza and pasta dishes, or sip these featured Washington wines on their own.
Wind Rose Cellars 2012 Dolcetto $18
Winemaker David Volmut specializes in Italian varietal wines at the Sequim-based winery and this Dolcetto truly shines.
Nose: There is ample depth to the inviting aromas of dark cherries, plum and licorice.
Taste: A soft, easy going red with gentle tannins and fruity red flavors accented with delicate cherry, black raspberries and mocha. Pair with BBQ, red sauce, beef and lasagna.
Woodward Canyon 2012 Estate Dolcetto $26
This Walla Walla wine is wonderfully balanced with fruit and structure. Crafted in a style similar to the wines of the famed Dogliani region of northern Italy.
Nose: Dusty dark cherries and blackberries with a hint of spice.
Taste: Dense and tightly woven with an earthen-toned edge to the dark fruit flavors accentuated with coffee bean and anise. The flavors sail on through a lengthy, satisfying finish.
Leone Cellars 2009 Dolcetto $32
Only 70 cases were made of this exceptional wine, aged 29 months in French and Neutral oak barrels.
Nose: Generous aromas of blackberry, black cherry and raspberry jam with floral scents and a whiff of cedar plank.
Taste: Smooth and graceful with clean black cherry and black currant, leading to tea leaf, cocoa and licorice. Medium tannins linger on a long and velvety finish.
Pontin del Roza 2010 Angelo Pontin Dolcetto $40
A tribute to winemaker Scott Pontin’s grandfather who immigrated to Yakima Valley and planted terraced vineyards as his family had done for centuries in Italy.
Nose: Enticing and generous aromas of ripe blackberries, black currant and cigar box.
Taste: Suave and supple with black stone fruit, followed by wet stone and seductive, dark earthy flavors. Fine tannins gather on a long finish.
PINOT NOIR
What You Need To Know:: Pinot Noir thrives in the cooler climate of the Willamette Valley in Oregon, regarded as one of the top sites for this extremely hard-to-grow, yet rewarding varietal. It’s been described as the most romantic of wines due to its range of aromatic bouquet and sweet edges; one Master Sommelier even calls Pinot “sex in a glass.” After tasting the featured wines below, it’s easy to see why Washington winemakers have fallen in love with Pinot Noir.
Ginkgo Forest Winery 2008 Estate Pinot Noir $24
Crafted in an bold style reminiscent of the Old World style Pinots of Burgundy.
Nose: Brooding and seductive with earthy aromas and dark stone fruit, leather and floral violet scents.
Taste: Muscular, with an exquisite balanced structure, packing dense black cherry, dark plum, polished minerality and generous tannins on a satisfying, rich finish.
Tunnel Hill 2010 Estate Pinot Noir $25
This estate-grown Pinot shows off the complexity and depth of this varietal from the Lake Chelan AVA.
Nose: Delicate aromas of cherry tart, currant, cherry blossom and tobacco.
Taste: Lithe and expressive with pure cherries, black raspberries and white pepper, sporting an uplifting beam of graphite on a finely-tuned finish.
Vin du Lac Lehm 2010 Pinot Noir $45
Winemaker Larry Lehmbecker hits this beauty out of the ballpark. Fans of Pinot Noir will adore this classic contender sourced from Michaela’s Vineyard in the Lake Chelan AVA.
Nose: Tantalizing and fragrant aromas of dried berries, currant, clove, vanilla and rawhide.
Taste: Assertive and bold with exotic shades of black cherry, currant, tea leaf, fennel and floral notes. Finely-grained tannins linger on the finish.
Swiftwater Cellars 2009 Pinot Noir $50
Sourced from top Willamette Valley vineyards, winemaker Linda Trotta crafts this complex and refined enchantress.
Nose: Opulent aromas of cherry and raspberry unfold to earthen spice and a whiff of rose petal.
Taste: Silky and supple textured with black cherry, red currant, rose water and crushed pebble minerality. There’s a delicate spice component that rises up on the pretty finish.
VIOGNIER
What You Need To Know:: In the Rhône region of France, Viognier is blended with Chardonnay, Roussanne, Marsanne, and Grenache blanc. Intensely aromatic with distinct stone fruit flavors, this grape has the ability to produce textured, full-bodied wines not unlike Chardonnay. By the 1960’s, Viognier had declined in popularity and was nearly extinct with less than 40 acres planted in the world. That’s all changed, and today it is the most widely planted white Rhône varietal in Washington.
Coyote Canyon Winery 2012 Viognier $22
This estate Viognier is handpicked and pressed in whole clusters from estate-grown fruit in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA. An outstanding blend of 75% Viognier and 25% Roussanne.
Nose: Scented tree blossoms, apricot, peach, honey and a twist of key lime.
Taste: Loaded with pleasing crisp minerality on the front of the palate, this refreshing white opens to flavors of pear, white peach, melon, kiwi, lime and fresh cut hay.
William Church Winery 2012 Viognier $23
This Viognier is rich and complex, and has been a consistent performer from this Woodinville-based winery.
Nose: Enticing aromatics of tropical fruit, citrus peel and honeysuckle.
Taste: A medley of crisp tropical flavors showing guava, starfruit, kiwi, citrus and a hint of pineapple. There’s a spice note of white pepper on the crisp, dry finish.
Stottle Winery 2012 Viognier $25
Winemaker Josh Stottleymyer coaxes and array of intense flavors into this bottling. The grapes are sourced from the state’s second-oldest Viognier vines at Elerding Vineyard.
Nose: Soft aromas of peach, honeysuckle and baked apple tart.
Taste: Clean cut with a stony minerality and flavors of pear and peach intertwined with white pepper notes on the finish.
DaMa 2012 Viognier $25
From this women-owned Walla Walla winery comes a Viognier that seduces and leaves you wanting more.
Nose: Opulent aromas of apricot, pear, honeydew melon, guava and fragrant white blossoms.
Taste: A full-bodied beauty with pear and mandarin, layered with tea leaf, beeswax, and a cut of spicy minerality wrapping up the lengthy finish.