If you like European wines, Champagne or Ports, 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: Left Bank Bordeaux, Right Bank Bordeaux, Sparkling wines and fortified Port wines.
LEFT BANK BORDEAUX
What You Should Know: The famous red wines of Bordeaux, Cabernet and Merlot, are grown on opposite banks of the Gironde, a large river that divides the region into north and south sections. Cabernet thrives in the gravelly soil found on the south side of the river, known simply as the left bank. Left bank wines are Cabernet Sauvignon-based and blended with smaller amounts of Merlot (for smoother tannins), Cabernet Franc, and occasionally Malbec and Petit Verdot. Washington winemakers have long been producing top tier versions, such as these shining examples.
Kaella Winery 2010 Meritage $30
Blend of 56% Cab, 33% Merlot and 11% Cab Franc, barrel aged 20 months.
Nose: Expressive red and black fruit, leather, tobacco leaf and mocha.
Taste: Supple with impressive depth and delicate seamless flavors of blackberry, cherry, raspberry, bay leaf and thyme. Refined tannins and an elegant finish.
Matthews 2010 Columbia Valley Claret $35
Blend of 55% Cab, 22% Merlor, 20% Cab Franc, 3% Petit Verdot, barrel aged 20 months.
Nose: Layers of rich red and black fruit, dark coffee bean and sage.
Taste: Polished river rock minerality. Vibrant notes of red currant, cassis, black olive, tar and black tea leaf glide seamlessly along rich firm tannins. Finishes long.
Balboa Winery 2009 Constrictor $36
Blend of 50% Cab, 33% Petit Verdot, 17% Malbec, aged 18 months in French oak.
Nose: Swirling dark fruit, cranberries, crushed gravel and white pepper.
Taste: Bold tannins smoldering with concentrated black and red fruit, dried cranberries, black currant, fresh sage and sleek iron minerality on a long finish.
Cooper 2010 L’inizio $50
Blend of 60% Cab, 20% Merlot, 10% Carmenere, 10% Cab Franc, 100% Red Mtn. Fruit.
Nose: Attractive aromas of red and black fruit, black olive, pipe tobacco and pencil lead.
Taste: Suave, with lush black cherry, dark plum and cassis, with extracted flavors of coffee bean and unsweetened chocolate. Soft velvety tannins linger on a long finish.
RIGHT BANK BORDEAUX
What You Should Know: The soil along the right bank of the Gironde river is clay and limestone, acting like a sponge to retain water. This makes it an ideal environment to grow early-ripening Merlot. Wines from the right bank region tend to be Merlot dominant, blended with Cabernet for structure, Cabernet Franc for aromatics, and occasionally a dash of Malbec and/or Petit Verdot for added depth and power. Washington producers are crafting some of the finest Merlot the world has ever seen and these examples are the proof.
Elevation Cellars 2010 Merlot $25
Blend of 97% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot sourced from the Columbia Valley.
Nose: Brimming with dense layers of black cherry, plum, graphite, leather, tobacco and cedar plank.
Taste: Black currant, dark cocoa and coffee notes lined with crushed rock and polished tannins on a long charcoal-tinged finish.
C.R. Sandidge 2010 Caris $40
Blend of 31% Merlot, 28% Malbec, 28% Cab, 11% Cab Franc from the winery in Lake Chelan Valley.
Nose: Captivating ripe berries and cassis with a dusting of leather and spice notes.
Taste: Intensely focused with a firm grip and solid core of refined tannins. Delivers juicy red currants, raspberry, cherry, mocha and cedar spice.
Obelisco Estate 2010 Merlot $45
Blend of 75% Merlot and 25% Cab from Obelisco’s estate vineyard on Red Mountain.
Nose: Scintillating dusty earthy spice colored with black stone fruit, cassis, sweet tobacco leaf and mesquite.
Taste: Polished with smoldering applewood and charcoal, over steeped blackberries, black currants, tobacco and vanilla bean.
Northstar 2009 Walla Walla Merlot $50
Blend of 78% Merlot, 14% Cab, 5% Cab Franc, 3% Petit Verdot.
Nose: Rich red and dark fruit, inflected with briar, coffee grounds, pencil shavings and vanilla.
Taste: Opulent and concentrated with raspberry, cherry, black currant, coffee bean and dried herbs of anise and sage on a finish of velvety tannins.
SPARKLING WINE
What You Should Know: The Korbel brothers in Sonoma County began making sparkling wine in the French méthode champenoise style in 1892, and the craze quickly spread. Several top Champagne houses seized the opportunity to launch their own California wineries, among them Mumm, Taittinger and Moet et Chandon. Try these top sparkling wines from Washington which, dollar for dollar, easily compete with any west coast sparkling wine on the market.
Treveri Cellars Extra Brut Blanc de Blanc $14
This family owned sparkling house celebrates quality bubbly at value-driven prices.
Nose: Steely aromas of apple, kumquat and soft lemon citrus.
Taste: Vibrant and tangy flavors of apple, kumquat and lemon tart wrapped around a core of lively acidity and minerality.
Pacific Rim White Flowers Sparkling Riesling $20
This dry Sparkling Riesling is made in the traditional méthode champenoise.
Nose: Leesy, floral aromas of honey blossom and crisp apple.
Taste: Full of finesse, with taut, crisp green apple that combines with refreshing minerality and tiny bubbles.
Westport Winery 2011 Going Coastal Sparkling Gewürztraminer $31
The westernmost winery in the state delivers with this complex bubbly.
Nose: Pear, apple, gingersnap, and honeycomb.
Taste: Delicate and creamy with hard apple cider, fresh ginger and honeysuckle notes wrapped around a refreshing core of lingering minerality.
Hard Row to Hoe 2011 “Good in Bed” Sparkling $40
This Pinot Noir sparkler is made from 100% Lake Chelan AVA fruit.
Nose: Delicate notes of wild strawberry, cherry, rose water and Fleur de sel.
Taste: Focused, with finely-tuned acidity framing soft notes of strawberry, cherry, roses, and a hint of pastry. There’s a tinge of spicy minerality on the finish.
PORT WINE
What You Should Know: Porto from Portugal is made from grapes grown in the Douro valley, the oldest regulated wine region in the world. Port, as it’s simply called, is wine that has been fortified with brandy—typically a full-bodied, sweet rich-flavored wine with an alcohol level around 20%. The Portuguese consider Touriga Nacional among the top port grape, but any variety can be made into a port wine. The Washington ports below are beautiful dessert wines of distinctive character.
Thurston Wolfe 2010 Touriga Nacional Port $16
Crafted from their best barrel of Touriga Nacional juice, this dessert wine is seamless from front to back.
Nose: Intense violets, black and blue fruit, dark exotic spice and polished stone.
Taste: Dense, concentrated flavors of polished blackberry liqueur, wild raspberry, black pepper and hint of tar.
Barnard Griffin 2011 Syrah Port $17
A velvety Syrah dessert wine from a consistent performer.
Nose: Wild berries, black currants, savory herbs and woodsy notes.
Taste: Dancing with cherries, candied orange peel, currants and dark chocolate with shades of cigar wrapper, cedar plank and gentle spice on the finish.
Michael Florentino 2007 Quinta de la Dolce Bella $23
This ruby Port is aptly named “house of the sweet beautiful.” A Touriga-based blend with Souzao, Tinta Cão and Tinta Madeira.
Nose: Steeped black currants, dark caramel, shaved coconut, raisins and tobacco.
Taste: Sumptuous raspberry, creme de cassis, unsweetened chocolate with a beam of graphite.
Lopez Island Vineyards 2010 Fireside Port $28
Sangiovese and Malbec blended with brandy from San Juan Distillery.
Nose: Aromas of black currants, molasses and charred wood notes.
Taste: Swirling with dark alluring flavors of blackberry liqueur, currants, plum sauce and brown sugar shaded with black pepper spice on this finish.