Washington Wine of the Week – Selections for Spring, 2024

For the week of June 9, 2024: Alexandria Nicole Cellars 2021 Cinsault – Winemaker Jarrod Boyle continues a 25-year tradition of crafting some truly remarkable wines with this recently released gem. Cinsault is generally lighter in color and lighter in body than most reds, but Boyle shows us that in the right hands, this varietal is perfectly capable of exhibiting plenty of character and complexity. Aromatics of rose petals and field berries lead off, with understated, bright red fruits of pomegranate, cranberry, and red currant on the palate. The finish carries notes of mocha, toasted walnut, and fresh crimini mushrooms, along with a streak of minerality. Ideal food pairings include a salad of spring greens and grilled shrimp, entrees of either pork tenderloin or duck breast, and perhaps an umami-heavy side dish of mushrooms sauteed in butter.

For the week of June 2, 2024: Celebrate Pride Month with LGBTQ-owned and friendly Washington wineries – Celebrate during the month of June by visiting tasting rooms and purchasing wines from a range of wineries that recognize the diversity of Washington winemakers and wine consumers. Top of the list includes Aluel Cellars in Seattle’s Capitol Hill, Ballard, and Queen Anne neighborhoods, Locus Wines in Pioneer Square in downtown Seattle, Lagana Cellars and El Corazon Winery in downtown Walla Walla, and Eternal Wines/Drink Washington State at the Walla Walla airport. Each winery is dedicated to creating an all-inclusive, welcoming atmosphere and customers will be rewarded with beautiful, handcrafted wines. Happy Pride!

For the week of May 26, 2024: Lagrioth 2023 Rose’ of Pinot Noir – Lagrioth (pronounced laa-gree-oath) has been referred to by some as one of the most underrated wineries in the Lake Chelan AVA. Tucked away on the banks of Roses Lake, it’s located in a small, bucolic agricultural area just east of tourist-laden Lake Chelan. Chad and Jeana Steiner have quietly established this gem of a winery, and many of their wines can be characterized as fresh, bright, and terroir driven.

This tasty Rose’ truly hits the sweet spot (no pun intended), with plenty of mouth-watering fruit without a trace of residual sugar. Wild strawberry, pie cherry, and red currant flavors are framed with bracing acidity, and the combination of fruit and acid gives this wine more of a full-bodied personna than most Rose’s. The zingy finish also carries a lingering note of stone fruit, making it an excellent choice for sipping and savoring.

For the week of May 19, 2024: Syzygy Wines 2010 Saros – You read that right…a 2010 vintage wine that is included in the list of current releases for Syzygy Wines. Winemaker/Owner Zach Brettler aged this red wine blend of Tempranillo, Malbec, and Cabernet Sauvignon for 24 months in French oak and then another eight(!) years in the bottle before releasing it in 2020. Four years later, it hasn’t missed a beat…not in terms of color, aroma, or texture and must be tasted to be appreciated. Sweet cedar, violets, and berry aromatics start you off, followed by vibrant plum and plump Marionberry flavors. The brambly characteristics of the Malbec really shine through on the finish, along with nuances of milk chocolate and a sprinkling of baking spice. In a word: delicious! 265 cases produced.

For the week of May 12, 2024: Bonair Winery 2017 Merlot – Quietly producing quintessential Rattlesnake Hills AVA wines since 1985, husband-and-wife Gail and Shirley Puryear have, in some respects, been under-the-radar in the world of Washington wine for nearly four decades. Unpretentious, welcoming, and downright fun, the couple has maintained their Zillah-based winery as an approachable venue for wine enthusiasts and novice tasters alike. For a winery that doesn’t take itself too seriously, there’s no denying that producing solid and affordable wines is the key to their success. The Puryears have made it no secret that they’re in the process of selling the winery and winding down, but there’s been no lapse in the quality of wines they’ll continue to produce until that happens.

This excellent Merlot ($28) is textbook Washington juice: aromas and flavors of red cherry, blackberry, and black plum take command from start to finish, along with a dusting of gingerbread spice and vanilla bean on the closing stanza. Even after seven years, this wine is holding its own with plenty of tannic structure, transitioning into more of a velvety quality as it evolves in the glass. All indications are that this can easily spend another three to five years tucked away for future enjoyment.

For the week of May 5, 2024: Va Piano Vineyards 2021 Eritage Vineyard Syrah – Powerful, yet elegant is the best way to describe this gem of wine from Va Piano Winemaker Justin Wylie and Assistant Winemaker Andrew Braddock. There’s a lovely floral quality in both the wine’s rose petal aromatics and flavor profile, backed with layers of cherry and blueberry fruit that reveal themselves as the wine opens up. The finish is classic Syrah, with accents of pepper, minerality, and the grape’s signature inkiness. Enjoy now or cellar for another five to seven years. Va Piano’s Walla Walla tasting room is open seven days a week, with an additional location that dares to be different in the heart of brewpub country in Bend, Oregon.

For the week of April 28, 2024: Balboa Winery 2021 Gruner Veltliner – Balboa winemaker Tyler Grennan is absolutely crushing it with some truly stellar past and current releases. His wines are flavorful without being overbearing, displaying a purity of fruit within the parameters of varietal correctness; and that makes them a pleasure to taste. This stunning Gruner is a combination of grapes from Bloxom Slope Vineyard and the winery’s estate vineyard just south of Walla Walla. Bold, ripe, citrus flavors of Meyer lemon and ruby red grapefruit fill the glass, coupled with aromatics of field flowers, clover, and alfalfa. The crisp finish is accentuated with touches of lemongrass and wet stone. Serve it well chilled and enjoy it with deep-fried foods, salmon, oysters or barbecued prawns.

For the week of April 21, 2024: SuLei Cellars 2022 Albarino – Tanya Woodley and Elaine Jomwe are doing an amazing job at their Walla Walla-based winery and this recently released Albarino is a top-of-the-list choice.

Sourced from Crawford Vineyards in the Yakima Valley, it explodes with fragrant and juicy flavors of white peach, tropical fruit, and lime zest. For ‘acid hounds’ the zingy acidity on the finish is jaw-droppingly bracing, and Jomwe notes that it provides the perfect contrast to spicy foods. SuLei (pronounced soo-lay) has a second tasting room in Vancouver, Washington and wines can also be purchased online at suleicellars.com.

For the week of April 14, 2024: Kerloo Cellars 2020 Solaksen Vineyard Syrah ($28) and Patterson Cellars Non-Vintage Due Anni ($20) – This week’s selections include a couple of choices that represent outstanding values and give you examples of quality wines that can be found at reasonable prices; all it takes is a little bit of searching and tasting, which isn’t a bad thing at all!

The Kerloo Syrah is sourced from a newer vineyard in the Royal Slope AVA. Although it’s still drinking a little on the young side with classic Syrah inky and smoky undertones, some additional time in the cellar will soften the tannins and allow more of the tasty blackberry and black currant fruit to shine through. The Patterson Due Anni (‘two years’ in Italian) is a Merlot-dominant red wine blend of seven varietals. Luscious blueberry and Marionberry flavors are prevalent throughout, with nuances of dark chocolate, vanilla bean, and sweet tobacco on the finish. This wine is absolutely delicious and makes for both a perfect, mid-week ‘spaghetti red’ and an end-of-the-evening red wine glass pour.

For the week of April 7, 2024: Prospice Wines 2023 Grenache Blanc – This newly released white from Prospice owner/winemakers Matt Reilly and Jay Krutulis is absolutely remarkable. The aromatics and flavor profile are surprisingly tropical; jackfruit, pineapple, and starfruit lead off, followed by underlying notes of cantaloupe and Golden Delicious apple. From the mid-palate on, juicy citrus takes center stage, with a closing stanza highlighted by lime zest and bracing acidity. It carries a lovely, fresh quality and, served chilled, makes for a perfect spring and summertime sipper. Sourced from the Walla Walla Valley’s Les Collines Vineyard.

For the week of March 31, 2024: Seven Hills Winery 2022 Reserve Sauvignon Blanc – $38 a bottle seems a bit steep for a Sauvignon Blanc, but this wine absolutely delivers and is well worth the price. Sourced from Washington’s White Bluffs AVA, it’s somewhat New Zealand-esque in character, with it’s racy and brisk qualities but without being too “green.” Aromas and flavors of gooseberry and white peach predominate, along with a big splash of ruby red grapefruit, while the mouth-watering finish carries nice touches of lemongrass and minerality. Try it with a variety of foods ranging from creamy pastas to oysters on the half-shell, fresh crab, or ceviche.

For the week of March 24, 2024: Otis Kenyon Wine 2018 Merlot – Washington Merlots have developed nicely over the past decade or two; from somewhat pedestrian, middle-of-the-road wines to those with a broader range of depth and character. This selection from long-time Otis Kenyon winemaker Dave Stephenson is a tasty, complex Merlot sourced from Seven Hills West Estate Vineyard that begs for a second glass as the flavors evolve in the glass. After a crazy/wonderful array of aromatics from black cherries to bay leaf to fresh-roasted coffee, the wine transitions into a palate of black olive, blackberry, and mocha, with umami-like finishing touches of crimini mushroom, graphite, and – five-plus years since its 2018 harvest – still-prevalent tannins.

For the week of March 17, 2024: Floating Balance Cellars Non-Vintage Fourth Dimension – David Kreidel and Shane Erickson will be opening their Walla Walla tasting room this spring, and they’re off to a great start with the pre-release of several award winning wines, crafted by Lagana Cellars’ winemakers Jason Fox and Todd Bernave.

Kreidel & Erickson are being slyly tight-lipped about the contents of Fourth Dimension, a proprietary blend of who-knows-what white varietals. There’s certainly a fair amount of Pinot Gris for starters, with a base of melon, cantaloupe, Bosc pear, and starfruit; and the nice streak of acidity with accents of Fuji apple and citrus suggests the possibility of Sauvignon Blanc and perhaps a splash of Riesling. Whatever the contents, chill it down a bit before serving, and you’ll be rewarded with a delicious white wine blend that makes for an excellent “porch pounder,” particularly during the warmer-weather months ahead.