Washington Wine of the Week – Selections for Spring, 2025

For the week of April 13, 2025 – Desert Wind Winery 2021 Mourvedre – This mind-blowing Mourvedre from the Prosser, Washington winery excels on every sensory level. Perfume-like aromatics of fresh, red raspberry and bing cherry are followed by an explosion of raspberry/chocolate cordial flavors, bramble, and white pepper. A layer of slightly chalky tannins fuse with brisk acidity for a nicely complex finish. The sum of the parts is an exquisitely balanced, crowd-pleasing, dark ruby colored wine that will win you over to Mourvedre if you’ve never experienced this varietal. 93 points and a Double Gold medalist at the 2024 Pacific Northwest Wine Competition.

For the week of April 6, 2025 – Cougar Crest Estate Winery 2020 Block Eleven Syrah – Cougar Crest owner/winemaker Debbie Hansen hits it out of the park with this amazing, Double Gold-winning Syrah. Lots of berry aromatics and flavors upon entry: blueberry, blackberry, and raspberry, and then a nice juxtaposition of smoky/roasted coffee elements with bright pomegranate on the finish. There’s also nuanced touches of herbs and baking spices that make this wine pair surprisingly well with pork tacos and Spanish rice. Long, rich tannins also give it excellent aging potential. Cougar Crest features Washington tasting rooms in Walla Walla, Woodinville, and Spokane, along with a Lake Oswego, Oregon location.

For the week of March 30, 2025: Structure Cellars 2022 Oculus Viognier – Brian Grasso and Brandee Slosar are making all the right moves at their Seattle-based winery (which has now expanded to a second location in Tacoma); wine-centric events, an engaged wine club, and, naturally, some awfully good wines. This Viognier earned Double Gold honors at last year’s Pacific Northwest Wine Competition, and the judges loved its weightiness, supplied by ample flavors of Golden Delicious apple, peach, and pear fruit. In addition to the yummy finish of creamsicle, hazelnut, and sweet spices, the wine also carries a bit of a steely character to balance everything out. Sourced from Conner Lee, Olsen, and Boushay Vineyards.

For the week of March 23, 2025: Turtle Wines 2021 Chardonnay – Newcomer David Hess is off to great start as the Turtle winemaker, and he recently opened his first tasting room in downtown Walla Walla. If you like properly oaked Chardonnays, this one is absolutely dreamy. Peachy/nectarine flavors come to the forefront and meld into more tropical fruits of papaya and mango as the wine gently warms. A delicious slice of pineapple upside-down cake follows, with both creamy and mineral notes on the extreme finish. This wine scored a Silver at the 2024 Pacific Northwest Wine Competition, but the additional year of maturity could very well push it into the Gold category today. A steal at only $25 a bottle.