FRESHPRESS. March 5, 2012

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1 FRESHPRESS March 5, 2012 Used wine barrels are fashioned into a train to delight children whose parents visit 8th Generation Vineyard in Summerland, British Columbia, a winery in the central Okanagan Valley. (Andy Perdue/ Wine Press Northwest) Fresh Press is a weekly publication of Wine Press Northwest magazine. In each edition, we review recently released wines from Washington, Oregon, British Columbia and Idaho. Feel free to forward to your wine-loving friends and family. For more information on our tasting methods and review process, please go to the last page.

2 Spotlight: Tagaris and winemaker Frank Roth 844 Tulip Lane, Richland, WA Mike Taggares owns more than 450 acres of vineyards throughout the Columbia Valley, a winery with two brands and the remarkable Taverna Tagaris restaurant in Richland, Wash. But his winemaker, Frank Roth, wanted something a little different a line of wines that reflected his own personality and style. So the boss agreed to hatch a third label, Soaring Rooster. Mike refers to me as being pretty cocky, and I can appreciate that, Roth said with a chuckle. So I created a character of what I would look like if I were a rooster. We were goofing off and having fun thinking outside of the box. There was a lot of laughing and joking around. We had a lot of fun doing it, so it was cool that this came about in such a fun way. The 2,000-case screwcapped lineup showcases varieties such as Grenache, Malbec, Mourvèdre and Tempranillo, along with Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. And the Soaring Rooster wines come from Michael s Vineyard, a 250-acre site on the Wahluke Slope near notable plantings such as Rosebud and Weinbau. The six wines sell for $17, and each carries a food-friendly profile of red fruit, bright acidity, low alcohol and reduced tannins. After all, few Northwest winemakers eat on the job as well as this 31-year-old. All the wines are blends, but they are 75 percent of the main variety, so if people find they really like these, then hopefully they will be more comfortable with that variety, Roth said. Besides, I really like making blends. It gives the winemaker freedom and allows us to express our creativity. That s where the art comes in. One of the goals of this well-tattooed winemaker is to remove pretense from wine, hence the whimsical label of a broad-chested rooster wearing a bomber jacket and aviator goggles. The rooster salutes various forms of air travel from bygone days, such as a biplane and hot-air balloons. The story is a takeoff on the first recorded flight in 1783, a brief hot-air balloon voyage in France that carried farm animals rather than humans. And the label concept also was Roth s idea, inspired by cartoons and refrigerator magnets with 1950s advertising themes. The concept is youthful and fun, and it s more my own personality, Roth said. What s underneath the label is serious and personal. This is really my project, Roth said. I designed the packaging and came up with the pattern. And these really are my wines. For the Tagaris and Eliseo Silva wines, we get people to sit around and give their opinions, then I take the input and go from there. But these I put together on my own, separate from the others, and I kind of wanted something a bit of my own. Roth, who grew up in the Tri-Cities, has been working in wineries since he was 15, first at Sumac Ridge Estate Winery in British Columbia and then at Barnard Griffin in Richland. He s now responsible for more than 30 wines between the Tagaris, Eliseo Silva and Soaring Rooster labels. Eliseo Silva, a tribute to Taggares longtime vineyard manager, is a 5,000-case brand, while Tagaris the high-tier wine poured at the restaurant accounts for 2,500 cases. All totaled, Roth is in charge of 10,000 cases at the Richland cellar. And that represents just a thimble of grape production by Taggares, who also owns Areté Vineyard, a 200-acre site on Radar Hill near Othello, Wash., and Alice Vineyard, a 100-acre planting that joins Michael s Vineyard on the Wahluke Slope. Organic wines are one of the few styles or forms of winemaking that Roth does not deal with. Taggares

3 Spotlight: Tagaris and winemaker Frank Roth farms organically grown grapes at the 150-acre Michael s Vineyard, but those go to Badger Mountain in Kennewick, Wash., and Snoqualmie s Naked program. With three brands and about 30 different bottlings, I already have my hands full, Roth said. I really don t need to add to it by making a no-sulfite-added wine. A year ago, Wine Press Northwest profiled Roth and Taverna executive chef Frank Chullino as part of our Match Maker series. Their Frank & Frank collaboration plays out every day at Taverna Tagaris, and their third annual Winemaker s Dinner is Sunday, March 11, at the Richland restaurant. Frank s been here for six years five as the head chef and I ve already been here five years, Roth said. I m perfectly comfortable. Mike is great to work for; we have a lot of fun, and I love the restaurant combination. I could see myself settling down here for another 10 years. Besides, owning and operating a winery as an individual has its drawbacks. I really like to get to paid every two weeks. There s a lot to be said for taking home a paycheck, he said with a hearty laugh. The Tagaris, Eliseo Silva and Soaring Rooster wines are available online and at the tasting bar. Soaring Rooster wines also are being sold at Albertsons in Richland. Spotlight: Tagaris and winemaker Frank Roth Outstanding! Tagaris Winery 2007 Areté Vineyard Merlot, Columbia Valley, $34. The largest of two estate vineyards, this 200-acre block atop Radar Hill near Othello, Wash., is named for a Greek word that translates to excellence. This stands a level beyond that. Classic aromas of black currant, black cherry and blueberry include some Italian seasoning, milk chocolate and baked whole wheat bread. It s showing remarkable maturity and finesse on the palate with an easy delivery of red currant, Van cherry and milk chocolate with subdued tannins and huckleberry in the farewell. (500 cases, 13.5% alc.) Outstanding! Eliseo Silva 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $12. Tagaris Winery in Richland, Wash., created this second label as a tribute to its longtime vineyard manager, and young winemaker Frank Roth goes beyond expectation. This is a remarkably complex wine at any price, allowing you to breathe in lots of dense, dark fruit of blackberry, boysenberry, cordial cherry, coffee and lots of earthiness. There s hedonism on the entry as the drink ranges from blackberry, black currant and dried cranberry. It blends Old World with New World, bringing accents of marjoram and huckleberry jam. Late tannins arrive with firmness, finished with mocha and coffee. (800 cases, 13.5% alc.) Outstanding! Eliseo Silva 2008 Merlot, Columbia Valley, $10. A twist of the screwcap brings aromas of black cherry with light toast, sandalwood, thyme and mint, but there s an absolute burst of flavors to come. The assortment brings blackberry and black cherry with juicy red currants, backed by more herbs and a scrape of minerality. Ample acidity yields grudgingly to sweet tannins in the finish. And it s not often that Washington Merlot takes a back seat in terms of tannin. (863 cases, 13.5% alc.) Recommended. Eliseo Silva 2008 Malbec, Columbia Valley, $16. There are few, if any, family owned wineries in the Northwest offering this Bordeaux variety as a second label at such scale and near this price. It s a nice introduction to the grape as a stand-alone wine as it brings hints of boysenberry, red currant, tobacco, sandalwood, cedar and salted chocolate. And the drink makes it a crowd-pleaser, offering blueberry, loganberry and fresh cranberry flavors. Minerality in the midpalate adds complexity before the finish of Jolly Rancher grape candy. (1,700 cases, 13.5% alc.) Excellent. Soaring Rooster 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon, Wahluke Slope, $17. Mike Taggares expansive holdings on Washington s Wahluke Slope allow Frank Roth to create this third label at Tagaris Winery. It s Cabernet Sauvignon (75%) with other

4 Spotlight: Tagaris and winemaker Frank Roth Bordeaux varieties Malbec (9%), Petit Verdot (7%), Merlot (7%) and Cabernet Franc falling in behind. It s rather perfumy with nice nuances of Marionberry, boysenberry, blueberry and cassis, joined by accents of chocolate, oregano and caramel. The attack on the palate is mouthwatering with pomegranate and blueberry flavors, evolving into Bing cherry and black currant. There s a bit of chalkiness from tannin and black licorice at the back. (535 cases, 13.5% alc.) Excellent. Soaring Rooster 2009 Malbec Blend, Wahluke Slope, $17. Frank Roth s work space is adjacent to the restaurant at Tagaris Winery, and he keeps the acid profile of his wines in mind so they will better pair with food. Here he blends Petit Verdot, (19%) Mourvedre (4%) and Cabernet Sauvignon behind the Malbec (75%), which give it a black currant theme, both in the aromatics and the pleasing flavor profile. The nose also hints at a vanilla milk shake, moist earth, saddle leather, sliced green bell pepper and gunpowder black tea. Blackberry and Van cherry pick up after the black currant, followed by hints of tortilla chip and a nice hit of chocolate-covered orange peel. (381 cases, 13.5% alc.) Excellent. Soaring Rooster 2009 Grenache Blend, Wahluke Slope, $17. This Rhône red ripens early on the Wahluke Slope, and Frank Roth gets two clones to play with Grenache Noir and Tablas Creek. His deployment of them produces aromas of pie cherry, dried cranberry, strawberry fruit leather, chocolate and tea. The approach to the palate is akin to a Pinot Noir from the acclaimed Dundee Hills because it is loaded with raspberries, boysenberry and pomegranate. Tannins are masked by juicy acidity, so enjoy with barbecue, a tomato-based pasta dish or a pork chop with apricot chutney on a bed of kale. (373 cases, 13.5% alc.) Excellent. Soaring Rooster 2009 Mourvèdre Blend, Wahluke Slope, $17. Tagaris and Frank Roth earned a double gold at the Tri-Cities Wine Festival from his first vintage with this Rhône variety, so excellence with this second label is no surprise. Aromas flash hints of Craisins, cassis, rhubarb, lime peel, fresh-cut cedar and nicely integrated oak notes. There s even more ripe fruit on the palate, featuring black currant and pomegranate, backed by beet juice, Italian herbs and subdued tannins. The food pairings are many, including paté. (280 cases, 13.5% alc.) Excellent. Soaring Rooster 2009 Tempranillo Blend, Wahluke Slope, $17. The entire Tagaris lineup is created with food in mind, and there s remarkable balance to this Spanish red that often carries burly tannins.the nose hints at Van cherry, pomegranate and President plum with accents of cinnamon, black tea, mint leaf and lime zest. Those purple fruit dominate the palate, bringing juiciness along with food-friendly notes of green bell pepper, mint and a pinch of salt. (205 cases, 13.5% alc.) Wine ratings All wines reviewed here are tasted blind after being submitted by producers. They are rated Outstanding, Excellent and Recommended by a tasting panel. Outstanding: These wines have superior characteristics and should be highly sought after. Excellent: Top-notch wines with particularly high qualities. Recommended: Delicious, well-made wines with true varietal characteristics. Best Buy: A wine that is $15 or less. Priced are suggested retail and should be used as guidelines. Prices are in U.S. dollars unless otherwise noted.

5 New releases we ve tasted Cabernet Sauvignon Outstanding! Chateau Ste. Michelle 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $16. The largest amount of red wine made under the Chateau Ste. Michelle brand might also be one of the easiest drinking Cabs you ll find. And it will be very easy to find. Its profile is one of light oak, mild tannins and ample acidity with loads of fruit. Aromas of President plum, blueberry, cinnamon and cotton candy come through between the lips, finished with a lick of fresh caramel. Enjoy with duck or veal rubbed with thyme and rosemary. (246,300 cases, 13.5% alc.) Pinot Noir Recommended. Lake Chelan Winery 2009 Pinot Noir, Columbia Valley, $32. Ray Sandidge dropped this in French oak, half of it new, for 21 months. The result is a wine brimming with black cherry, dried cranberry, blackberry liqueur, cigar tobacco and freshcut cedar aromas. There s bright acidity on the palate with pomegranate leading the black cherry, followed by sturdy tannins, some dusty minerality and a finish of Dr Pepper. (498 cases, 13.9% alc.) Excellent. Ponzi Vineyards 2009 Reserve Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, $60. Luisa Ponzi isn t the only one to refer to the 2009 growing season as a schizophrenic, but this is pretty heady stuff and it is certifiable qualifying for the Oregon Certified Sustainable Wine program. Stylish oak shows with allspice, caramel and mocha aromas, joined by reddish plum, Van cherry and orange oil. The fluid is approachable with pomegranate and black cherry flavors. There s lots of acidity, enjoyable tannins and a pop of chocolate in the finish. (1,350 cases, 14% alc.) Outstanding! Ponzi Vineyards 2010 Tavola Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, $25. Pinotphiles rave about the 2009 vintage, but the 2010 vintage will be nothing to sneeze at if Luisa Ponzi s latest is any indication. Fruit from nearly a dozen vineyards went to this widely available Pinot, named for the Italian word referring to dining table. The strong theme of highacid pomegranate will make it easy to pair with food. Its nose is a fruit bowl, including plums backed by strawberry, raspberry, black cherry, chocolate and vanilla. And the delicious drink continues with that flood of fruit, capped with a big blast of citrus. (5,900 cases, 13.5% alc.) Merlot Excellent. Chateau Ste. Michelle 2009 Merlot, Columbia Valley, $16. Here s another expressive and approachable Merlot from Bob Bertheau s red wine team. Dusty blueberry, black currant, roasted coffee, cinnamon and cedar only begin to tell the story of the aromas. Its carriage of blueberry, blackberry and loganberry flavors on the entry might lead some to think Syrah has a role. Chocolate and minerality make up the midpalate, and there s a hint of shredded wheat found in the finish of subdued tannns. (104,000 cases, 13.5% alc.) Recommended. Helix by Reininger 2008 Stillwater Creek Vineyard Merlot, Columbia Valley, $27. Aromas of purple boysenberry, blueberry, tobacco leaf, cedar and salted caramel transition to more purple fruit flavors with a generous backing of tannin, black olive, black licorice and bittersweet chocolate. Serve with duck or a well-marbled steak. (540 cases, 14.4% alc.) Malbec Recommended. Chateau Ste. Michelle 2008 Limited Release Malbec, Wahluke Slope, $25. Vintage Reserve Club members get first shot at this product of Indian Wells Vineyard, which opens with aromas of loganberry, Granny Smith apple, milk chocolate, coconut and minerality. The drink is bold with blackberry, Bing cherry, boysenberry, black currant and accessible chocolaty tannins. (717 cases, 14.4% alc.) Red blends Excellent. Helix by Reininger 2007 Pomatia, Columbia Valley, $19. Chuck Reininger s widely popular blend is named for the Burgundy snail often served as escargot. The components of Syrah (38%), Cabernet Sauvignon (25%), Merlot (24%) and Cabernet Franc make for aromas of dusty blackberry, orange oil, chocolate and porcini mushroom. That Syrah sets the stage for silkiness on the palate with blackberry jam, chocolate and vanilla extract. A drip of sweetness allows the tannins to poke out enjoyable texture. (3,148 cases, 14.5% alc.) Recommended. Locati Cellars 2007 Innovation, Columbia Valley, $20. Michael Locati s Super Tuscan-style blend has a heritage of Barbera (54%) from Lonesome Springs Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon (33%) from Goose Ridge and Sangiovese off Candy Mountain. A bit of aeration allows for a nose that opens to strawberry, ripe watermelon, black currant, crushed walnut and Red Vines licorice. The Italian varieties bring more of the high-toned red fruit of red currant, pie cherry, pomegranate and a tartness of rhubarb as acidity more than balances out the tannin. Enjoy with tomato-based dishes, and look for the Locati tasting room just outside the Marcus Whitman Hotel in Walla Walla. (250 cases, 14.5% alc.)

6 New releases we ve tasted Chardonnay Outstanding! Chateau Ste. Michelle 2009 Cold Creek Vineyard Chardonnay, Columbia Valley, $22. Wendy Stuckey arrived in Woodinville, Wash., from her native Australia where she earned a worldwide reputation for whites with clarity and complexity. She furthers that with this Chardonnay from one of Washington s warmer sites, which overlooks the southern end of the Wahluke Slope. Aromas of pear, Gala apple, dried pineapple and Meyer lemon stand out just above background notes of toasted coconut, butterscotch, oatmeal cookie and hominy. The drink shows remarkable contrast, opening with creamy butterscotch and tropical notes, followed by succulent flavors of lemon/lime that provide length and balance. (11,000 cases, 14.5% alc.) Recommended. Chateau Ste. Michelle 2009 Canoe Ridge Vineyard Chardonnay, Horse Heaven Hills, $25. This vineyard adjacent to sister winery Columbia Crest celebrated its 20th anniversary last year, and it sets the table with aromas of apricot, dried pear, lemon/lime, candy corn and orange oil. On the palate, it shows off full malolactic fermentation and nine months of surlie aging, making for a rounded mouth feel along with dry notes of starfruit, more pear and yellow grapefruit. Enjoy with crab cakes, pork loin influenced by tarragon or salmon. (2,400 cases, 14.5% alc.) Viognier Excellent. Best Buy! Chateau Ste. Michelle 2010 Limited Release Viognier, Columbia Valley, $15. It will take a bit of effort to locate this wine but the search, especially at the price, will be rewarded. While the wine was fermented in large oak barrels referred to as Fuder, the wines show a brightness not common with most Viogniers. The aromatic approach leads with pear, linen, apple blossom and a combination of steeliness and jasmine reminiscent of some Rieslings. On the palate, it s fruit-forward and refreshing with grapefruit and fresh-squeezed lemon juice. Suggested fare includes scallops, seafood pasta or a cheese plate. The Limited Release series is first available to Chateau Ste. Michelle s Vintage Reserve Club, but they also are sold online and in the Wooindville tasting room. (597 cases, 14.1% alc.) Recommended. Best Buy! Koenig Vineyards 2010 Williamson Vineyard Viognier, Snake River Valley, $15. Greg Koenig s amazingy aromatic Viognier, his eighth from this neighboring vineyard, features hints of lychee, grapefruit, gooseberry, apple, fresh linen and apple blossoms. It arrives on the palate with mouthcoating richness before a late burst of yellow grapefruit and gooseberry. Enjoy with a crab salad or halibut. (411 cases, 14.2% alc.) White blends Recommended. Seven of Hearts 2010 Chatte d'avignon Viognier & Roussanne, Columbia Valley, $18. Carton, Ore., winemaker Byron Dooley receives this blend of Rhône white varieties from Rattlesnake Road Vineyard in Arlington, Ore., which is not far upstream from the Columbia Gorge. He chose to ferment 88% percent of this blend in stainless steal, rather than a lot of French oak. That allows the wine to preserve tones of dried yet moist pineapple, apricot, papaya and lemon/lime. The structure is quite mouth-coating and viscous before ample acidity arrives in the finish. (238 cases, 14.5% alc.) Outstanding! Thurston Wolfe 2011 PGV, Washington, $16. Wade Wolfe, owner/winemaker at Wine Press Northwest s 2012 Pacific Northwest Winery of the Year, continues to dial in this blend of Pinot Gris (72%) and Viognier. And it s a pleasure to pick up characteristics of each variety, starting with aromas of starfruit from the Pinot Gris and orange Creamcicle from Viognier, backed by notes of jasmine, lychee, passionfruit and enjoyable grassiness and minerality. It s a refreshing drink with lots of accessible fruit flavors such as Cameo apple, Bartlett pear, pineapple and apricot. There s just a dab of residual sugar (0.6%) which, combined with lingering acidity and minerality, make it a perfect foil for fish tacos. Look for this screwcapped wine on the list at knowledgeable seafood restaurants. (2,484 cases, 12.5% alc.)

7 Northwest wine regions Multi-state appellations Columbia Valley: This multi-state appellation is 11 million acres in size and takes up a third of Washington. Established in Columbia Gorge: This multi-state appellation begins around the town of Lyle and heads west to Husum on the Washington side of the Columbia River. It was established in Walla Walla Valley: Walla Walla Valley: This multi-state appellation is in the southeast corner of Washington and around Milton-Freewater, Ore. Established in Snake River Valley: This is in southwestern Idaho and southeastern Oregon. It covers 8,263 square miles and was established in Washington Yakima Valley: The Northwest s oldest appellation (established in 1983) stretches past Wapato in the west to Benton City in the east and includes Red Mountain, Rattlesnake Hills and Snipes Mountain. Red Mountain: Washington s smallest appellation is a ridge in the eastern Yakima Valley. It is 4,040 acres in size. Established in Horse Heaven Hills: This large appellation 570,000 acres is south of the Yakima Valley and stretches to the Oregon border. It was established in Wahluke Slope: Approved in early 2006, this huge landform north of the Yakima Valley is an 81,000-acre gravel bar created by the Ice Age Floods. It is one of the warmest regions in the entire Pacific Northwest. Established in Rattlesnake Hills: This appellation is in the western Yakima Valley north of the towns of Zillah, Granger and Outlook. The appellation is 68,500 acres in size with about 1,300 acres of vineyards. It was established in Puget Sound: This sprawling appellation is in Western Washington. It stretches from the Olympia area to the Canadian border north of Bellingham. It also sweeps through the San Juan Islands and to Port Angeles. Established in Snipes Mountain: This is one of Washington s oldest wine-growing regions. At 4,145 acres in size, it is the state s second-smallest AVA. Grapes have been grown on Snipes Mountain and at the adjacent Harrison Hill (also part of the AVA) since This AVA was approved in Lake Chelan: This area in north-central Washington is almost entirely within the Columbia Valley. It is a young area, with the oldest vines dating to About 250 acres are planted here. It was approved in Naches Heights: Approved in 2011, this area near the city of Yakima has fewer than 50 acres of grapes planted. Oregon Willamette Valley: Oregon s largest appellation stretches roughly from Portland to Eugene. Established in Ribbon Ridge: This is the Northwest s smallest appellation at 3,350 acres. It is best known for its Pinot Noir and is within the Chehalem Mountains AVA. It was established in Yamhill-Carlton: This is a horseshoe-shaped appellation that surrounds the towns of Yamhill and Carlton. It was established in The District was dropped in Chehalem Mountains: This is the largest within the Willamette Valley. This 62,100-acre appellation is northeast of the Dundee Hills. It was established in Dundee Hills: Many of Oregon s pioneer wineries are in the Dundee Hills within Oregon s Yamhill County. The appellation is 6,490 acres in size. It was established in Eola-Amity Hills: This important region stretches from the town of Amity in the north to the capital city of Salem in the southeast. It is 37,900 acres in size. It was established in McMinnville: The hills south and west of the Yamhill County city of McMinnville are more than 40,000 acres in size. It was established in Umpqua Valley: This Southern Oregon appellation surrounds the city of Roseburg north of the Rogue Valley. It can produce Pinot Noir as well as warm-climate grapes. It was established in Rogue Valley: The Northwest s southern-most appellation surrounds the cities of Medford and Ashland, just north of the California border. It is known for its warm growing conditions. Established in Applegate Valley: This small valley within the Rogue Valley is known for a multitude of microclimates that can result in wines of distinction and complexity. Established in Southern Oregon: This AVA encompasses the Umpqua, Rogue and Applegate valleys and Red Hill Douglas County. It was established in Red Hill Douglas County: This tiny appellation just 5,500 acres is within the Umpqua Valley. Fewer than 200 acres of wine grapes, primarily Pinot Noir, are grown here. Established in British Columbia Okanagan Valley: In the province s interior, this 100- mile valley stretches from the border in Osoyoos to Salmon Arm in the north. Most wineries are near Oliver, Penticton and Kelowna. It was established in Similkameen Valley: This warm valley is west of the southern Okanagan Valley. It was established in Vancouver Island: This marine-influenced appellation is in the southwest part of the province. Established in Fraser Valley: This farming area is in the Lower Mainland, south of Vancouver. Established in Gulf Islands: This appellation includes approximately 100 islands spread out between Vancouver Island and the southern mainland. Established in 2005.

8 About us Wine Press Northwest is a quarterly consumer magazine that focuses on the wine regions of Washington, Oregon, British Columbia and Idaho. Annual subscriptions are $20. Click to subscribe. Editor-in-chief: Andy Perdue editor@winepressnw.com Managing editor: Eric Degerman edegerman@winepressnw.com Advertising inquiries: Parker Hodge phodge@tricityherald.com 2012 Tasting methods Recent Releases are evaluated under strict conditions to ensure objectivity. Northwest wineries submit wines to Wine Press Northwest for evaluation by Wine Press Northwest s tasting panel. After wines are received, they are stored for at least two weeks and a third party serves them blind, meaning the tasting panelists do not know the producer. In addition, the panelists are served glasses of wine and are not able to view the bottles or their shapes prior to tasting. Wines are stored in temperature-controlled conditions, allowing them to be served at perfect cellar temperatures. Price is not a consideration in these evaluations, nor is a winery s advertising activity with Wine Press Northwest, as the magazine s editorial/wine evaluation activities and advertising/ marketing efforts are kept strictly separate. The panel has a combination of technical and consumer palates. If at least three of the four panelists consider a wine technically sound and commercially acceptable, it is included here as Recommended. The panel may also vote the wine as Excellent or Outstanding, our top rating. Wines considered unacceptable by the panel are rejected and not included. Reviews are grouped by variety or style and listed alphabetically by winery. Prices listed are in U.S. dollars unless otherwise indicated. To ensure we maintain an international perspective, our tasting panelists judge thousands of wines annually at various competitions, including: Los Angeles International Wine and Spirits Competition, Riverside International Wine Competition, Dallas Morning News Wine Competition, Indy International Wine Competition, Virginia Governor s Cup, Sonoma County Harvest Fair, Grand Harvest Awards, San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, Pacific Rim International Wine Competition, Long Beach Grand Cru, Washington State Wine Competition, Seattle Wine Awards, Northwest Wine Summit, British Columbia Wine Awards, New York Wine and Grape Foundation Competition, Tri-Cities Wine Festival, Capital Food & Wine Fest, North Central Washington Wine Awards and Idaho Wine Competition.