We have a long history with Ali and Jarrod Boyle, owners of Alexandria Nicole Cellars (ANC), so we didn’t stop smiling when we saw them again recently and tasted their wines. We first wrote about ANC when we launched this site in 2007, inspired by some fabulous wine at ANC’s new (at the time) Woodinville tasting room. Subsequently, we were among the initial members of their original wine club, and attended many of their harvest parties. We first visited Destiny Ridge Vineyard in 2009, and we glamped there in 2011, when most people hadn’t even heard the word “glamping” yet. And we drank ANC Quarry Butte as our go-to wine during the Seahawks’ road to their Super Bowl win in 2014. From day one, we’ve always said it’s the people, the wines and the events that make a winery special. And ANC continues to check off all those boxes.
Category Archives: Malbec
Maltby
What a treat – we spent an afternoon with two exceptional Washington winemakers, John Bigelow of JM Cellars and Morgan Lee of Two Vintners Wines (et al) in April at their tasting rooms at The Vault in Maltby. Not surprisingly, their wines were exceptional and their stories kept us both intrigued and laughing at the same time. And we finally met Alice, Morgan’s sweet Black Lab, who has a stunning red wine named after her. We tasted that wine, along with several of Morgan’s mouthwatering Syrahs and his excellent Grenache Blanc, along with John’s stellar (and unreleased) Founder’s Reserve, and his amazing Grenache, Malbec, and two styles of Chardonnay. Read on for details.
Holiday Wines
Above all, make your season fabulous with stellar holiday wines. To help you out, 20 sparkling, rosé and white wines, plus 20 red wines, comprise our top 40 recommendations of wine for the holidays. Certainly, many of these holiday wines are special because of their high quality (and high price point). On the other hand, others are simply special good-value wines. Moreover, their prices range from an unbelievable $11 to $162. Most importantly, we suggest opening them during a quiet evening at home, pouring them for dinner guests, taking them to small holiday parties, or giving them as gifts. To sum up, read on for details. Continue reading
Trothe Limited
Trothe’s dream team – Jeff Andrews (the passionate managing partner at the acclaimed Andrews Family Vineyards), Ray McKee (incredible winemaker) and Todd Chapman (talented vineyards manager) – spotlight the very best varieties and blocks from special vintages for their new Limited Series. Trothe Limited 2019 Malbec, which is yet another world-class wine from the Horse Heaven Hills, is first up. We have been major fans of Trothe since the beginning, tasting both vintages of their exquisite Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc and the not-yet-released Syrah. And now, we add this stunning Malbec to the list of their wines worthy of the world stage. Read on for details.