Superb winemaker Chris Peterson’s style remains consistent over the years, as we witnessed during our first time at Avennia Red Mountain estate winery last month. And we go back more than a decade. In 2012, we stopped by Avennia, then one of Woodinville’s newest wineries, and became immediate fans of Chris and managing partner Marty Taucher. At the time, we wrote that Avennia wines were “classic, complex, balanced, structured, true to varietal, and a showcase of the beauty of Washington grapes.” They still are. Read on for details of our visit and the wines we tasted.
Category Archives: Roussanne
Moon Curser
Moon Curser Vineyards is one of the most highly regarded wineries in B.C.’s Okanagan Valley, both for its impressive wines and its number of “firsts.” At least half the wineries on our fall tour lauded Moon Curser for being the first winery to grow Tannat in the valley, the only one to plant Arneis and Touriga Nacional, and the only winery in Canada to blend all six permitted Bordeaux grapes in its Border Vines wine. Its flagship Syrah-Tannat blend, Dead of Night, is also one of a kind (and our favorite). Named after moonlight-evading gold rush smugglers, Moon Curser has a unique story to share. Read on for details.
Troon Wines
We first tasted Troon wines in 2012 at the Portland Wine Media Conference. In an Oregon wine world of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, Troon stood out, enticing us with other varieties to experience from Applegate Valley. Four years later, Craig Camp became Troon’s general manager. And that’s when Troon started its journey to become a champion for organic farming and regenerative agriculture. Next, at the 2018 wine media conference, Craig introduced us to Troon’s latest high-quality lineup. Finally, fast-forward to this summer. Of course, we visited Troon during our 2021 trip to Oregon wine country. And we discovered that Troon wines have emerged as unique, natural and exceptional. We also admire Troon because it now is officially a Demeter Biodynamic® and Regenerative Organic Certified™ farm. Read on for details.
Another Great Release from Lauren Ashton Cellars
Regular readers know that we are big fans of Lauren Ashton Cellars. There is a simple reason — Kit Singh makes great wine. His motto, “True Washington Character,” is evident in every sip we’ve tasted. His wines are also known as “friendly” and “iconic.” All three descriptions are showcased in his two recent releases, which we were fortunate enough to sample, courtesy of the winery: 2014 Cuvée Arlette and 2016 Roussanne.
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