Happy New Year! As we begin 2018, it’s time for our annual Top Washington Wineries List. We have returned to our original list of 50, after it climbed up to 65 wineries last year. Why? As time goes on, our palates change, and our wine experiences become more focused. In addition, in 2017 we visited Walla Walla again for the first time in a few years, which shone the light on some new favorites.
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Tag Archives: Vin du Lac
Our Top 65 Washington Wineries
Happy New Year! As we begin 2017, it’s time for our annual Top Washington Wineries List. Why 65 wineries? The list grew to 65 from 60 last year, and from 50 the year before, as we were introduced to new wines or new wine experiences.
The way to get on our list is fairly simple; we only have two criteria: wineries must offer great juice and good people who provide an excellent wine experience. Perhaps we had fun or learned something in a tasting room or at a wine event such as Taste Washington, Taste of Tulalip, Seattle Wine and Food Experience, Bellingham Bay Rotary Grape and Gourmet or Bellingham Northwest Wine Festival. Perhaps someone from the winery gave us a call, or sent us a personal note or samples. Or perhaps we were invited to an incredible winery party.
These people might be the winemakers or the winery owners; in some cases, they are the hard-working staff in a tasting room who went out of their way to make us feel welcome or the amazing workers in the vineyards where it all begins.
We welcome ten newcomers to our list this year, and thank you for the 2016 wine experiences you brought us — Ambassador Wines of Washington, Canvasback, DeLille Cellars, Matthews Winery, Mullan Road Cellars, Savage Grace, Spring Valley Vineyard, Tildio Winery, Upchurch Vineyard and Two Vintners.
Write for Wine’s Top 70 Washington Wineries (in alphabetical order):
- Alexandria Nicole Cellars
- Ambassador Wines of Washington
- Andrew Will
- Avennia
- B. Leighton
- Barrage Cellars
- Barrister Winery
- Bartholomew Winery
- Betz Family Winery
- Boudreaux Cellars
- Buty Winery
- Canvasback
- Chateau Ste. Michelle
- Columbia Crest
- Cooper Wine Company
- Cote Bonneville
- Darby
- DeLille Cellars
- DiStefano
- Double Canyon
- Dunham Cellars
- Dynasty Winery
- Efeste
- Ensemble Cellars
- Fall Line
- Fidelitas
- Fielding Hills
- Figgins
- Force Majeure
- Forgeron Cellars
- Gard
- Gorman Winery
- Guardian Cellars
- Hard Row to Hoe
- JM Cellars
- L’Ecole 41
- Lauren Ashton
- Leonetti
- Long Shadows
- Maryhill
- Matthews Winery
- Mercer Estates
- Mullan Road Cellars
- Obelisco Estate
- Otis Kenyon
- Passing Time
- Quilceda Creek
- Reynvaan
- Ross Andrew
- Savage Grace
- Seven Falls Cellars
- Sinclair Estate
- Sleight of Hand
- Spring Valley Vineyard
- Stottle Winery
- Tildio
- Two Vintners
- Upchurch Vineyard
- Va Piano
- Vin du Lac
- Walla Walla Vintners
- William Church
- Windy Point
- Woodward Canyon
- Woodhouse Wine Estates
To these people, we thank you; we support you. Cheers to Washington state wine!
Happy new year!
Margot and Dave
Write for Wine — it’s Wine O’clock Somewhere!
Our List of Top 60 Washington Wineries
As the new year begins, we want to reflect on the wineries in Washington state that made our list of Top 60 Washington Wineries.
The way to get on our list is fairly simple; we only have two criteria: wineries must offer good juice and good people who provide an excellent wine experience. Perhaps we had fun or learned something in a tasting room or at a major wine event such as Taste Washington, Taste of Tulalip or Seattle Wine and Food Experience. Perhaps someone from the winery gave us a call, or sent us a personal note or samples. Or perhaps we were invited to an incredible winery party.
These people might be the winemakers or the winery owners; in some cases, they are the hard-working staff in a tasting room who went out of their way to make us feel welcome or the amazing workers in the vineyards where it all begins.
Why 60 wineries? The list grew to 60 from 50 last year, as we were introduced to new wineries or new wine experiences in 2015. We welcome the newcomers to the list, and thank you for the 2015 wine experiences you brought us — Andrew Will, B. Leighton, Cote Bonneville, Dynasty Cellars, Ensemble Cellars Kiona, Leonetti, Passing Time, Reynvaan, Seven Falls and Stottle Winery.
Write for Wine’s Top 60 Washington Wineries (in alphabetical order):
- Alexandria Nicole Cellars
- Andrew Will
- Avennia
- B. Leighton
- Baer
- Barrage Cellars
- Barrister
- Bartholomew
- Betz Family
- Boudreaux Cellars
- Buty Winery
- Chateau Ste. Michelle
- Columbia Crest
- Cooper Wine Company
- Cote Bonneville
- Darby
- DiStefano
- Double Canyon
- Dunham Cellars
- Dynasty Winery
- Efeste
- Ensemble Cellars
- Fall Line
- Fidelitas
- Fielding Hills
- Figgins
- Force Majeure
- Forgeron Cellars
- Gard
- Gorman Winery
- Guardian Cellars
- Hard Row to Hoe
- JM Cellars
- Kiona
- L’Ecole 41
- Lauren Ashton
- Leonetti
- Long Shadows
- Maryhill
- Mercer Estates
- Northstar
- Northwest Totem Cellars
- Obelisco Estate
- Otis Kenyon
- Passing Time
- Quilceda Creek
- Reynvaan
- Ross Andrew
- Sleight of Hand
- Seven Falls Cellars
- Sinclair Estate
- Sparkman Cellars
- Stottle Winery
- Va Piano
- Vin du Lac
- Walla Walla Vintners
- William Church
- Windy Point
- Woodward Canyon
- Woodhouse Wine Estates
To these people, we thank you; we support you. Cheers to Washington state wine!
Happy new year!
Margot and Dave
Write for Wine — it’s Wine O’clock Somewhere!
There’s nothing like a stellar Cab Franc from Washington State
One of our favorite wines is Cabernet Franc, which is one of the main varieties in Bordeaux blends.
Many people don’t realize that Cab Franc is one of the genetic parents to Cabernet Sauvignon; the other is Sauvignon Blanc. In addition to Washington state, you can find it planted in California and in the Bordeaux and Loire regions in France.
Cab Franc is typically used as a blending wine to add more complexity to the robust Cabernet Sauvignon or more structure to the softer Merlot. But Cab Franc is also created as a single-varietal wine; in other words, a stand-alone wine.
When blended, it adds both a subtly and an “oomph” to Cabernet Sauvignon and other Bordeaux varieties. But on its own, quite simply, Cabernet Franc is amazing.
Cab Franc is known for its complex aromas of cherry and berry, with notes of herbs, spices, chocolate, cedar, and even violets. Frequently wine enthusiasts describe the nose as a peppery perfume.
The hot climate in Walla Walla and Yakima Valley is perfectly suited to ripen the Cab Franc fruit. Wineries in Lake Chelan have also produced some fine vintages.
We’ve enjoyed many excellent stand-alone Washington state Cab Francs over the years, including a beautiful Matthews Estate 2003 Conner Lee Cab Franc, an elegant 2004 from Corliss Estates, a robust 2012 Outcast from Barrage Cellars, and a rich 2012 Cooper Estate Red Mountain Cabernet Franc.
Here are some other Washington state wineries that, in our opinion, produce the Cab Franc grape as a shining single-varietal wine.
What Cab Francs do you like best from Washington state? Please share your favorites with us!
Cheers!
Margot and Dave