John Bigelow

John BigelowIf you’ve never been to JM Cellars in Woodinville or Maltby, you are missing out on many wonderful Washington wines crafted by talented winemaker John Bigelow. John is the epitome of a winemaker who is both an artist and a scientist. We’ve been drinking his impressive wines since we moved to Seattle in 1999, one year after JM Cellars opened its doors at the picturesque Bramble Bump hill in Woodinville. We caught up with John a few times this spring and summer. In March, we chatted with him at Taste Red Mountain Woodinville. In April, we visited his Maltby location. And subsequently, we talked to him at Celebrate Washington Wine this month (pictured here with his son and Cellar Master, Tommy). We really enjoy listening to John Bigelow’s passionate stories and tasting his wines. Read on for more details.

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Trothe

Trothe 2019 Cab SauvTrothe will release its 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon, the winery‘s second vintage, on Sept. 9. But we are very fortunate to receive a sneak peek. In a word, this wine is magnificent. It has the WOW factor. The key players in Trothe explain that the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is stunning because the harvest yielded grapes with luxuriously elegant tannins, ripe flavors and vibrant acidity. We couldn’t agree more. Read on for details about the wine, their story and Horse Heaven Hills AVA.

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Summer White Wines

summer white winesOur enjoyment of summer white wines increases every year. Until recently, our palates preferred Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris/Grigio. But these days, we also appreciate the refreshing, wallet-friendly Turbiana grape from Lugana, Italy and Marsanne from here in Washington state. Most importantly, there are so many wonderful summer white wines. For example, here are 25 that we have enjoyed from Washington, Oregon, British Columbia, Italy, France, South Africa and New Zealand. Most of them are everyday, good-value porch pounders or deck wines, but a few shine with an elegant meal.

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Favorite 50 Wines in 2021

Favorite 50 Wines in 2020Happy New Year! As we began 2022, we compiled a list of our favorite 50 wines in 2021. And what a year it was! First, we finally took some short road trips to Washington and Oregon wine countries. For example, we drove to Walla Walla, Red Mountain, Leavenworth, Lake Chelan, Carlton and Willamette Valley. Next, we also enjoyed many wonderful wines at home or with friends. Therefore, this list exemplifies the favorite 50 wines that we tasted last year. In other words, you might have other favorites, which we have not tasted. That’s the beauty of having so much wonderful wine available in the world. Read on for more details. Continue reading