We Want to Visit Maryhill Winery!

We’ve never been to Maryhill Winery, but we understand why Wine Press Northwest named it 2009 “Washington Winery of the Year.” In 10 short years, Maryhill grew from a 4,300-case production to more than 80,000 cases.

Their family-owned business, located on the Washington-Oregon border, is considered a destination winery, with a 3,000-square-foot tasting room, breathtaking views of the Columbia Gorge, facilities for weddings and events, and a summer concert series in a 4,000-seat outdoor amphitheater. Of course we want to visit!

And then there’s the wine. Maryhill produces 23 varietals and 28 award-winning wines. So when we were offered a free sample of 2008 Winemaker’s Red to taste, of course we said “yes, thanks.”

This year’s Winemaker’s Red is a blend of 40% Cab Sauv, 30% Merlot, 20% Syrah and 10% Cab Franc. With aromas of dark cherry and caramel, this wine has flavors of cranberry, chocolate and a bit of coffee. We liked it today – the Cab Franc added a special touch that appeals to both our palates – but we recommend cellaring it for a year or two.

With a price point of $14.00, Maryhill’s 2008 Winemaker’s Red is definitely worth a purchase. Previous vintages generated numerous awards, and we expect that the 2008 blend will follow suit.

Cheers!

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About Margot

Margot has been writing about wine since 1997 at KOIN-TV in Portland, Oregon; ten years later, she created this blog. Write for Wine focuses on the fine wines of Washington state, with additional posts about Oregon, B.C., California, ANZ, France, Italy, Spain and more. A former national journalist in Canada and the U.S., Margot has been a Washington wine enthusiast since moving to Seattle in 1999. Her motto: “It’s wine o’clock somewhere.”