Winemaker Notes
Generous tropical and stone fruit aromas: pineapple, mango, peach, and green pear, braced with racier notes of grapefruit, orange-citrus and kiwi. Floral notes of apple blossom mingle with subtle grassy tones. Steely and racy up front, yielding to a surprisingly supple mid-palate and polished finish. Shows honeycrisp apple, cantaloupe, peach, and lemon-zest flavors, ending subtly and lingering on mineral-toned finish.
Blend: 70% Sauvignon Blanc, 30% Semillon
Professional Ratings
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Connoisseurs' Guide
Smelling of ripe melons and a suggestion of fig and drifting more towards honeyed richness than to the green side of the variety, this wine combines the pert fruit of Sauvignon Blanc with the rounder potential offered by Semillon and hits on all cylinders in the bargain. Its palatal fullness is balanced by underlying fruit energy, and its youthful acidity is part and parcel of its long finish, and, in combination, they will help the wine age for a few years
Sometimes light and crisp, other times rich and creamy, Bordeaux White Blends typically consist of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. Often, a small amount of Muscadelle or Sauvignon Gris is included for added intrigue. Popularized in Bordeaux, the blend is often mimicked throughout the New World. Somm Secret—Sauternes and Barsac are usually reserved for dessert, but they can be served before, during or after a meal. Try these sweet wines as an aperitif with jamón ibérico, oysters with a spicy mignonette or during dinner alongside hearty Alsatian sausage.
A large and geographically diverse AVA capable of producing a wide variety of wine styles, the Columbia Valley AVA is home to 99% of Washington state’s total vineyard area. A small section of the AVA even extends into northern Oregon!
Because of its size, it is necessarily divided into several distinctive sub-AVAs, including Walla Walla Valley and Yakima Valley—which are both further split into smaller, noteworthy appellations. A region this size will of course have varied microclimates, but on the whole it experiences extreme winters and long, hot, dry summers. Frost is a common risk during winter and spring. The towering Cascade mountain range creates a rain shadow, keeping the valley relatively rain-free throughout the entire year, necessitating irrigation from the Columbia River. The lack of humidity combined with sandy soils allows for vines to be grown on their own rootstock, as phylloxera is not a serious concern.
Red wines make up the majority of production in the Columbia Valley. Cabernet Sauvignon is the dominant variety here, where it produces wines with a pleasant balance of dark fruit and herbs. Wines made from Merlot are typically supple, with sweet red fruit and sometimes a hint of chocolate or mint. Syrah tends to be savory and Old-World-leaning, with a wide range of possible fruit flavors and plenty of spice. The most planted white varieties are Chardonnay and Riesling. These range in style from citrus and green apple dominant in cooler sites, to riper, fleshier wines with stone fruit flavors coming from the warmer vineyards.