A look back at 2013 in Washington wine

Today, as we end 2013, we take a look back at the year that was in Washington wine.

2013 was a year of some tectonic changes in Washington. Perhaps the most significant of these was the arrival of two Napa Valley wineries in the state, Duckhorn and Cakebread. Both will be launching Washington-based brands, called Canvasback and Mullan Road respectively. Notably, Duckhorn also recently purchased a 20-acre vineyard on Red Mountain, indicating that they are here to stay. The influx of California wineries – something that had already begun last year with the arrival of Gallo and Trinchero – only looks to continue in the coming years.

The purchase by Canadian-based Aquilini Properties of 670-acres of land on Red Mountain also bears close watching. While not all of this land is arable, if it were, it would amount to more than half of the currently planted acreage on this tiny appellation, Washington’s smallest at 4,040 total acres. What the Acquilinis do with this property will have a major impact on Red Mountain’s future.

Washington continued to show strong growth in 2013, bonding its 800^th winery and harvesting a record grape crop expected to be in excess of 200,000 tons. 2013’s harvest was very much a tale of two harvests, with warm weather throughout the growing season followed by a mid-September cool down and below average temperatures (read a full series of harvest reports here). 2013 also saw the Yakima Valley celebrate its 30^th anniversary (Note: opens .pdf),with Columbia Valley and Walla Walla Valley poised to do the same in 2014.

Finally, on a more somber note, this year also saw the passing of several Washington wine champions, including Mike Dunham of Dunham Cellars and Ken Lewis of Lewis Vineyard. It also saw several wineries, such as Piety Flats, close their doors.

Read a complete look at 2013’s Washington wine trends and what to expect in 2014 in my article in Washington Tasting Room Magazine. You can read this article on-line here.

That’s all from me for 2013. As always, I want to thank everyone for reading this year. I am sincerely grateful. I’ll be taking a short vacation the first two weeks of 2014. Look for regular postings to resume in mid-January. Happy New Year everyone!

The Best of Washington Wine Report 2013

As we get ready to wind down the year, today we take a look at a baker's dozen of the most read articles in this space in 2013.
I excluded several announcement posts, including my acceptance of a contributing editor position at Wine Enthusiast, the release of the 2013 Washington Wine Tour Guide, and my Washington Tasting Room Magazine article on 'The Rocks'. I also didn't include in the list a handful of straight review posts, although I provided links to them below and also ordered them where they fell. Those caveats aside, here you go: The Best of Washington Wine Report 2013.

Enjoy!

1.     The Most Important Thing in the Tasting Room Isn’t Always The Wine

2.     Proposed ‘The Rocks of Milton-Freewater’ AVA Focuses on Terroir

3.     Bloomberg Bloviates About A Few Washington Wines, Little Else

4.     JM Cellars Moves Toward Screwcap On High-end Wines

5.     The Californians Are Coming! The Californians Are Coming! Part II – What Duckhorn’s Arrival Means for Washington Wine

6.     How Two Wines Changed the Way I Think About Cork Taint

Fresh Sheet February 26th 2013

Fresh Sheet May 9th 2013

Five Wines Under $15 – April 2013

7.     Are Washington Wines Ageworthy? Let Lawrelin Cellars Be Your Guide

8.     Star Somm Rajat Parr Talks Millennials, MakingWine Less Intimidating

Fresh Sheet February 5th 2013

9.     The Extraordinary Wines of Lauren Ashton Cellars

10.  Lessons Learned from Tasting 600+ Washington Wines

11. When Wine Writers Are Wrong

12.  Six Steps to Starting a Wine Tasting Group

13.  Wild Weather Rolls Through Washington During Harvest

Tonight! December Virtual Tasting - Treveri Cellars Brut Sparkling Wine NV

The December Virtual Tasting is tonight! The wine is the Treveri Cellars Brut Blanc de Blanc Sparkling Wine NV. This wine retails for $14 and is fairly widely available. The tasting will take place from 7-8pm Pacific tonight, December 30th.

What you need to do to participate is:

1. Buy this month’s wine from a local retailer or from the winery.

2. Tweet your comments about the wine on Twitter between 7 and 8pm Pacific on the specified date using the hashtag #treveri For those on Twitter, follow me @wawinereport.

Fresh Sheet December 29th 2013

Today’s Fresh Sheet – new and recent releases – includes wines from the Willamette Valley from Archery Summit, Sineann, Erath, Stoller Family Estate, Spindrift Cellars, Lumos Wine Co., Hawks View Cellars, Duck Pond Cellars, and Panther Creek Cellars.

Archery Summit

Archery Summit, located in Dayton, Oregon, celebrated its 20^th anniversary in 2013. The winery focuses on six estate vineyards: Archery Summit, Red Hills, Arcus, Renegade Ridge, Looney, and Archer’s Edge. These sites are based largely in the Dundee Hills, with Looney Vineyard located in the Ribbon Ridge appellation. The Archer’s Edge Pinot Noir, reviewed below, is the winery’s first from this vineyard.

Also of note, earlier this year Archery Summit hired Christopher Mazepink as general manager and winemaker. Mazepink replaced long-time winemaker Anna Matzinger.

Archery Summit Ab Ovo Pinot Gris Dundee Hills 2012 $48
(Excellent/Exceptional) Ab Ovo – from the egg – with a good portion fermented in an egg-shaped concrete tank, is lightly aromatic with notes of toast, straw, melon, and mineral. The palate is full bodied, rich, textured, and rounded with distinctive lemon curd flavors and a pleasing zing of acidity that stitches it all together. 100% Pinot Gris. Red Hills Estate. Aged 11 months in concrete egg (61%), stainless steel barrels (27%), and 12% neutral oak. 13.5% alcohol. Sample provided by winery.

Archery Summit Premier Cuvee Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2011 $54
(Excellent) Leaps up from the glass with strawberry, cherry, freshly pressed white and pink grapefruit, celery root, and cedar. The palate is all about elegance and delicacy in its styling with lithe fruit flavors and beautifully integrated tannins that should allow this wine age nicely in the cellar. 100% Pinot Noir. Arcus (50%), Red Hills (20%), Archer’s Edge (15%), Looney (7%), Renegade (5%) and Archery Summit vineyards. Aged 10 months in French oak (33% new). 13.0% alcohol. Sample provided by winery.

Archery Summit Pinot Noir Archer’s Edge Estate Dundee Hills 2011 $85
(Excellent) A moderately aromatic wine with sarsaparilla, mesquite, cherry, thyme, citrus peel, and earth. The palate is graceful in feel while showing depth to the juicy fruit flavors along with tightly wound, chewy tannins that lead to a lingering finish. Give two years. 100% Pinot Noir (Dijon 667, 777, 115 and Pommard). Aged 10 months in French oak (22% new). 13.5% alcohol. Sample provided by winery.

Archery Summit Pinot Noir Arcus Estate Dundee Hills 2011 $100
(Exceptional) A moderately aromatic wine with dark plums, abundant black licorice, thyme, cola, and sweet spices. The palate is medium-plus bodied, tart and tightly wound at present with firm, black tea tannins. Designed to go the distance and still deep inside its shell. Give at least two years. 100% Pinot Noir (Pommard, Dijon 667). Aged 12 months in French oak (44% new). 13.5% alcohol. Sample provided by winery.

Archery Summit Pinot Noir Red Hills Estate Dundee Hills 2011$85
(Good/Excellent) A moderately aromatic wine with black cherry, earth, a light meaty note, and toasty spices. The palate is rich, dense and sumptuous with the oak providing much of the flavor and feel and seeming to give some rusticity to the tannins. Give two years. 100% Pinot Noir (Dijon clones 777, 115, 667 and Pommard). Aged 13 months in French oak (52% new). 13.5% alcohol. Sample provided by winery.

Archery Summit Pinot Noir Renegade Ridge Estate Dundee Hills 2011 $85
 (Excellent/Exceptional) A moderately aromatic, complex wine with cola, cinnamon stick, red and black fruit, incense, bay leaf, black licorice, and sweet spices. The palate is rich and full but without excess alcohol to weigh it down with chewy, somewhat wood-driven tannins and mouthwatering acids leading to an extended, mocha-filled finish. Give this one some time in the cellar to see it at its best. 100% Pinot Noir (Dijon 777, 667, ASW2). Aged 10 months in French oak (48% new). 13.5% alcohol. Sample provided by winery.

Archery Summit Pinot Noir Looney Vineyard Ribbon Ridge 2011 $85
 (Good/Excellent) A moderately aromatic, stylistically unique wine with notes of wild strawberry, guava, red and black licorice, and mocha. The palate is tart and tightly wound with quite chewy, lip smacking tannins and bright, mouthwatering acidity. 100% Pinot Noir (Dijon 115, 777, 667). Aged 10 months in French oak (35% new). 13.5% alcohol. Sample provided by winery.

Archery Summit Pinot Noir Archery Summit Estate Dundee Hills 2011 $150
(Excellent/Exceptional) An aromatically brooding wine with smoke, toast, cedar, cherry, and sarsaparilla. The palate is equal parts layered and dense with an ethereal lightness backed by fine grained tannins that are still tightly wound. Give two-plus years. 13.5% alcohol. Sample provided by winery.


Sineann

Sineann is the work of winemaker Peter Rosback. Rosback launched the winery in 1994 with David O’Rielly, who later went on to start Owen Roe. At Sineann, Rosback makes an eclectic mixture of wines that span the Willamette Valley, Washington, and even venture into New Zealand.

Sineann Gewürztraminer Resonance Vineyard Yamhill-Carlton 2012 $20
(Good) An aromatic wine with lychee, mineral notes, spice, and floral soap. The palate is medium bodied, unctuous in feel drinking off dry with a creamy feel and a slightly bitter finish. 13.4% alcohol. Sample provided by winery.

Sineann Pinot Noir Resonance Vineyard Yamhill-Carlton 2011 $48
(Excellent) A moderately aromatic wine with notes of smoke, spice, tar, chocolate and dark cherry. The palate is tart and medium-plus bodied with abundant mesquite, cherry, and cedar flavors supported by black tea tannins andmouthwatering acidity that lead to a spice filled finish. 100% Pinot Noir. 13.8% alcohol. 475 cases produced. Sample provided by winery.

Sineann Pinot Noir Resonance Vineyard Reserve Yamhill- Carlton 2011 $72
(Excellent/Exceptional) A two barrel selection from the oldest vines in the vineyard that came in at a mere one ton per acre in 2011, it’s more aromatically restrained and brooding than its non-reserve counterpart with notes of dark cherries, chocolate, smoke, mesquite, and spice. The palate is medium-plus bodied, somewhat more plump in feel, with a firm squeeze of oak-driven tannins and a finish that just doesn’t quit. 100% Pinot Noir. 13.8% alcohol. 50 cases produced. Sample provided by winery.

Sineann Cabernet Sauvignon Champoux Vineyard Columbia Valley 2011 $48
(Good) Moderately aromatic with high toned sweet spices, chocolate, dried cherry, and mortared herbs accented by a light volatility. The palate is soft and seamless in feel with abundant cherry and medicinal flavors. Sample provided by winery.

Sineann Sweet Sydney Zinfandel Columbia Valley 2012 $NA
(Good) Harvested at 38% Residual Sugar, this light amber Zinfandel ice wine is uber aromatic with freshly peeled tangerine, honey, and candied strawberry.The palate is elegant in style, sweet and fruit filled, gliding on the finish. It’s all about delicacy and nuance. Sample provided by winery.


Erath

The latest releases from Erath show across the board high quality for the price. They include an incredibly appealing – and well priced – bottle of the fairly seldom seen Pinot Blanc, a white wine grape that is a point mutation of Pinot Noir. For this wine, winemaker Gary Horner sources fruit from Yamhill-Carlton, Dundee Hills, and Rogue Valley. Read previous posts about Erath here.

Erath Pinot Gris Oregon 2012 $14
(Good) A fairly aromatic offering with notes of the underside of a pineapple, kiwi, white flowers, citrus, and melon. With no oak use and no malolactic fermentation, the palate is medium bodied, off-dry with ripe, fresh fruit flavors and tart acidity and a slightly warm finish. 0.44g/100ml Residual Sugar. 13.5% alcohol. 30,920 cases produced. Sample provided by winery. Recommended

Erath Pinot Blanc Oregon 2012 $14
(Excellent) A lightly aromatic wine initially that opens to reveal with an assortment of tropical fruit, including kiwi and pineapple, along with honeysuckle and citrus spritz. The palate is medium bodied and drinks almost bone dry with citrus and melon flavors. Neiderberger, Quail Run, and Winkler vineyards. 13.5% alcohol. 0.08g/100ml Residual Sugar. 2,000 cases produced. Sample provided by winery. Reviewed October 31, 2013

Erath Pinot Noir Oregon 2011 $19
(Good) A moderately aromatic, appealing wine with herbs, mint, strawberry, cola, and moss. The palate is quite light and elegant in style with cherry, mesquite, and peppery spice flavors. A very pretty wine that is deserving of a spot at the dinner table. 100% Pinot Noir. Aged in French oak (25% new). 13.0% alcohol. 100,600 cases produced. Sample provided by winery. Recommended

Erath Estate Selection Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2011 $34
(Good/Excellent) A lightly aromatic wine with vanilla, cherry, strawberry, and spices. The palate is elegant in style showing a classic fruit and barrel style with spice and vanilla notes that linger on the finish. A lot of good things going on here with the wood just a bit out of proportion to the fruit that’s in the bottle. 100% Pinot Noir. Aged 12 months in French oak (40% new). 12.5% alcohol. 1,743 cases produced. Sample provided by winery.


Stoller Family Estate

I wrote recently about the intriguing Rieslings coming out of Oregon. Stoller Family Estate provides yet another example with its 2012 Dundee Hills Estate Riesling. The numbers on this wine demonstrate some of the differences between Oregon and Washington when it comes to this grape. The wine comes in at 4.1g/L Residual Sugar yet retains 8.6g/L Titratable Acidity (TA), making the wine drink dry. This would be hard to pull of in many locations in Washington yet is less so in Oregon, even during the relatively warm, dry 2012 growing season.

Read previous posts about Stoller here.

Stoller Family Estate Riesling Estate Exclusive Dundee Hills 2012 $25
 (Excellent) An aromatically generous wine with white peach, lavender, and citrus. Despite the listed Residual Sugar, the palate drinks dry, painting around the edges with bright, tart acidity that pulls it all together. 100% Riesling. 11.6% alcohol. 4.1g/L Residual Sugar. 8.6g/L TA. 190 cases produced. Sample provided by winery.

Stoller Family Estate Estate Grown Chardonnay Dundee Hills 2012 $20
(Good) A lightly aromatic wine with spice, lemon zest, and white peach. The palate is medium-plus bodied but pulls back with tart lick of citric acidity and warm finish. 100% Chardonnay. 14.1% alcohol. 925 cases produced. Sample provided by winery.

Stoller Family Estate Estate Grown Reserve Chardonnay Dundee Hills 2011 $35
 (Good/Excellent) Draws you into the glass with light notes of mineral and spice. The palate is tart with lemony acidity that stretches out on the finish. 100% Chardonnay. 13% alcohol. 685 cases produced. Sample provided by winery.


Spindrift Cellars

Spindrift Cellars is located in Philomath, Oregon just west of Corvalis. Matthew Compton serves as winemaker. Spindrift consistently makes quality Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir at affordable prices as indicated by the wines below.

Spindrift Cellars Pinot Gris Willamette Valley 2011 $16
(Excellent) Moderately aromatic with apple, peach, and mineral notes. It’s dry and medium plus bodied with a textured, grainy feel and a tart, citrus filled finish. A thoroughly delicious wine. Fermented and aged in stainless steel. 100% Pinot Gris. 13% alcohol. 0.3% Residual Sugar. 600 cases produced. Sample provided by winery.

Spindrift Cellars Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2011 $22
(Good) Lightly aromatic with strawberry, cherry, cedar, and earth. The palate has light, soft fruit flavors and firm tannins. A very varietal, very enjoyable wine. 100% Pinot Noir. Croft, Esterling, BoVine, Rainbows End, Mary’s Peak, and Deer Haven vineyards. Aged in French oak (15% new). 12.75% alcohol. 1,244 cases produced. Sample provided by winery.


Lumos Wine Co. 

Lumos Wine Co. is also located in Philomath, Oregon. The winery was founded in 2000 by Dai Crisp and his wife, PK McCoy. Crisp grows all of the fruit that goes into the Lumos wines and has been managing Temperance Hill in the Eola-Amity Hills since 1999.

Lumos Pinot Gris Rudolfo Vineyard Oregon 2011 $17
 (Decent/Good) Moderately aromatic with yellow apple, citrus, and mineral. It’s medium bodied with a touch of sugar, light fruit flavors, and abundant mineral notes with a tart finish. 12.6% alcohol. Sample provided by winery.

Lumos Pinot Noir Temperance Hill Vineyard Oregon 2008 $32
(Excellent) Moderately aromatic with cedar, cherry and fresh herbs. Brings a lot of intensity, depth, and richness on the palate with a real sense of texture while still retaining its cranberry like acidity. Not a faint bottle of Pinot but far from overblown. 13.6% alcohol. 688 cases produced. Sample provided by winery.


Onesies

Hawks View Cellars Pinot Gris Hawk’s View Vineyard Chehalem Mountains 2011 $26
(Excellent) Lightly aromatic with apple and peach. It’s dry, medium-plus bodied and textured with a lingering finish. 13.1% alcohol. 500 cases produced. Sample provided by winery.

Duck Pond Rose of Pinot Gris Willamette Valley 2012 $18
(Decent/Good) Pale salmon color. It’s moderately aromatic with watermelon, apple, and cherry. The palate is medium bodied and off dry with strawberry flavors. 91.5% Pinot Gris, 8.5% Pinot Noir. Fermented and aged in stainless steel. 0.95g/100ml Residual Sugar. 500 cases produced. Sample provided by winery.

Panther Creek Cellars Pinot Noir Shea Vineyard Yamhill-Carlton 2009 $45
(Decent/Good) A moderately aromatic wine with cinnamon, red fruit, and a slightly funky note. It’s broad in style, richly flavored, palate coating with a warm feel that carries through to the finish. 14.3% alcohol. Sample provided by winery.

Twenty-one Sparkling Wines to Ring in the New Year

Here at Washington Wine Report we like to drink sparkling wines year round and encourage you to do the same. As I am fond of saying, you wouldn’t just drink Cabernet Sauvignon on one day a year, would you? Why should sparkling wines be any different? These wines aren’t just wines for special occasions, they are wines for every occasion. Moreover, there are sparkling wines out there priced to fit most every budget. So if you are not already, make your resolution in 2014 to drink more sparkling wine. It should be one resolution that’s easy to keep!

For those looking to stick to the Pacific Northwest, consider the wines reviewed below from Syncline, Treveri Cellars, and Michelle. The Syncline Brut Rosé in particular is a standout. A blend of Pinot Noir (58%) and Chardonnay from Celilo Vineyard, it’s a fascinating sparkler with a warmer climate fruit profile than often seen from Celilo Vineyard with notes of passion fruit and strawberry. As sweet as the aromas are, the palate is dry with a supremely long finish.

Whatever you drink this New Year’s eve, have a great end to 2013 and start to 2014. Happy New Year!

Henriot Brut Rosé Champagne NV $70
 (Excellent/Exceptional) A beguiling wine with aromas of brioche, fresh baked bread, strawberry and toast. It’s lighter in style, elegant with mouthwatering acidity and a beautiful sense of balance.

Laurent Perrier Brut Champagne 2007 $70
 (Excellent/Exceptional) A moderately aromatic wine with graphite, gun smoke, spice, and citrus. The palate brings a complex medley of flavors with a long finish.

Laurent Perrier Brut Rosé Champagne $100
 (Excellent/Exceptional) A light copper color, it brings abundant spice, strawberry, and mineral notes. The palate has intensely focused fruit flavors. Lingers on the finish.

Louis Roederer Brut Rosé Champagne 2007 $78
 (Excellent/Exceptional) A moderately aromatic wine with strawberry, berry, and autolytic notes. The palate is deliciously rich with tart, focused fruit flavors.

Syncline Scintillation Brut Rosé Celilo Vineyard Columbia Gorge NV $30
Light copper colored, it leaps up from the glass with passion fruit, guava and strawberry. The palate drinks bone dry with abundant brioche flavors and a hyperextended finish. A hugely impressive wine that shows beautiful sense of balance. 12% alcohol. (Wine Enthusiast review to be published in an upcoming issue).

Heidsieck & Co Monopole Blue Top Brut Champagne NV $35
 (Excellent) Brings some nice aromatic complexity with pear, a light nuttiness, and abundant spice. The palate is light, creamy and tart with a lingering, spice filled finish.

Pierre Gimonnet & Fils 1er Cru Brut Blanc de Blancs Cuvee Cuis Champagne NV $52
 (Excellent) An aromatically appealing wine with brioche, spice, and lemon. The palate is lighter in style, nuanced, and flavorful.

Roederer Estate Brut Rosé Anderson Valley NV $28
 (Excellent) Beautifully aromatic with toasty spices, freshly baked bread, and citrus. The palate is lighter in style but well focused with a lingering finish.

Scharffenberger Brut Excellence Mendocino County $20
(Excellent) Aptly named, this excellent, well priced sparkler brings abundant notes of brioche, apple, and creamy spices. It’s tart with abundant spice flavors.

Louis Roederer Brut Premier Champagne NV $49
 (Excellent) Aromatically reserved with nutty spices and toast. The palate is tart with lemony flavors and a lingering finish.

Roederer Estate Brut Anderson Valley NV $23
 (Good/Excellent) A very pretty aroma profile speckled with oak spices and lemon curd. The palate is lighter in style, fruit filled with abundant barrel spices.

Treveri Cellars Extra Brut Blanc de Blanc Sparkling Wine Columbia Valley NV $14
(Good/Excellent) A moderately aromatic wine with grapeskins, pear, lemon rind and spice. The palate drinks dry with a fine grained, lively mousse and a clean, grapefruit filled finish. A very enjoyable, lively offering at a superb price. 100% Chardonnay. 12.0% alcohol. 2g/L Residual Sugar. Sample provided by winery. Reviewed December 26, 2013

Treveri Cellars Gewürztraminer Demi-Sec Sparkling Wine Method Champenoise Columbia Valley NV $17
 (Good/Excellent) An aromatically expressive wine with lychee, pineapple, and candied ginger. The palate is full of spicy fruit flavors that linger on the finish. A perfect aperitif. 100% Gewurztraminer. 12.0% alcohol. 35g/L Residual Sugar.

Laurent Perrier Brut Champagne NV $40
(Good) Lightly aromatic with spice and mineral. The palate is medium bodied with tart fruit flavors.

Pacific Rim White Flowers Brut Sparkling Riesling Cuvee Special Columbia Valley NV $16
(Good) An aromatic wine with guava, pineapple, and yeast notes. The palate is dry in style with a lively mousse. 12.5% alcohol. Sample provided by winery. Reviewed November 30, 2013

Scharffenberger Brut Rosé Excellence Mendocino County $20
 (Good) A moderately aromatic wine with strawberry, cream, and spice. It’s tart and fresh with lemony acidity. Recommended

Treveri Cellars Sec Rosé Sparkling Wine Method Champenoise Columbia Valley NV $18
 (Good) A pretty pale strawberry color with notes of petroleum jelly, grape skins, brioche and strawberry. The palate has lively strawberry flavors and a fine grained mousse. Chardonnay and Syrah. 12% alcohol. 15g/L Residual Sugar.

Michelle Brut Rosé Sparkling Wine Columbia Valley NV $14
(Good)A very pretty pale salmon color, this is an exuberantly aromatic wine with pomegranate, raspberries, and spice. The palate has tart, dry fruit flavors finishing a bit short. 93% Pinot Noir, 7% Pinot Meunier. 11.5% alcohol. 15,000 cases produced. Recommended Reviewed November 26 2013

Treveri Cellars Brut Blanc de Blanc Sparkling Wine Columbia Valley NV $14
(Good) Aromatically linked to its Extra Brut counterpart with grapeskins, pear, and spice. The mousse is coarser grained here which enhances the impression of some additional sweetness to the palate. 12.0% alcohol. 100% Chardonnay. 12% alcohol. 14 g/L Residual Sugar. Sample provided by winery. Recommended Reviewed December 26, 2013

Michelle Brut Sparkling Wine Columbia Valley NV $14
 (Decent)A moderately aromatic wine with abundant pear, tropical notes, and spice. The palate is a straightforward, easy drinker without some of the acidic lift of some recent bottlings. 63% Chardonnay, 19% Pinot Noir, 18% Pinot Gris. 11.5% alcohol. 1.28g/100ml Residual Sugar. 175,000 cases produced. Sample provided by winery. Reviewed November 29, 2013

Michelle Extra Dry Sparkling Wine Columbia Valley NV $14
 (Decent)Moderately aromatic with abundant tropical fruit notes and spice. The palate is off-dry, lacking some of the acidic lift of recent vintages. 63% Chardonnay, 19% Pinot Noir, 18% Pinot Gris. 11.0% alcohol. 2.18g/100ml Residual Sugar. 25,000 cases produced. Sample provided by winery. Reviewed November 29, 2013