Time flies when you're drinking good wines, especially the Rieslings of Ernst ("Ernie") Loosen and Chateau Ste. Michelle's Bob Bertheau - whether those are made independently or together. Ernie is from Germany's Mosel region while Bob is an Idaho transplant to Washington State. (NB: Bertheau left Chateau Ste. Michelle in early 2021.) This Old World-meets-New World collaboration is called Eroica, and with the 2018 vintage, Eroica celebrated the 20th anniversary of its first release. While compelling on release, these wines always age well, as seen here by the 2011.
Read MoreThe labels and the brand material for Luke, created by husband-and-wife team Thomas and Kristin Vogele look like something fit for a Western flick: a lone, perhaps forlorn, man on dusty, desert terrain. Cleverly, "The Companion" label, is not only a red blend but also includes a dog striding beside him. There is good value here, and there is a lot to like in these muscular, Wahluke Slope wines.
Read MoreWashington winemaker Juan Muñoz-Oca takes wine craftsmanship to a zany new place with these two wines under the premise that the environment affects winemaking like it does street art. As it is true that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so it is also in the glass of the imbiber.
Read MoreWinemakers often feel the need to stretch their boundaries. While I’ve heard of a number of Sonoma Pinot Noir makers heading to Oregon for fruit, I’ve not heard similar stories about Napa-ites reaching north. Until now. It turns out that in 2012, Dennis Cakebread ushured in a new era for his wildly successful family business.
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