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Fine Wine

By Carl Bennett

Copyright © 2007-2008 by Carl Bennett. All Rights Reserved.

Although we have been sampling fine wine since the renown 1994 Washington vintage, only recently have we begun keeping notes on the wines we love (and those we revile).

Without getting too snooty, the ratings are a simple one through five system rather than the 100 point system commonly used in wine magazines. After all, we know what we like and that’s what really counts. A three is an average ‘drinker,’ reasonably priced and reasonably good. A rating of five is not given frivolously, and means we think the wine is worth nearly any price.

Year Winery Varietal Region Vineyard City State Rating
2004 DeLille Cellars D2
(Cabernet Sauvignon [45%], Merlot [41%], Cabernet Franc [12%], Petit Verdot [2%])		 Columbia Valley Red Mountain (60%), other vineyards Woodinville Washington ••••
 
2004 Fidélitas Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley Champoux (39%), Stillwater Creek (29%), Conner-Lee (13%), Milbrandt-Katherine Leone (13%), Red Mountain (6%) Benton City Washington ••••
 
2004 Gordon Brothers Family Vineyards Chardonnay Columbia Valley Gordon Brothers Pasco Washington •••
 
2004 Lone Canary
Winery		 Merlot Columbia Valley unknown Spokane Washington ••
 
2004 Rock Meadow Winery Mustang Merlot unknown unknown unknown Washington •
 
2004 Walla Walla Vintners Cabernet Franc Columbia Valley unknown Walla Walla Washington ••
 
2004 Walla Walla Vintners Cuvée Columbia Valley unknown Walla Walla Washington •••
 
2003 Chateau Faire Le Pont Pinot Gris Chelan unknown Wenatchee Washington •••
 
2003 Cowan Vineyards Merlot Yakima Valley unknown Grandview Washington ••
 
2003 Hoodsport Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley unknown Zillah Washington ••
 
2003 Kestrel Vintners Merlot Yakima Valley unknown Prosser Washington •••
 
2003 Latah Creek
Wine Cellars		 Cabernet Sauvignon Spokane Wahluke Slope Spokane Washington •
 
2003 Seven Hills Winery Merlot Walla Walla Valley Seven Hills Walla Walla Washington ••••
 
2003 Tsillan Cellars Merlot Columbia Valley unknown Chelan Washington •••
 
2003 Walla Walla Vintners Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley unknown Walla Walla Washington ••••
 
2003 Woodward Canyon Winery Merlot Columbia Valley unknown Lowden Washington ••••
 
– Stemilt Creek Winery Stemilt Hill Red Chelan unknown Wenatchee Washington ••
 
2002 Gordon Brothers Family Vineyards Syrah Columbia Valley Gordon Brothers Pasco Washington •••
 
2002 Kiona Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Yakima Valley Red Mountain Benton City Washington ••••
 
2002 Latah Creek
Wine Cellars		 Merlot Spokane Wahluke Slope Spokane Washington ••
 
2002 Stoller Vineyards Estate Pinot Noir Willamette Valley unknown Dayton Oregon ••••
 
2002 Terra Blanca Vintners Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley Red Mountain Benton City Washington ••••
 
2002 Terra Blanca Vintners Malbec Yakima Valley unknown Benton City Washington •••
 
2001 Bella Vida Vineyard Pinot Noir (first bottling) Willamette
Valley		 Bella Pente Dundee Oregon ••
 
2001 Terra Blanca Vintners Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Columbia Valley Red Mountain Benton City Washington ••••
 
2001 Terra Blanca Vintners Syrah Columbia Valley Red Mountain Benton City Washington •••
 
2000 SilverLake Winery Grand Reserve Claret Columbia Valley Roza Hills Zillah Washington •••
 
1995 Glen Ellen Winery Proprietor’s Reserve Chardonnay Sonoma Valley unknown Glen Ellen California •••
 
1994 Washington Hills Varietal Select Merlot unknown unknown unknown Washington •••
 
1994 Snoqualmie Fumé Blanc unknown unknown unknown Washington •••
 
1994 Sasseto Montepulciano d’Abruzzo unknown unknown unknown Italy ••
 
1994 Duca Leonardo Montepulciano d’Abruzzo unknown unknown unknown Italy ••
 
1994 Cantine Mezza Corona Pinot Griggio unknown unknown unknown Italy ••
 
1994 Vendange Pinot Noir unknown unknown unknown California •
 
1994 Ravenswood Zinfandel unknown unknown unknown California ••••
 
1993 Adelshiem Pinot Noir Willamette Valley unknown Dundee Washington ••••
 
1993 Eveshamwood Pinot Noir Willamette Valley unknown Salem Oregon •••
 
1993 Morgon M. Lapierre Red unknown unknown unknown France ••••
 
1993 Woodbridge Sauvignon Blanc unknown unknown unknown California •••
 
1993 Washington Hills Chenin Blanc unknown unknown unknown Washington ••
 
1993 Paul Thomas Merlot unknown unknown unknown Washington ••
 
1993 Knudsen Erath Pinot Noir Willamette Valley unknown Dundee Oregon ••••
 
1993 Georges Duboeuf Syrah unknown unknown unknown France •
 
1993 Napa Ridge Winery Cabernet Sauvignon unknown unknown unknown California ••
 
1993 Chalk Hill Chardonay unknown unknown unknown California •••
 
1993 Rosemount Estate Merlot unknown unknown unknown Australia •••
 
1992 A. Clape Le Vin des amis Côtes du Rhône unknown Cornas France ••••
 
1992 Washington Hills Fumé Blanc unknown unknown unknown Washington •••
 
1992 Hyatt Merlot unknown unknown unknown Washington ••••
 
1992 Chateau
Ste Michelle		 Cabernet Sauvignon unknown unknown Woodinville Washington ••••
 
1992 Oak Knoll Pinot Gris unknown unknown unknown Oregon •
 
1992 Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Gris unknown unknown unknown Oregon •••
 
1992 Santa Rita Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon unknown unknown unknown Chile •
 
1992 Ravenswood Zinfandel unknown unknown unknown California ••••
 
1992 Laurel Glen
‘Terra Rosa’		 Cabernet Sauvignon unknown unknown unknown California ••
 
1992 Kendall-Jackson Vintners Reserve
Cabernet Sauvignon		 unknown unknown unknown California ••••
 
1991 Etude Pinot Noir unknown unknown unknown California •••
 
1991 Paul Thomas Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon unknown unknown unknown Washington ••••
 
1991 Avia Merlot unknown unknown unknown Slovenia ••
 
1991 Ravenswood Merlot unknown unknown unknown California •••
 
1990 Columbia Crest Barrel Select Merlot unknown unknown unknown Washington •••
 
1990 Columbia Crest Barrel Select Cabernet Sauvignon unknown unknown unknown Washington •••
 
1990 Knudsen Erath Pinot Noir Willamette Valley unknown Dundee Oregon ••••
 
1990 Bridgeview Vineyards Pinot Noir Willamette Valley unknown unknown Oregon ••
 
1990 Beringer Zinfandel unknown unknown unknown California •
 
1990 Temple Bruer Shiraz-Malbec unknown unknown unknown Australia ••
 
1987 Alexander Valley Library Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon unknown unknown unknown California ••
 
1985 Castello di
Gabbiano		 Ania Red unknown unknown unknown Italy •••

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