Image copyright Richard Duval.

55+ wines reviewed below and in the database, including the latest from 10,000 Hours, Argyle, Brooks, Damsel, Goose Ridge, Gramercy, Holocene, Itä, Kind Stranger, Latta, Lucius, Pepper Bridge, Revelation by Goose Ridge, Starside, and TruthTeller.

One of the true strengths of the Pacific Northwest is the wide assortment of varieties that excel. In Washington, the top five varieties – Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Riesling, Merlot, and Syrah – make up the majority of production. Those varieties often get a lot of the glory.

However, I track over 100 varieties that are planted in the Columbia Valley and in western Washington. One can find excellent examples of many of them.

We find an assortment of them below. There are high quality examples of Mourvèdre, Malbec, Zinfandel, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Albariño, Picpoul, Roussanne, and Pinot Gris.

In Willamette Valley, Pinot Noir gets most of the attention, and deservedly so. However, as I have written before, what’s happened with Chardonnay in Willamette Valley over the last decade is the most exciting thing in American wine. We also see below an outrageously high quality Riesling coming from Willamette Valley.

I often think back to a panel I was on some years ago in Austin, Texas. Among the various wines poured was a Siegerrebe from Washington. “I’ve never had that variety before” a master sommelier said during the seminar. Here, it’s just a (relatively) common thing.

Bottom line, there’s an embarrassment of riches in the Pacific Northwest. It’s something we should all embrace and celebrate.

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At Northwest Wine Report, all scores come from blind tastings in varietal/style sets. Read more about this site’s process for rating and reviewing wines. See the Northwest Wine Report rating system and special designations. Read about how to interpret scores. See a list of recently reviewed producers.

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