Taste Washington is coming up with a series of events March 13^th through 17^th. I’ll highlight some of them here.

Saturday the 15^th starts off with The Seminars from 10:30-12 at the King Street Ballroom. I’ve had the privilege of assisting the Washington Wine Commission with developing these seminars since 2013, and it’s a great lineup this year. The seminars include:

King Cabernet: A Historic Tasting of Washington’s Finest (moderated by Bob Betz, MW)

Northern Brights: Redefining Washington White Wines (moderated by Leslie Sbrocco)

Icons and Innovators: The Wines That Defined Washington (moderated by Chris Tanghe, MS)

The lineup of panelists and wines is exceptional. Full details here.

The Grand Tasting at Taste Washington takes place Saturday the 15^th and Sunday the 16^th. It will feature 200+ wineries – almost one in every five in the state – and 75+ restaurants.

Below, I have selected 20 wines to seek out at the Grand Tasting. These are based on my recent tastings, although some wines listed I have not tried yet as they haven’t been released. Note that, in some cases, wineries did not provide information about the specific vintage they will be pouring. I have made my best guess based on my tastings.

For those attending, remember, Taste Washington is a tasting event. It is not a drinking event. For maximum enjoyment, use the spit and dump buckets liberally. I also strongly recommend taking public transportation or rideshare services to the event, as alcohol accumulates even when spitting.

Enjoy and be safe!

Amos Rome 2023 Estate Sandstone Grüner Veltliner Lake Chelan
Chelan’s Amos Rome Vineyards is making some of the best white wines in Washington, full stop. As the name would indicate, this one was aged in a sandstone jarre and will be released in the spring.

AniChe 2023 Hecate’s Key Estate Vineyard The Devil Estate Bottled Grüner Veltliner Columbia Gorge
That’s right, I’ve just recommended two successive Washington Gruner Veltliners. Strange days indeed! This wine brings appealing textural richness, plus the variety’s lively acidity.

Betz Family 2022 Clos de Betz Columbia Valley
The 2022 Betz Clos de Betz is one of the best that the winery has made to date. That is saying something.

Cadence 2021 Cara Mia Vineyard Bel Canto Red Mountain
Cabernet Franc is winemaker Ben Smith’s muse. Cara Mia Vineyard is his canvas.

Devison 2023 Evergreen Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc Ancient Lakes of Columbia Valley
Winemaker Peter Devison doesn’t just make the best Sauvignon Blanc in Washington, he makes some of the best Sauvignon Blanc in the country, with tart, lively acidity (too tart for some tastes, but if you love acid, this wine’s for you). Check out the Off the Table and Cabernet Sauvignon as well.

Devium 2022 French Creek Red Wine Yakima Valley
Keith Johnson, production winemaker at Sleight of Hand, is charting new territory with Devium. The winery’s French Creek red wine, a blend of Mourvèdre, Syrah, and Grenache Blanc, is a consistent standout.

Echolands 2022 Cabernet Franc Walla Walla Valley
Cabernet Franc doesn’t get anywhere near as much love as it should in Washington. Echolands, backed by MS/MW Doug Frost, is one of the wineries seeking to change that.

Elentone 2019 Shadowplay Rosé of Pinot Noir Columbia Gorge
Woodnville’s Elentone makes attention-getting sparklers. This offering from the Gorge is gorgeous. (See what I did there?)

Goose Ridge 2024 Revelation Rosé Goose Gap
Looking for your first taste of what 2024 vintage wines have to offer? This is it.

Gramercy 2021 Forgotten Hills Vineyard Syrah Walla Walla Valley
The Rocks District gets much of the attention for Rhône varieties in Walla Walla Valley, but there are other places in the valley that have stony soils. This is one of them.

Grosgrain 2023 Grosgrain Vineyard Ribolla Gialla Walla Walla Valley
Walla Walla Valley Ribolla Gialla. Need I say more? Upcoming release.

Hoquetus 2022 Amphora Cabernet Franc Walla Walla Valley
Hoquetus has a style all its own, fresh, lively, and flavorful. Here, we get a look at valley Franc aged in amphora.

Kevin White 2023 La Fraternité Yakima Valley
This is a first look at an upcoming release. As always with Kevin White, the emphasis is on fruit and purity.

Klipsun 2021 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Red Mountain
Klipsun has long been one of the most highly regarded vineyards on Red Mountain. This is a singular look at the site.

Le Doubblé Troubblé 2022 Pinot Noir Columbia Gorge
LDT Wine Co. offers a compelling lineup of wines. This is a (relatively) rare example of a Washington Pinot Noir, with the Gorge having a style all its own.

Long Shadows 2021 Feather Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley
The Feather is always superlative at Long Shadows. The 2021 vintage is as good as it gets.

Prospice 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla Valley
This wine is mostly Seven Hills and Southwind fruit. It shows Prospice’s emphasis on purity, sophistication, texture, and balance.

Saviah 2022 The Funk Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla Valley
Syrah and Grenache get most of the attention in the Rocks District. Saviah is one of the producers showing that, in the right hands, Cabernet Sauvignon can excel there too.

Syncline 2022 Gamay Columbia Gorge
The 2022 vintage perfectly aligned with Syncline’s style, and you see on that on this beautiful example of Gorge Gamay. It’s chock full of crunchy red fruit.

Trothe 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Horse Heaven Hills
Trothe is a young, luxury Cabernet Sauvignon-focused project with fruit coming from Andrews Vineyards. The early returns have been outrageously impressive.

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