Washington Wine of the Week – Selections for Winter, 2025

For the week of January 5, 2025: Tasting Room Magazine Best 75 Wines of the Year – As we dive it 2025, Tasting Room Magazine has just released its top Washington wines they tasted in 2024. They limited the selections to a single wine per winery to allow the broadest possible range of choices for consumers. It’s notable that of the 75 wineries on the list, nearly one-third, 24, came from those that entered wines in the Pacific Northwest Wine Competition over the past two years.

Personal favorites that made the list include the Hard Row to Hoe 2021 Burning Desire Estate Cabernet Franc, the Callan Cellars 2021 Boushay Vineyard Grenache, the Five Star Cellars 2017 Stellar, the Lagana Cellars 2019 Malbec, the Thurston Wolfe 2020 Conglomerate Cabernet Sauvignon, and the Hightower Cellars 2019 Red Mountain Reserve.

For wine enthusiasts planning to venture out to visit the state’s hundreds of wineries, Tasting Room Magazine is an invaluable reference for travel ideas, winemaker backstories, and wine recommendations. Complete information at washingtontastingroom.com.

For the week of December 29, 2024: Capital Call Vintners 2021 Windhorse Zinfandel – Zinfandel is one of those Washington varietals that sits quietly in the background and isn’t always easy to find. But with a little searching out, you can track down some truly delicious options produced by several of the state’s wineries including Thurston Wolfe, Forgeron Cellars, Martinez & Martinez, and this gem from Capital Call Vintners. Sourced from the Windhorse Vineyard in Washington’s Columbia Gorge AVA, it leads off with copious raspberry and blackberry aromas and flavors, followed by subtle touches of black peppercorn and cocoa nibs. An ultra-long finish carries a pleasant splash of acidity along with pliable tannins. The wine was aged 21 months in 25% new American oak, which contributes a nice, toasty quality to the finish as well.

For the week of December 22, 2024: The wines of Maison Bleue Winery – Everything on the current tasting room menu at Maison Bleue in Walla Walla is drinking absolutely beautifully. You will be hard-pressed to find wines of this caliber, top to bottom, that are practically flawless in every respect. The common thread is terrior-driven wines with understated fruit flavors, nicely integrated tannins, and a gorgeous, silky quality throughout. Some top recommendations: the 2023 Voltiguer Viognier, a Rocks District stunner, with voluptuous tropical and Bartlett pear fruit framed with a trace of minerality; both the Frontiere and Voyageur Syrahs (with pre-2020 vintages still available), and the 2021 Métis, a five varietal red wine blend sourced from the Walla Walla Valley. Be sure to ask for Tasting Room Manager Joe Solis, who will ensure you receive first-class service during your tasting room visit.