Washington’s Best Cabernets Show Consistency Over Time, While Syrahs Outpace the Field in Newer Vintages.
Rick Small bounds down a winding flight of stairs at his Woodward Canyon winery west of Walla Walla. He’s an energetic guy. Though he turns 70 next year, he often bicycles the 15 miles from his home in Walla Walla to the winery he founded in 1981 with his wife, Darcey.
Small pushes open a simple wooden door to reveal a wine cellar. The row upon row of well-stocked shelves would make any restaurant proud. The cellar holds older vintages of his own wines and also those of competitors in Washington.
A bottle of Woodward Canyon Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley 1987 stands on a lone table. “That,” Small beams when I notice it, “was the first Washington state wine to crack the Wine Spectator Top 10.”
Indeed, the wine, which sold for $35 a bottle on release in 1990, earned a 95-point rating. “One of the greatest Washington Cabs we’ve tasted,” proclaimed the official tasting note, which also predicted the wine should peak by 1995.
Back upstairs, Small pulls the cork and decants the Cabernet. Currant and plum aromatics fill the room. The wine is not just alive and kicking, it’s stunning—polished and supple, with gorgeous fruit, delivering layers of loamy earth, licorice, cedar and toast.
Small helped establish Washington as a region worth a serious wine drinker’s attention. He and Darcey were among a small roster of pioneers who founded wineries there in the late 1970's and early 1980's, including Leonetti Cellar and Quilceda Creek Vintners. Though 600 more have planted their flags in the Evergreen State since then, wines from these trailblazers continue to make savvy collectors salivate.
Denne historien er fra December 31, 2016-utgaven av Wine Spectator.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Denne historien er fra December 31, 2016-utgaven av Wine Spectator.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
New Zealand's Success Story - From small beginnings, the country's wines have ascended to global prominence
Since then, New Zealand has become one of the world’s most successful wine nations. Currently there are 102,000 acres planted, and 40 million cases were sold in 2023, according to the New Zealand Winegrowers. The tiny country produces less than 2% of the global wine supply, but it’s the world’s sixth-largest exporter of wine by value. Another thing that’s evolved? The image of corks no longer applies, as most vintners there eschew cork (only about 15% of the wines we review still use the closure).
Wine Is Healthiest Choice for Drinkers - Decades of research has linked light to moderate drinking, especially of wine, to a range of health benefits.
There’s also strong evidence that alcohol consumption raises the risk of certain cancers and that heavy drinking carries serious health risks. But the reasons why moderate drinking seems to be neutral or beneficial for some people and harmful for others remains a mystery.A new study sought to solve that puzzle. Looking at health and lifestyle information for a large population, the researchers found that while any alcohol posed risks for adults with existing health problems from poorer areas, healthy adults from wealthier areas suffered no additional risks from moderate drinking, and those who drink wine with food even enjoyed better health.
In Pursuit of the Perfect Crust
“Dough is always the hardest challenge for any home chef,” explains chef and restaurateur Tony Gemignani. “But it’s the foundation of any great pizza.”
SEAVEY VINEYARD
In Napa’s Conn Valley, a family-run winery marches to its own drum
CALIFORNIA RHONES Show Their Range
RECENT VINTAGES DELIVER EXCELLENT REDS AND WHITES IN AN ARRAY OF STYLES
Tuscany Comes of Age
Anchored by the 2021 vintage, Tuscan reds set a new standard of quality
The Absolute Best Places to Eat and Drink in America
PROFILES OF THE 63 WINE SPECTATOR GRAND AWARD WINNERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY TODAY, AS THE PROGRAM MARKS ITS 44TH YEAR
Events- A Grand Tour for Wine Spectator- a perfect day with an evening of outstanding wines.
A young couple in shorts and festival shirts sped into the ballroom of the New Orleans Marriott on a mission.
Big Wine Players Target Pinot Noir - Plenty of small winery owners are cashing out, either because they're looking to retire or they see selling as the best way to keep their label growing
Plenty of small winery owners are cashing out, either because they’re looking to retire or they see selling as the best way to keep their label growing
Restaurant Awards- Lazy Bear- Lazy Bear bills itself as a modern American dinner party. But it's so much more.
Lazy Bear bills itself as a modern American dinner party. But it’s so much more. This Mission District restaurant effortlessly strips away the formality of a multicourse dinner and replaces it with conviviality, nostalgia and curiosity. With reverence for time and place, Lazy Bear is an ode to California where guests dine in concert with the season and can explore diverse wines, including an impressive collection of older California vintages.
