As we go into the sixth month of the year, I want to share some observations and thoughts with you.

Coming Up: The January-June Compilation of Reviews

I am in the process of compiling a list of the wines reviewed during the first half of 2013. When the Review of Washington Wines was inaugurated in December of 2008, about 30 wines a month were reviewed. Then each issue grew to about 40 a month. Now, each issue has 50 or more. This is testimony to how much Washington wines have advanced in four and a half years. The six month compilation will include twelve wines scoring 19.5 points and two receiving 20/20 points. The compilation will be emailed to subscribers tomorroe, June 1st, and will be posted on your subscription page.

Is there a Signature Washington Wine?

In his on line publication, Washington Wine Report (www.wawinereport.com) Sean Sullivan has asked subscribers "What is Washington's Signature wine?" So far, the polling has been 39 out of 83 for Syrah, with blends and "no signature wine" tied at 13 votes each. While, here, Syrah is the clear favorite, there is a myriad of grapes grown in Washington. Forty years ago, Riesling was the "signature" grape, and thirty years ago, Merlot (thanks, largely, to Leonetti). But, today, with so many grape varieties and winemaking styles, there is no clearly definable style of a "signature" wine (for a discussion of this in regard to Syrah, see my blog of October 1). So my conclusion is that Washington has no single "signature" wine. Oregon has its signature wine with Pinot Noir, and California has two, Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel. But what does Washington have except a wide range of distinctive wines? All this may be confusing to out of state consumers, but why not celebrate diversity and encourage experimentation?

Dunham Cellars' Mike Dunham Passes Away

On May 18th, Michael Dunham, founder of Dunham Cellars, died of cancer after a battle lasting over two years. He started his career in the insurance business, and then went into winemaking with the encouragement of Walla Walla friends. He approached the wine business with the same gusto that characterized his lifestyle. Today, his work is carried on by his son, Eric Dunham and winemaker Dan Wampfler. There was a Celebration of Mike's Life at the winery on Friday, May 24th and hundreds of friends, including ourselves, were on hand to remember a fine, generous man. He will be missed.

No Blog next Week

On June 4th, we will be flying east to attend a grandhephew's high school graduation in Maryland, and then going to northern Virginia, returning on the 12th. So, the next Review of Washington Wines Blog will be on June 14th. Watch for it!

On May 13th, the Sons of Bacchus (SOB's) assembled once again for a tasting of Premier Cru Red Burgundies, 2005 and older. This time, it was held at our new home south of Walla Walla. There were eight wines in two flights of four ("short and sweet").

The top three wines were 2005's, from an excellent year in the Cote d'Or. Here are my notes:

2005 Gevrey-Chambertin, 1er Cru, Le Poissenet, Domaine Denis Morlet - This comes from a tiny vineyard on the outskirts of the appellation. It showed a deep ruby/garnet color and exuded oriental perfumes along with elegant, mouth encompassing flavors with a lengthy maturing finish that the Burgundians call "velours."

2005 Gevrey-Chambertin "Mes Cinq Terroirs," Domaine Denis Morlet - As the name suggests, this comes from five small parcels of vineyards around Gevrey. It displayed a deep ruby color and a lovely violet-scented nose. The flavors were bright and cherry-like and somewhat atypical for Burgundy.

2005 Le Corton, Grand Cru, Bouchard Pere & Fils - This wine showed a medium garnet color and a well developed nose of orange peel and exotic perfumes. The flavors were deep and full, with a bit of the rustic character of the vineyards surrounding the Bois de Corton.

There were a couple of ringers which stood out as such. One wine, which I mistook for Tempranillo, turned out to be a 2008 EIEO Pinot Noir from Carleton, Oregon. Its straightforward character was quite different from the Burgundies. The other was a 2006 Domino de Atatula Ribera del Duero, a thick, licorice-laced wine that also stood out as being different.

It's rosé wine season again and these light colored wines have been increasing in popularity after years of being out of favor with many consumers. Three years ago, hardly anyone paid attention to these wines. Then sales of rosé's started rising dramatically. Last year, many wineries made twice as much rosé as the year before and sold out quickly. This year, they made twice as much again and are nearly sold out. So here are my recommendations among this year's crop of rosés, grouped according to style.

Provençal Style - These are mostly Grenache and/or Mourvèdre and are modeled after the rosés of Bandol and the Cote d'Azur. Here are two examples.

2012 Tertulia Cellars Rosé, Walla Walla Valley, Riveria Galets Vineyard ($16) - Composed of 49% Mourvèdre, 26% Grenache and 25% Syrah, this shows a deep pink color and aromas of raspberry, Rainier cherry, orange peel, dried roses and Provençal herbs. The flavors mirror the aromatics with ripe dried fruits, grape skins, orange peel and melon rind followed by a lightly spiced dry finish. 18/20 points.

2012 Gramercy Cellars Rosé, Columbia Valley, Olsen Vineyard ($25) - Mostly Cinsault and Grenache. Reviewed in the May isssue. 18.5/20 points.

2012 DeLille Cellars Doynenne Rosé, Yakima Valley ($25) - Composed of 55% Grenache, 39% Mourvèdre and 6% Cinsault, this shows a pink/copper color and enticing aromas of strawberries, Bosc pear, orange peel, forest carpet and spring mountain wild flowers. The flavors are bright and juicy, with notes of melon rind and recurring orange peel, followed by a crisp, vibrant, lightly spiced dry finish. 18.5/20 points.

Rhone Valley Style - These are usually made from Grenache and/or Syrah.

2012 L'Ecole No. 41 Grenache Rosé, Horse Heaven Hills, Alder Ridge Vineyard ($19) - Brilliant pink colored, this offers an attractive nose of strawberry, watermelon, pink peach, cherry blossoms and spice with bright bursting flavors. To be reviewed in the June issue. 18/20 points.

2012 Tranche Cellars "Pink Pape" Dry Rosé Wine Columbia Valley ($18) - Sourced from the Blackrock Vineyard, this displays a light pink color and an attractive nose of strawberry, watermelon and Rainier cherry with scents of cherry blossoms, lilac and spiced orange peel. The flavors are deliciously ripe and sprightly, underlined with notes of grapeskin and orange peel, followed by a crisp, dry finish. 18/20 points.

2012 Waters Winery Estate Rosé, Walla Walla Valley ($22) This is distinctive in that it is made from co-fermented Syrah and Viognier, direct from the press. It is fresh and lively, with notes of squeezed berries. See the May issue for a full review, 18/20 points.

Rosé of Sangiovese - This Tuscan grape can be made into a nice rosé wine. Here are two popular examples.

2012 Waterbrook Sangiovese Rosé, Columbia Valley ($15) Brilliant rose colored, crisp and clean, this offers a lot for the price, especially when $9.99. Reviewed May, 17.5/20 points.

2012 Barnard Griffin Rosé of Sangiovese, Columbia Valley ($12) - Brilliant pink colored, this offers appealing aromas of strawberry, Rainier cherry, and orange blossoms. The flavors are bright and lively, with notes of rhubarb pie, orange peel and grape skin, followed by a crisp, sprightly off-dry finish. 17.5+/20 points.

Rosé of Cabernet Franc - These are made by cold soaking the crushed grapes for a short period of time, and then pressing off the juice.

2012 Sleight of Hand "Magician's Assistant" Rose of Cabernet Franc, Columbia Valley, Blackrock Vineyard ($18) - This Rosé shows a pale salmon color and aromas of raspberry, Rainier cherry, rhubarb, cherry blossoms and orange peel. The palate shows notes of melon rind, grapeskin and recurring orange peel, followed by a dry, lightly spiced cherry juice finish. 18/20 points.

2012 Trust Cellars Rosé of Cabernet Franc, Columbia Valley ($18) - Pink colored, this catches the essence of the grape in a rosé format. It offers aromas of freshly crushed raspberries, cherries and a cherry blossoms. The flavors are bright and lively, with notes of cherry pits, orange peel, and grapeskin extracts. The back picks up a dash of framboise liqueur, followed by a juicy, dry finish. 18/20 points.

Miscellaneous Rosés - Here are a variety of rosés made from differing combinations of grapes and styles.

2012 Saviah Cellars Rosé, Walla Walla Valley ($18) - This is a combination of Sangiovese and Barbera. Cold press fermented, it displays a brilliant light copper color and enticing aromas of wild strawberries, Rainier cherries, orange peel and cherry blossoms. The flavors are ripe and distinct, with notes of grapeskin, melon rind and minerals, followed by a crisp, nicely balanced dry finish. 18/20 points.

2012 Brian Carter Cellars "Abracadabra" Rosé, Columbia Valley ($20) - This is a catch-all blend of 41% Sangiovese, 39% Grenache, 9% Mourvedre, 9% Syrah and 2% Counoise, produced by the saignée method of bleeding off the skins. The result does work. It exhibits a brilliant pink color and an attractive nose of strawberry, Rainer cherry, pink peach and cherry and orange blossoms. The flavors are bright and well extracted, with notes of cherry pit, peach stone, melon rind and grape skins, followed by a deliciously crisp, fruited finish. 18+/20 points.

2012 Robison Ranch Cellars Rosé of Merlot, Walla Walla Valley ($16) - In 2011 Brad and Ruth Riordan made a Merlot rosé and it was so successful, they did it again. Pale orangish-pink in color, it offers aromas of raspberry and cherry, with soft, yet crisp and well defined flavors, with touches of grapeskin and orange peel on an off-dry finish. 17.5+/20 points.

Pinot Gris Rosé - Finally, there is this category of rosés made from Pinot Gris grapes that have been given longer hang time, resulting in pale salmon colored wines that possess unique qualities. Here are two such versions.

2012 Julia's Dazzle Pinot Grigio Rosé, Horse Heaven Hills ($16) - Made by Long Shadows, this wine displays a brilliant light salmon color and intriguing aromas of raspberry, pink peach and Rainier cherry with scents of lilac and jasmine, with bright flavors of  tangerine, peach pit and Horse Heaven minerals, followed by a crisp finish. 18/20 points.

2012 Robison Ranch Cellars "Eye of the Pheasant" Rosé, Columbia Valley ($19) - As the name suggests, this shows a copper  hued bird's eye color and fresh aromas of raspberry, cherry, citrus, cherry blossoms and a whiff of smoke. The grapeskin extracted flavors have a roundness that is brightened by crisp acidity and accented by tangerine peel on the refreshing finish. 18+/20 points.

This year's Walla Walla Valley Spring Release Weekend, held May 3 - 5, was a highly successful event. Many wineries reported more traffic and brisker sales than last year. In walking around downtown, I saw people leaving tasting rooms with at least a bottle. And wine aficionados were loading up cases here and there. Here are some highlights of the weekend.

Spring Release Weekend got to an early start on Thursday the 2nd, as Abeja had the first of three days of being open for the winery's friends. There, a lovely 2012 Viognier and an elegant 2010 Cabernet were poured. These will be reviewed in the June issue of the Review of Washington Wines. There also was an impressive 2011 Cabernet Franc which, alas, is sold out. In the evening, we went to the basement bar of the irrepressible Philipe Michel (a Belgian cooperage broker) for wine and fun, and then to Olive to hear Paul Gregutt Hat No Hat duo play some nice tunes.

The next morning, we went to Tero Estates in the Oregon side of the Valley to see "Haulin' Sass," a restored trailer turned into a mobile boutique run by Catie McIntyre Walker and Shannon Smith-McKeown. At the winery, Doug Roskelley poured us some new releases which will be reviewed in June. For lunch, we stopped at Tertulia Cellars where we had grilled steak from Paul Freeman's Bank & Grill trailer kitchen with Ryan Raber's new vintages. The evening's big event was the Robison Ranch Cellars Club Party. After that, we went to Tranche Cellars bonfire at the Blue Montain vineyard which was a lot of fun. Watch for reviews of Tertulia, Robison Ranch and Tranche in the July issue.

On Saturday morning, our first stop was at Leonetti where we sampled the 2011 Merlot and 2010 Cabernet (to be reviewed in July) with Lostine Beef sliders. Then we went to àMaurice where we tasted new 2010 reds (June issue). At noon, we went to Catie McIntyre's Wild Walla Walla Wine Woman shop to taste Proper wine's 2010 and 2011 Syrahs from the "Rocks" (the 2011 to be released in fall). Afterwards, we stopped by Rotie Cellars to taste Sean Boyd's new 2012 Southern White and 2011 reds (July issue). Then we went over to Bunchgrass to sample Tom Olander and Barb Comaree's new 1010 reds (June issue). In the evening, we stopped at El Corazon for fresh oysters and wine, and then at Corliss, where the 2008 Cabernet (fall release) was previewed along with an impressive 2007 Cabernet Franc and 2007 Malbec.

Sunday morning, we wrapped up the weekend by stopping at SYZYGY for Zach Brettler's new 2009 Syrah and 2008 Cabernet and Saros Red (to be reviewed in July), at Buty for the 2010 Rediviva of the Stones (July), and then Corvus for the new releases which will be reviewed in a Focus article in the June issue. The Sunday activity was surprisingly brisk, with many people staying in town to take in more wineries, a sign of a very successful 2013 Spring Release Weekend.