Top Wines of 2009

 

In compiling my list, I have used the following criteria:

 

All wines scoring 19.5 points are included in the Top Twenty plus some particularly memorable 19 point ones. The next list, The Best of the Rest are outstanding wines that are highly recommended. The Best Buys for $25 or Less consist of wines scoring 18.5 points or close to that, making them outstanding values. Some wines may be sold out at the winery, but are worth looking for at retail stores. Wines in each category are listed alphabetically since judgments as to individual rankings are too subjective to warrant placement in order of preference. The month each wine was reviewed is given in parentheses. Omissions from this list do not necessarily mean that certain wines lack merit. There is not enough space to list all of them here or in my Review. Also, with the hundreds of wineries now operating in the stage, it is impossible to cover all of them. And I have intentionally left out wines, which are allocated or unavailable in the market.

 

The Top Twenty

 

2006 Adams Bench Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon "the V," Columbia Valley (April) $42 - sold out

2008 aMaurice Cellars Viognier, Columbia Valley ( July) $26

2006 Andrew Will Champoux Vineyard Red, Horse Heaven Hills (January) $64

2006 Bergevin Lane Intuition Red, Columbia Valley (December) $55

2008 Buty Chardonnay, Columbia Valley, Connor Lee Vineyard (December) $35

2006 DeLille Cellars Harrison Hill Red, Yakima Valley (December) $75 - sold out

2006 Efeste "Big Papa" Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley (August) $50 - sold out

2007 Gorman "Evil Twin" Syrah-Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain (November) $60

2007 Gramercy Cellars Tempranillo, "Ingo Montoya," Walla Walla Valley (December) $40

2007 K Vintners "El Jefe" Red, Walla Walla Valley, En Chamberlin Vineyard (January) $60

2007 Kerloo Cellars Syrah, Walla Walla Valley, Les Collines Vineyard (October) $35 - sold out

2005 Nicholas Cole Estate Red, Walla Walla Valley (March) $75

2007 Otis Kenyon Carmenere, Horse Heaven Hills (December) $36

2005 Pepper Bridge Reserve Red, Walls Walla Valley (May) $75 - sold out

2007 Rotie Cellars Northern Red, Columbia Valley (January) $35

2007 Sleight of Hand "The Archimage" Red, Walla Walla Valley (November) $40

2006 Spring Valley Vineyard Uriah Red, Walla Walla Valley (March) $50

2005 SYZYGY Saros 134, Columbia Valley (February) $45 - sold out

2005 TL Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, Release No. 2, Walla Walla Valley (September) $50

2006 Walla Walla Vintners Cabernet Sauvignon, Vineyard Select, Walla Walla Valley (May) $48

 

The Best of the Rest

 

2007 Adamant Cellars Syrah, Walla Walla Valley, Spofford Station Vineyard (February) $35

2007 Adams Bench "MYTH" Red, Columbia Valley (October) $34

2006 aMaurice Cellars Red Blend, "The Tsutakawa," Columbia Valley (June) $35

2007 Amavi Cellars Syrah, Walla Walla Valley (October) $28

2006 Baer Ursa Red Wine, Columbia Valley (April) $39

2007 Barrister Cabernet Franc, Columbia Valley (July) $27

2007 Bergevin Lane Pinot Noir, Walla Walla Valley, Couse Creek Vineyard (June) $38

2007 Bergevin Lane "Princess" Syrah, Walla Walla Valley, Francisca's Vineyard (June) $48

2006 Bunchgrass Syrah, Columbia Valley, Lewis Vineyard (June) $32

2006 Cadaretta Syrah, Columbia Valley (January) $35 - sold out

2007 Castillo de Felicana Tempranillo, Wahluke Slope (October) $28

2008 CAVU Cellars Barbera, Horse Heaven Hills (July) $30

2006 Columbia Crest Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Wautona Springs Vineyard (September) $27

2006 Couvillon Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley (June) $28

2008 DeLille Cellars Chaleur Estate White, Columbia Valley (December) $34

2006 DeLille Cellars Doyenne Syrah, Yakima Valley (December) $49

2006 Efeste "Jolie Bouche" Syrah, Columbia Valley (August) $34

2007 Five Star Cellars Malbec, Walla Walla Valley (October) $38

2007 Flying Trout Cutthroat Red, Columbia Valley (November) $35

2007 Flying Trout Old Vines Malbec, Rattlesnake Hills, Konnowack Vineyard (November) $39

2006 Forgeron Barbera, Columbia Valley (September) $30

2006 Glencorrie Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley (September) - $40

2006 Glencorrie Cuvee Marquis, Columbia Valley (September) $45

2008 Gorman "Big Sissy" Chardonnay, Columbia Valley, Connor Lee Vineyard (November) $35

2003 Grande Ronde Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley, Pepper Bridge Vineyard (July) $30

2007 Isenhower "Wild Alfalfa" Syrah, Columbia Valley (February) $28

2006 Januik Petit Verdot, Red Mountain, Ciel du Cheval Vineyard (April) $35

2006 JM Cellars Syrah, Columbia Valley (August) $28

2007 K Vintners Syrah, Walla Walla Valley, Morrison Lane Vineyard (December) $45

2007 K Vintners Roma En Chamberlin, Walla Walla Valley (January) $60

2007 Kerloo Cellars Syrah, Walla Walla Valley (October) $35

2006 Kontos Cellars Merlot, Columbia Valley (June) $28

2007 Kontos Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley, Pepper Bridge Vineyard (November) $32

2007 L'Ecole No. 41 Estate Syrah, Walla Walla Valley, Seven Hills Vineyard (September) $36

2006 Long Shadows Pedestal Merlot, Columbia Valley (July) $55

2005 Long Shadows Chester Kidder Red, Columbia Valley (January) $45

2007 Nefarious Cellars Syrah, Lake Chelan, Defiance Vineyard (October) $27

2005 Nicholas Cole "Michele," Walla Walla Valley (March) $38

2005 Novelty Hill Syrah, Columbia Valley, Stillwater Creek Vineyard (April) $28

2006 Otis Kenyon Syrah, Walla Walla Valley (December) $30

2006 Pepper Bridge Merlot, Walla Walla Valley (May) $50

2006 Pleasant Hill Cellars Donatella Red, Columbia Valley (July) $26

2007 Domaine Pouillon Cabernet Sauvignon, Barrel Select, Columbia Valley (August) $35

2006 Reininger Syrah, Walla Walla Valley, Pepper Bridge Vineyard (March) $41

2007 Rotie Cellars Southern Red, Columbia Valley (January) $35

2005 Ch. Rollat Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley, Edouard de Rollat (June) $65

2005 Ch. Ste. Michelle Ethos Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley (April) $38

2006 Saviah Cellars Reserve Syrah, Walla Walla Valley (November) $45

2007 Sleight of Hand "Levitation" Syrah, Columbia Valley (September) $40

2007 Sleight of Hand "The Illusionist" Red, Columbia Valley (November) $40

2006 Soos Creek Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain, Ciel du Cheval Vineyard (May) $36

2008 Sparkman Cellars Chardonnay, Columbia Valley, Stillwater Creek Vineyard (April) $28

2006 Spring Valley Vineyard Nina Lee Syrah, Walla Walla Valley (March) $50

2006 Spring Valley Vineyard Derby Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley (July) $50

2006 Stephenson Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley (December) $32

2006 Stevens 424 Red Blend, Columbia Valley (October) $35

2007 Sweet Valley Syrah, Walla Walla Valley (December) $30

2007 Sweet Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley (December) $35

2007 Syncline Syrah, Horse Heaven Hills, McKinley Springs Vineyard (August) $30

2006 SYZYGY Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley (June) $36

2006 SYZYGY Saros 139, Columbia Valley (December) $45

2007 Tamarack Cabernet Franc, Washluke Slope (July) $28

2006 Thurston Wolfe Tempranillo, Washington (March) $28

2005 TL Cellars Syrah, Release No. 3, Columbia Valley, Lewis Vineyard (June) $50

2007 Trust Cellars Syrah, Columbia Valley (June) $28

2007 Trust Cellars Syrah, Walla Walla Valley (June) $28

2007 Va Piano Syrah, Columbia Valley (November) $38

2007 Walla Walla Vintners Merlot, Columbia Valley (May) $28

2006 Waters Syrah, Walla Walla Valley, Forgotten Hills Vineyard (June) $40

2006 Waters Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley (June) $50

2007 William Church Two Spires Red, Columbia Valley (October) $33

2006 Woodward Canyon Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, Artist's Series (September) $49

 

Best Buys for $25 or Less

 

2008 Andrew Will Cuvee Lucia Velvet Canyon White, Washington (October) $23

2008 Buty Semillon Blend, Columbia Valley (December) $25

2006 Couvillon Equilibre Red, Columbia Valley (June) $25

2007 Davenport Cellars Syrah, Columbia Valley (October) $20

2006 Efeste "Final Final" Red, Columbia Valley (August) $25

2007 El Corazon "First Crush" Cabernet Franc, Columbia Valley, Second Release (December) $21

2008 El Corazon "With Love" Syrah, Columbia Valley (December) $23

2008 El Corazon "Supernova" Malbec, Rattlesnake Hills (December) $21

2007 Isenhower "Road Less Travelled" Cabernet Franc, Wahluke Slope (June) $24

2007 Isenhower Red Paintbrush, Columbia Valley (December) $24

2008 Kontos Cellars "Lee Vee Loo Lee" Gossamer White, Columbia Valley (November) $22 - winery only

2008 Long Shadows Poet's Leap Riesling, Columbia Valley (July) $20

2008 Maison Bleue "Au Contraire" Chardonnay, Yakima Valley (July) $20

2005 McKinley Springs Syrah, Horse Heaven Hills (April) $25

2008 Nefarious Cellars Riesling, Columbia Valley, Stone's Throw Vineyard (October) $18

2006 Nicholas Cole Gra Eagle Estate Red, Walla Walla Valley (February) $25

2006 Pleasant Hill Cellars Alegria Red, Columbia Valley (July) $24

2007 Dom. Pouillon Pierre Red, Horse Heaven Hills (August) $25

2008 Rotie Cellars Southern White, Columbia Valley (July) $25

2007 Ch. Ste. Michelle Chardonnay, Horse Heaven Hills, Canoe Ridge Estate (September) $16-20

2006 Ch. Ste Michelle Merlot, Horse Heaven Hills, Canoe Ridge Estate (September) $20-25

2008 SuLei Cellars Roussanne, Walla Walla Valley (September) $18

2006 SYZYGY Red Wine, Columbia Valley (February) $25

2008 William Church Viognier, Columbia Valley (October) $20

 

Top New Wineries of 2009

 

Adams Bench, Woodinville - Tim & Erica Blue

Castillo de Feliciana, Walla Walla Valley - Sam & Deborah Castillo

CAVU Cellars, Walla Walla - Jim, Karen and Joel Waite

Davenport Cellars, Woodinville - Jeff & Sheila Jirka

El Corazon, Walla Walla - Spencer Sievers and Raul Morfin

Glencorrie, Walla Walla - Ronn & Dean Coldiron

Kerloo Cellars, Walla Walla - Ryan & Renee Crane

Kontos Cellars, Walla Walla - Chris & Cameron Kontos

Maison Bleue, Prosser & Woodinville - Jon Martinez

Domaine Pouillon, Lyle, Columbia Gorge - Alexis & Juliet Pouillon

Rotie Cellars, Walla Walla - Sean Boyd

SuLei Cellars, Walla Walla - Tanya Woodley & Elaine Jomwe

William Church, Woodinville - Rod & Leslie Balsley