Best White Wines of 2012 - Full Descriptions

Chardonnay under $20
Winner: L’Ecole N° 41 2010, Columbia Valley, $20
Walla Walla winemaker Marty Clubb pays close attention to winegrowing as well as winemaking, and his wines are meticulously handled, to show the purity of fruit and characteristics of terroir. On the whole, 2010 was a cool vintage, which bodes well for this Chardonnay, helping to keep the fresh citrus and green apple flavors bright. The fruit comes from the cooler Evergreen Vineyard near the banks of the Columbia River near Quincy, and the relatively warmer Schmitt Vineyard in the Yakima Valley adds some riper notes. Six months sur lies (on the lees of yeast) in neutral French oak barrels imparts a creamy mouthfeel while avoiding overwhelming oak flavors. Lowden; 509.525.0940; lecole.com

Nominees:
Rulo 2010, Walla Walla Valley, $20
Blacksmith 2010, Columbia Valley, $18
Jones of Washington 2010, Wahluke Slope, $15

Chardonnay over $20
Winner: Tranche cellars 2006, Columbia Gorge, $30
This is very special wine in that it was harvested four years before most of its competitors in our blind tasting—but was aged and released at the same time. So although the category is a bit of apples and oranges, this 6-year-old wine is still fresh and lively, with a bit of the wisdom age can bring, especially from a cool site such as Celilo Vineyard in the Columbia Gorge. Aged for 13 months in 70 percent new French oak in the Walla Walla winery with the softening technique of malolactic fermentation and time on the lees of yeast, this wine has layers upon layers of flavors. Mineral and honeysuckle aromas give way to a velvety mouthfeel, balanced by still bright acidity with lemon curd, peach and butterscotch flavors, with a bit of flinty smoke. Walla Walla (appointment only); 509.526.3500; tranchecellars.com

Nominees:
Abeja 2010 Chardonnay, Washington State, $36
Efeste 2010 Lola, Columbia Valley, $30
Buty 2010 Conner Lee Vineyard, Columbia Valley, $35

Riesling, all prices
Winner: Trust Cellars 2010, Columbia Valley, $16
This is the second winning year for Trust Cellars’ lovely Riesling. Low in alcohol at just 12.4 percent, with super bright acidity, this wine shows aromas of citrus peel, peach and wet stone. Television news producer turned winemaker Steve Brooks continues to produce this delicious, food-friendly Riesling from this Walla Walla winery that keeps turning heads. He chooses fruit from some of the state’s best Riesling vineyards, including Evergreen Vineyard, in the Ancient Lakes area along the Columbia River. This wine sells out every year, perhaps partially because it is the only white that Brooks makes, but mostly because it’s seriously tasty. If you rush over to the winery’s new tasting room in the Hollywood Hills area of Woodinville, you may find a bottle before it disappears. Woodinville (or Walla Walla by appointment); 509.529.4511; trustcellars.com

Nominees
Efeste 2010 Evergreen Riesling, Columbia Valley, $16
Poet’s Leap 2010, Columbia Valley, $20
Dunham 2009 Lewis Vineyard, Columbia Valley, $19.50

Viognier, all prices
Winner: William Church 2010, Columbia Valley, $23
Over the years, Woodinville’s William Church Winery has developed a reputation for great Viognier, and this vintage is no different, but it has finally got its due in our lineup of winning wines. This Viognier shows the best qualities the varietal wine should bring: Incredibly floral, with notes from sweet pea to peach blossom, this wine feels lush on the palate with peach, tropical fruit and honeysuckle flavors. The fruit, from the relatively cooler Conner Lee Vineyard near Othello, is ripe but still retains a balancing acidity that makes this a well-loved flagship wine for William Church. Every vintage sells out quickly, so grab a case and stash it to enjoy this consistently delicious wine. Woodinville (two locations); 425.482.2510; williamchurchwinery.com

Nominees:
aMaurice 2009, Columbia Valley, $25
Maison Bleue 2010 Notre Vie Arthur’s Vineyard, Yakima Valley, $25
Mark Ryan 2010, Columbia Valley, $28

Sauvignon Blanc, all prices
Winner: Novelty Hill 2010 Stillwater Creek Vineyard, Columbia Valley, $18
Novelty Hill’s fruit comes from its own vineyard, Stillwater Creek, on a south-facing hill in the Royal Slope area of the Columbia Valley. With the combination of the coolest temperatures since 1999 and a focused attention to winegrowing, Woodinville winemaker Mike Januik (who made wine at Chateau Ste. Michelle for a decade) has produced a fresh and light Sauvignon Blanc. With the addition of just 12 percent Semillon from the north section of the vineyard to lengthen the finish and soften the mouthfeel, this winning wine is a perfect companion for shellfish, beaches and boats. Woodinville; 425.481.5502; noveltyhilljanuik.com

Nominees:
Woodward Canyon 2010 Estate, Walla Walla Valley, $26
Guardian Cellars 2010 “Angel”, $20
Efeste 2010 Feral, Evergreen Vineyard, Columbia Valley, $18

White Rhône-style blend, all prices
Winner: Darby 2010 Le Deuce, Columbia Valley, $22
A classic Rhône-style white blend of Viognier (55 percent) and Roussanne (45 percent), this luscious wine has a strong balance of green apple, d’Anjou pear skin and toasted almond aromas, with a softness on the palate that makes it easy to love by itself, but enough acidity to make it a great match for fresh summer foods, such as grilled fish or poultry. Winemaker Darby English ferments each wine separately to let each wine develop individually, and then finds the perfect blend of the two wines. A bit of sur lies fermentation softens the acidity and adds complexity, such as brioche and vanilla notes that makes this fascinating wine one you’ll love to come back to again and again. Woodinville; darbywinery.com

Nominees:
Maison Bleue 2010 Petite Joie Boushey Vineyard, Yakima Valley, $35
Tranche 2008 Slice of Pape Blanc, Columbia Valley, $30
McCrea Cellars 2009 Sirocco Blanc Boushey Vineyard, Yakima Valley, $25

White Bordeaux-style blend, all prices
Winner: Cadaretta 2010 SBS, Columbia Valley, $23
SBS is Australian for wine—well, specifically a Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon blend. And this Cadaretta SBS is a blend made in heaven. Consulting winemaker (and roaming Australian) Larry Cherubino visits Walla Walla to work with resident winemaker Brian Rudin on this fabulous wine. The SB is Sauvignon Blanc (75 percent) and the final S is Semillon (25 percent), from a balance of fruit from cooler sites in a cooler vintage—Spring Creek Vineyards and Frenchman Hills Vineyard, with a bit of extra S from a warmer site, Rosebud Vineyard in the Wahluke Slope for riper, softer notes. This refreshing wine has aromas of fresh hay and white grapefruit, with bright acidity that makes it the perfect summer wine with seafood and soft cheeses. Walla Walla (appointment only); 509.525.1352; cadaretta.com

Nominees:
DeLille 2010 Chaleur Estate Blanc, Columbia Valley, $34
Buty 2010 Semillon Sauvignon Muscadelle, Columbia Valley, $25
Fidelitas 2009 Optu, Columbia Valley, $30

White proprietary blend, all prices
Winner: Syncline 2010 Subduction White, $20
James and Poppy Mantone strike an amazing balance with their superb wines, creating consistent, elegant, even classic blends. This winner is no exception. A classic blend of floral Viognier (41 percent) and lush Roussanne (39 percent), it’s made more interesting with the addition of the Austrian grape Grüner Veltliner (20 percent), adding brilliant acidity and citrus flavors. The first planting in the state, this Grüner from Underwood Mountain Vineyards in the Columbia Gorge is turning heads, and in the talented hands of the Mantones, it is proving to be a welcome addition to the Washington wine repertoire. Lyle; 509.365.4361; synclinewine.com

Nominees:
Thurston Wolfe 2010 PGV, Washington State, $16
Domaine Pouillon 2009 Deux, Columbia Valley, $18.25

Sweet wine under $25/375ml
Winner: Dunham Cellars 2009 Late Harvest Riesling Lewis Vineyard, $19
The Lewis family—Ken, Betty and Ken Jr.—have been growing intensely flavored fruit on this 80-acre, 1,200-foot-elevation site in the Rattlesnake Ridge area of the Columbia Valley since 1998, and Dunham Cellars has made fabulous Syrah for years. This luscious Riesling, with aromas of stone fruit and brown sugar, was made from grapes that were left on the vine until they were superripe and shriveled, with concentrated sugars, but still holding enough acidity to let the wine finish bright and clean on the palate. Pour this wine slightly chilled, and it will develop flavors as it warms, especially with an after-dinner platter of hard cheeses or a fruit-and-nut tart. Walla Walla; 509.529.4685; dunhamcellars.com

Sweet wine over $25/375ml
Winner: Poet’s Leap 2008 Botrytis-affected Late Harvest Riesling, Columbia Valley, $50
A wine like this only comes around once every few years. Like a late-harvest Riesling, the grapes are left on the vine until they shrivel, sometimes into late December. Ironically, if those grapes are not only shriveled, but also develop Botrytis cinerea, a special fungus dubbed the “noble rot,” winemakers—in this case, Gilles Nicault of Long Shadows winery in Walla Walla and Poet’s Leap winemaking partner Armin Diel—are elated. The resulting wine is liquid gold. Exploding with aromas of jasmine, honey and dried stone fruit, this special wine also has refreshing acidity that keeps the wine from being cloying, and, along with its high sugar content, gives this wine the ability to age for decades. We are lucky to have been able to taste it. Judges swooned, and you will, too. Walla Walla (appointment-only tasting); 509.526.0905; longshadows.com

Nominees:

Chateau Ste Michelle 2006 Eroica Ice Wine, Horse Heaven Hills, $50

Chateau Ste. Michelle 2008 Ethos Late Harvest White Riesling, Columbia Valley, $35

White Wine of the Year
Winner: Dowsett Family 2010 Celilo Vineyard GewÜrztraminer, Columbia Gorge, $22
From one of the older vineyards in the state, on the banks of the Columbia River, this beautiful Gewürztraminer (translated from German as “spice” or “perfumed” Traminer, a type of grape) has the classic dynamic aromatics of white spicy blossoms and lychee. Chris Dowsett, who is also cowinemaker for Buty Winery, says he only makes wines he loves, and we can see why he loves this one. At the same time sweet smelling and dry on the palate, this lush but bright white wine, bursting with starfruit and tiger lily aromas and ripe pear and lychee flavors, is truly special. Walla Walla; 509.520.8215; dowsettwines.com