Founded in 2000 by Nina Buty and Caleb Foster, Buty Winery has become one of the most highly regarded wineries in Washington State. While Caleb has gone on to other ventures, Nina continues to run the winery. She works closely with winemaker Chris Dowsett and consulting winemaker Zelma Long. Chris gained valuable winemaking experience in Oregon, Australia, and California before moving to Walla Walla in 1996 and joining the Buty team in 2008. In addition to his duties at Buty, Chris also has his own Dowsett Family Winery.

Located in Walla Walla, Washington, Buty remains a small, family winery producing 3,000 cases per year. It focuses on several proprietary blends. Buty’s flagship red wines are two Cabernet Sauvignon/Syrah blends, the Columbia Rediviva (usually Cab-heavy) from the Horse Heaven Hills and the Rediviva of the Stones (usually Syrah-heavy) from the Walla Walla Valley. It also produces a lovely white Bordeaux-style blend called Semillon, Sauvignon & Muscadelle.

Buty boasts an outstanding vineyard program, sourcing its fruit from a number of the Northwest’s top vineyards including their own Rockgarden Estate and a 9-acre block of Phinny Hill Vineyard. Rockgarden is located in the prized “rocks” region just across the Oregon state line in the Walla Walla Valley, and Phinny Hill is located close to Champoux Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills

Through the years, we’ve had the pleasure of tasting a number of Buty wines. Recently, we had the opportunity to taste the 2009 Columbia Rediviva, the 2011 Conner Lee Chardonnay, the 2011 Semillon, Sauvignon & Muscadelle, the 2009 Rediviva of the Stones, and the 2010 Merlot & Cabernet Franc in a blind samples tasting. All five wines are very good, but we especially enjoyed the Columbia Rediviva. This Cab-dominant blend is outstanding and delivers serious bang for your buck.

If you are ever in the Walla Walla area, I highly encourage you to visit Buty.

2009 Buty Columbia Rediviva (Phinny Hill Vineyard, Horse Heaven Hills, Washington): 76% Cabernet Sauvignon and 24% Syrah. Dark purple. Beautiful nose with black fruit and floral aromas. More luscious black fruit and floral notes come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity and medium to high, smooth tannins. Well-balanced with good complexity and a long, lingering finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $50; Available elsewhere, $40 to $52

2011 Buty Conner Lee Vineyard Chardonnay (Conner Lee Vineyard, Columbia Valley, Washington): 100% Chardonnay. Pale, greenish straw yellow. Nice nose with apple and pear aromas. More apple and pear as well as a touch of oak come through on the palate. Dry and medium-bodied with lively acidity. Well-balanced with a very long, smooth finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $40; Available elsewhere, $28 to $45

2011 Buty Semillon, Sauvignon & Muscadelle (Columbia Valley, Washington): 60% Semillon, 19% Sauvignon Blanc, and 21% Muscadelle. Pale, greenish straw yellow. Aromatic with grass and lemon on the nose. Citrus fruits, grass, and floral notes come through on the palate. Dry and medium-bodied with crisp acidity and a very long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $25; Available elsewhere, $19 to $27

2009 Buty Rediviva of the Stones (Walla Walla Valley, Washington): 77% Syrah and 23% Cabernet Sauvignon. Dark purple. Aromatic with game, earth, and barnyard notes on both the nose and palate. Full-bodied with lively acidity, medium to high, dry tannins, and a very long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $60; Available elsewhere, $43 to $59

2010 Buty Merlot & Cabernet Franc (Columbia Valley, Washington): 58% Merlot and 42% Cabernet Franc. Deep, dark red. Aromatic with oak and spice on the nose. Oak, spice, and red and black fruit come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, sweet tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $45; Available elsewhere, $46

On this day in 1776, the Continental Congress, setting the 13 colonies on the road to freedom as a sovereign nation, approved the Declaration of Independence. As always, this most American of holidays will be marked by parades, fireworks, and backyard barbecues across the country.

We wish you all a very happy 4th of July and hope you enjoy your day with family, friends, good food, and great wine. Cheers!

Recently, we hosted a party for close family friends prior to their move to Maine, and the theme was all things Maine…lobster, corn on the cob, blueberries, whoopie pies, and so forth. The children even enjoyed a fun game of pin the tail on the lobster.

The “Maine” dish was lobster casserole bites. After having the lobster casserole bites at the party, we decided it would be a great dish for a challenging wine pairing. As we are approaching summer when people frequently enjoy white wines, we decided that the timing was right for this challenge.

Our menu consisted of mixed greens topped with fresh mango and pineapple drizzled with mango balsamic vinegar, the lobster casserole, corn on the cob, and sautéed zucchini with roasted red bell pepper and sun dried tomatoes.

Once again, we referred to the book, What to Drink with What You Eat, and decided to go with a Sparkling Wine and a Chardonnay. We selected the J Vineyards Cuvée 20 Sparkling Wine from California and the 2010 Columbia Crest Reserve Chardonnay from Washington State. Both wines were very good; however, the consensus favorite both before dinner and paired with the lobster casserole was the Sparkling Wine.

What would you have paired with this meal?  And, as always, we welcome your suggestions for future challenging wine pairings.

Bon Appétit!

NV J Vineyards Cuvée 20 Sparkling Wine (Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, California): Small, very fast bead of bubbles. Pale straw yellow. Nice nose with pear, apple, and lemon aromas. Granny Smith apple and lemon come through on the palate. Dry and light to medium-bodied with very crisp acidity. Well-balanced and refreshing with a long, lingering finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $28; Available elsewhere, $17 to $31

2010 Columbia Crest Reserve Chardonnay (Horse Heaven Hills, Washington): Pale, greenish straw yellow. Nose is a bit tight at first and then butter, oak, and floral notes come through. Apple and butter dominate the palate. Dry and medium-bodied with lively acidity and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $20

Founded by Washington wine pioneer Allen Shoup, Long Shadows Vintners is a collection of ultra-premium wineries comprised of internationally acclaimed winemakers from the major wine regions of the world. Each winemaker is a partner in a unique winery dedicated to producing a single Columbia Valley wine representing a “best of type” that reflects the winemaker’s signature style.

Allen Shoup is considered one of the pioneers of the Washington wine industry. He was the CEO of Stimson Lane wine group for years. During that time, he oversaw their portfolio of wineries, including Chateau Ste. Michelle and Columbia Crest, and forged relationships with many important players in the wine business around the world. Upon retirement, he pursued his dream of bringing some of the most highly acclaimed winemakers from different regions around the world to Washington to make world-class wines from Washington grapes comparable to the wines they make in their native wine regions. The Long Shadows winemaker-partners began crafting their signature wines in 2003.

Through the years, we’ve had the pleasure of tasting a number of Long Shadows wines. Recently, we had the opportunity to taste the 2012 Poet’s Leap, the 2009 Saggi, and the 2009 Chester-Kidder in a blind samples tasting. All three wines are very good, but we especially enjoyed the Poet’s Leap. It is outstanding and delivers serious bang for your buck.

Poet’s Leap is a Riesling made by Armin Diel of Schlossgut Diel in Germany. Saggi is a Super Tuscan-style blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah, made by Ambrogio and Giovanni Folonari, a father-son winemaking team from Italy. Chester-Kidder is a red blend made by winemaker Gilles Nicault and is named for founder Allen Shoup’s grandfather, Charles Chester, and his grandmother, Maggie Kidder.

2012 Poet’s Leap Riesling (Columbia Valley, Washington): Pale straw yellow. Beautiful nose with white peach and floral aromas. White peach, lime, and floral notes come through on the palate. Off-dry and light to medium-bodied with crisp acidity. Well-balanced with a very long, refreshing finish. Residual Sugar: 1.25%
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $20

2009 Saggi Red Wine (Columbia Valley, Washington): 62% Sangiovese, 29% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 9% Syrah. Deep, dark purple. Aromatic with plum, oak, and spice on both the nose and palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $45; Available elsewhere, $41 to $44

2009 Chester-Kidder Red Wine (Columbia Valley, Washington): 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Syrah, 17% Petit Verdot, and 5% Cabernet Franc. Aromatic with black cherry, blackberry, oak, and a touch of chocolate on both the nose and palate. Full-bodied with lively acidity, medium to high tannins, and a long, lingering finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $50

Riesling has become known as Washington State’s signature white variety. Washington is the largest Riesling producing state in the United States. And, Washington State’s own Chateau Ste. Michelle is the largest Riesling producer in the world. Chateau Ste. Michelle is Washington State’s founding winery with its roots dating back to the repeal of Prohibition. In 1976, Ste. Michelle built a French-style chateau in Woodinville, just northeast of Seattle. While all of Chateau Ste. Michelle’s vineyards are located on the east side of the Cascade Mountains, all of their white wines are made in Woodinville.

Riesling is one of the most versatile grape varieties. It can be made in many different styles from bone dry to very sweet, reflect the regional character of where it is grown, and is extremely food-friendly. And, it is probably the most age worthy of all white wine varieties.

We recently had the opportunity to taste a couple of Chateau Ste. Michelle Rieslings in a blind samples tasting, the 2012 Dry Riesling and the 2012 Harvest Select Sweet Riesling. Both wines are very good, so no matter your preference on the sweetness scale, Chateau Ste. Michelle has you covered. And with suggested retail prices of $10, and which can frequently be found for far less, these wines deliver serious bang for your buck.

2012 Chateau Ste. Michelle Dry Riesling (Columbia Valley, Washington): Pale straw yellow. Beautiful nose with white peach, citrus, and floral aromas. White peach and lime come through on the palate. Dry and light-bodied with crisp acidity. Well-balanced with a very long, refreshing finish. Residual Sugar: 0.71%
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $10; Available elsewhere, $6 to $12

2012 Chateau Ste. Michelle Harvest Select Sweet Riesling (Columbia Valley, Washington): Very pale, straw yellow. Aromatic with peach blossoms and honeysuckle on the nose. Peach, apricot, and floral notes come through on the palate. Medium sweet and light to medium-bodied with crisp acidity and a very long finish. Residual Sugar: 4.71%
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $10; Available elsewhere, $8 to $10

Charles Smith of K Vintners founded Magnificent Wine Company in 2004. In the fall of 2006, a majority of Magnificent Wine Company was sold to Washington State-based Precept Brands. Magnificent’s flagship brand is House Wine, originally just offering two wines, a red Cabernet blend and a white Chardonnay blend. Since then, the House Wine line has expanded to include additional wines. When people refer to a “house” wine, they generally mean something they would drink anytime with anything and that is affordable. That is exactly what these wines are designed to deliver. The House Wines have easily recognizable black and white labels.

Recently, we had the opportunity to taste several of the House Wines in a blind samples tasting, the 2012 Fish House Sauvignon Blanc, the 2012 Market Moscato, and the 2010 Steak House Cabernet Sauvignon. All three wines are good and make weeknight food and wine pairing easy.

Fish House pairs well with fish or chicken, and Steak House works well with steak, burgers, and even pasta with red sauce. The Market Moscato is nice with fruit or a light summer dessert or can be enjoyed on its own after dinner. The top line retail price for these three wines is $12, but they can frequently be found for under $10.

2012 Fish House Sauvignon Blanc (Columbia Valley, Washington): 100% Sauvignon Blanc. Pale, straw yellow. Aromatic with melon, floral notes, and a touch of honey on both the nose and palate. Dry and medium-bodied with crisp acidity and a very long, refreshing finish. Residual Sugar: 0.12%
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $12; Available elsewhere, $12

2012 Market Moscato (Columbia Valley, Washington): 100% Moscato. Pale, straw yellow. Nice nose with apricot and honey aromas and flavors. Medium sweet and medium-bodied with crisp acidity and a long finish. Residual Sugar: 5.4%
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $12

2010 Steak House Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley, Washington): 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, and 5% Syrah. Deep, dark ruby red. Aromatic with black fruit and spice on both the nose and palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium to high tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $12; Available elsewhere, $8 to $15

Fielding Hills Winery, a small, family-owned winery in Wenatchee, is one of the top wineries in Washington State. Owner/winemaker Mike Wade and his wife Karen are longtime apple and cherry growers who have turned a middle portion of their orchard near Mattawa into a vineyard. Their RiverBend Vineyard, planted in 1998, is in the Wahluke Slope AVA and is their sole source of grapes. Strictly red wine producers, Fielding Hills increased their production from 850 cases to about 1400 cases with the 2009 vintage. We have tasted their wines from their inaugural vintage in 2000 through their current 2010 vintage and continue to be impressed. They are so consistent; it is not a question of whether their wines will be good but where they will fall on the quality spectrum between “very good” and “Wow!”

We have had the opportunity to taste all five current releases from Fielding Hills on three different occasions. Dad (John) and Mom (LaGayle) attended the 2010 vintage release dinner in November, Dad and I had them in another tasting in January, and most recently, we tasted them again in a blind samples tasting. Over the course of the seven months since they were first released, these wines continue to evolve and are getting even better.

Fielding Hills has done it again. We were “wow-ed” by the 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon, rating it 5 stars (out of 5). The four other current releases from Fielding Hills are also quite impressive. The 2010 Cabernet Franc and 2010 Syrah received 4.5 stars (out of 5), and the 2010 Merlot and 2010 Tribute Red Wine received 4 stars (out of 5).

If you are ever in the Wenatchee area, Fielding Hills is a stop you do not want to miss. I encourage you to give Mike and Karen a call to make an appointment to visit the winery. Within the next year, Fielding Hills has plans to open a tasting room in Lake Chelan. Regardless of whether you are able to visit or not, I encourage you to get your hands on a bottle or two of Fielding Hills wine and enjoy.

2010 Fielding Hills Cabernet Sauvignon (RiverBend Vineyard, Wahluke Slope, Washington): 91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Syrah, 3% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc. Dark, dense purple. Gorgeous nose with black cherry, blackberry, spice, and leather aromas. Black cherry, blackcurrant, spice, and leather come through on the palate. Full-bodied with crisp acidity and high, dry tannins. Well-balanced and smooth with good complexity and a very long, lingering finish. Wow!
Quality: 5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $42

2010 Fielding Hills Cabernet Franc (RiverBend Vineyard, Wahluke Slope, Washington): 85% Cabernet Franc, 5% Syrah, 5% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep, dark red in color. Beautiful nose black cherry, cinnamon, and clove aromas. Black cherry, cinnamon, and clove come through on the palate. Full-bodied with crisp acidity, and high, dry tannins. Well-balanced and smooth with a long finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $30

2010 Fielding Hills Syrah (RiverBend Vineyard, Wahluke Slope, Washington): 94% Syrah, 2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc. Dark, dense purple. Gorgeous nose with blackberry, spice, and black pepper aromas. More blackberry, spice, and black pepper come through on the palate. Full-bodied with lively acidity and high, dry tannins. Well-balanced with a very long, smooth finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $38

2010 Fielding Hills Merlot (RiverBend Vineyard, Wahluke Slope, Washington): 93% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 3% Syrah. Deep, dark purplish red. Aromatic with black cherry and spice rack aromas and flavors. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity and medium to high, smooth tannins. Well-balanced with a very long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $36

2010 Fielding Hills Tribute Red Wine (RiverBend Vineyard, Wahluke Slope, Washington): 31% Cabernet Franc, 30% Syrah, 20% Merlot, and 19% Cabernet Sauvignon. Dark purplish red. Nice nose with black fruit and spice aromas. Black cherry, blackberry, spice, and oak come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity and medium to high tannins. Well-balanced and smooth with a long, lingering finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $32

Would you like a quick suggestion for a good wine to drink tonight (or this weekend) that won’t break your budget and is widely available? If so, you might want to check out the 2011 Banfi Rosa Regale Brachetto d’Acqui from the Piedmont region of Italy.

Our selection criteria include:

• A very good Quality rating of >=3.5 stars (out of 5)
• A price tag of <=$20
• Must be widely available

In 1979, John and Harry Mariani, owners of Banfi Vintners, acquired a mid-18th century winery, known as Bruzzone, revitalized it, and renamed the facility Vigne Regali. Banfi’s Rosa Regale is created in one of Italy’s smallest production zones, the Brachetto d’Acqui DOCG in Piedmont. Produced with Brachetto grapes grown at the La Rosa Vineyard in the town of Acqui Terme, its label features a single red rose.

For those of you who are predominantly white wine drinkers and/or prefer sweet wines, this is certainly a wine you should try. It is a good before or after dinner drink and also pairs well with seafood, cheese, and chocolate.

“Aromatic with hints of raspberries, strawberries and rose petals. Fresh raspberries, with crisp acidity, enticing the palate with an initial softness, graduating to a clean and dry finish.” –Banfi

2011 Banfi Rosa Regale Brachetto d’Acqui (Piedmont, Italy): 100% Brachetto. Sweet red sparkling wine. Small, fairly fast bead of bubbles. Medium to deep ruby red. Aromatic with bright red fruit and cherry Jolly Rancher on the nose. More cherry as well as raspberry and strawberry come through on the palate. Sweet but not sickeningly sweet. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $18; Available elsewhere, $15 to $25

Washington Syrah compares favorably with the best in the world. Washington Syrah generally falls somewhere in between the jammy Shiraz of Australia and the more austere Syrah of the northern Rhone. It generally has good acidity and tannins. Last Friday, we featured Washington Syrah from the 2009 vintage in our wine tasting dinner. All six wines paired perfectly with Mom’s dinner of tomato basil soup, mixed green salad with blue cheese, pecans, toasted walnuts, and dried cranberries tossed with a green onion, honey, Tabasco vinaigrette dressing, grilled beef tenderloin steaks, rosemary roasted sweet potatoes, asparagus with curry butter, and topped off with a German chocolate dessert topped with whipped cream and shaved chocolate. Four of the six wines received a Quality rating of 4 stars (out of 5).

The 2009 Long Shadows Sequel Syrah came out on top in this outstanding lineup. Founded by Washington wine pioneer Allen Shoup, Long Shadows Vintners is a collection of ultra-premium wineries comprised of internationally acclaimed winemakers from the major wine regions of the world. Each winemaker is a partner in a unique winery dedicated to producing a single Columbia Valley wine representing a “best of type” that reflects the winemaker’s signature style. Sequel is a Syrah made by John Duval, one of the most famous winemakers in Australia and around the world. He is best known for his work with Penfolds Grange, Australia’s most famous wine, and now owns his own John Duval Wines.

Really, you can’t go wrong with any of these wines. Washington State produces fabulous Syrah, and the winemakers who made these six wines are among the state’s best.

From 1st to last in the group consensus rankings:

2009 Long Shadows Sequel Syrah (Columbia Valley, Washington): 99% Syrah and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon. Dark, dense purple. Gorgeous nose with spice, game, earth, and black fruit aromas. Blackberry, black pepper, game, herbs, and spice come through on the palate. Full-bodied with crisp acidity and high yet smooth tannins. Well-balanced with good complexity and a very long, lingering finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Winery, $50; Available elsewhere, $42 to $55

2009 Force Majeure Collaboration Series III (Ciel du Cheval Vineyard, Red Mountain, Washington): 100% Syrah. Winemaker Mark McNeilly of Mark Ryan Winery. Deep, dark purple. Nice nose with black fruit and cinnamon aromas. Black fruit, black pepper, cinnamon, and a touch of earth come through on the palate. Full-bodied with crisp acidity and high tannins. Well-balanced with good complexity and a very long finish. Force Majeure winery was previously named Grand Rêve.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $55; Available elsewhere, $55 to $56

2009 Rasa Vineyards QED (Columbia Valley, Washington): 71% Syrah, 14% Grenache, 12% Mourvedre, and 3% Viognier. Deep, dark ruby red. Aromatic with black cherry, cinnamon, and a touch of smoke on the nose. Black cherry, spice, black pepper, and some oak come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity and medium to high, silky tannins. Well-balanced with a long, lingering finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $50

2009 Betz Family Winery La Côte Patriarche Syrah (Red Willow Vineyard, Yakima Valley, Washington): 100% Syrah. Deep, dark purplish red. Aromatic with black fruit and smoked meat on the nose. Black cherry, blackberry, game, and a hint of earth come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity and medium to high, smooth tannins. Well-balanced with a very long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $55

2009 Fielding Hills Syrah (RiverBend Vineyard, Wahluke Slope, Washington): 94% Syrah, 2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc. Deep, dark purplish red. Nice nose with red and black fruit and vanilla aromas. Red and black fruit, vanilla, and cherry cola come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium to high tannins, and a very long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $38; Available elsewhere, $38 to $46

2009 Maison Bleue Liberté Syrah (Boushey Vineyard, Yakima Valley, Washington): 100% Syrah. Deep ruby red. Aromatic with cherry, spice, and vanilla on the nose. Very jammy with Big Red soda, strawberry, and a touch of cedar on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Full Pull Wines (Seattle, Washington), $42; Available elsewhere, $40 to $44

Brothers Butch and Jerry Milbrandt planted their first vines in Washington’s Columbia Valley and Wahluke Slope in 1997. Today, Milbrandt Vineyards is comprised of over 2,000 acres of estate vineyards. After selling their grapes to wineries throughout Washington for years, the Milbrandts launched their own winery in 2005. Joshua Maloney, who previously worked for wineries in California and then as Chateau Ste. Michelle’s red winemaker, joined Milbrandt Vineyards as Director of Winemaking in 2011. The Milbrandt Vineyards tasting room is located in Prosser, Washington.

Recently, we had the opportunity to taste the 2012 Traditions Pinot Gris and the 2010 The Estates Cabernet Sauvignon in a blind samples tasting. Both wines are very good, but we especially enjoyed the Pinot Gris. It is crisp and refreshing and an excellent wine for late spring and summer.

Milbrandt Vineyards consistently offers a lineup of good quality wines that deliver serious bang for your buck.

2012 Milbrandt Vineyards Traditions Pinot Gris (Columbia Valley, Washington): 100% Pinot Gris. Pale straw yellow. Nice nose with lemon and honeysuckle aromas. Citrus fruits, especially lemon, and floral notes come through on the palate. Dry and medium-bodied with tart acidity. Well-balanced with a very long, refreshing finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $12.99; Available elsewhere, $10 to $13

2010 Milbrandt Vineyards The Estates Cabernet Sauvignon (Wahluke Slope, Washington): 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, and 5% Malbec. Dark purplish red. Aromatic with molasses and blackcurrant on the nose. More molasses, blackcurrant, and black pepper come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium to high tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $24.99; Available elsewhere, $14 to $27