MikeL's Guide to WA Wineries

Whites:
1994 Washington Semillon: Harvested from a portion of Sagemoor Vineyard that tends to be less herbaceous, the 1994 WA Semillon has hints of melon and fresh figs in the aroma that led to a crisp palate that offers ripe varietal flavors. Upon release the wine is a perfect match with a wide variety of seafood dishes. As it matures in the bottle it picks up roundness and depth of flavor which increases its versatility with food. A touch of Sauvignon Blanc was blended to add crispness and balance. The finish is very dry with pleasant nuances of fresh pears. A short period of barrel aging in French Oak adds yet another degree of complexity with a delicate note of vanilla. This wine will age beautifully.
Varietal: 82% Semillon, 18% Sauvignon Blanc; Appellation: Columbia Valley; Vineyard: Sagemoor; Cases produced: 301; TA: 0.68, pH: 3.2, RS: [dry].

1994 Washington Chardonnay (100% barrel fermented): The 1994 WA Chardonnay was hand-harvested during a warmer than normal growing season. This bottling is yet another beautiful example of just how elegant Washington Chardonnays can be. Barrel fermentation and 9 to 12 months of French oak aging has produced a classic, ripe and rich wine, with a wonderful sense of harmony and finesse. Flavors and aromas of pineapples and peaches are delicately accented with toasty oak and hints of vanilla. The wine is smooth on the palate and is medium to full-bodied. It has good depth and structure with a long, lingering finish. Additional bottle age will enable more buttery aspects of the wine to develop.
Varietal: 100% Chardonnay; Appellation: Columbia Valley; Vineyard: Sagemoor; Cases produced: 379; TA: 0.62, pH: 3.5, RS: [dry].

1994 Washington Fume Blanc: The 1994 WA Fume Blanc is a regional favorite. Our version of this popular varietal offers greater versatility in matching with food dishes. A slight herbal character is played up in the aroma and down-played on the palate. Flavors of melon, citrus, pear and peach predominate with no hint of grassiness. It is blended with a small amount of Semilon which adds to its complexity and richness. The wine is aged in French Oak barrels for a period of 2 to 4 months; this rounds out the palate while preserving the intense fruitiness.
Varietal: 75% Sauvignon Blanc, 25% Semillon; Appellation: Columbia Valley; Vineyard: Sagemoor; Cases produced: 671; TA: 0.69, pH: 3.2, RS: [dry].

Reds:
1994 Washington Lemberger: The 1994 WA Lemberger is our second vintage and its popularity is going through the roof. Lemberger is a hard-to-find red varietal that has found a home in Washington State. It is of Austrian origin and produces a medium-bodied red wine. The brilliant reddish-purple color is quite striking in the glass. The wine exhibits jammy, plummy flavors with good extraction. It is very drinkable at an early age with a wide variety of foods.
Varietal: 100% Lemberger; Appellation: Yakima Valley; Vineyard: Carter; Cases produced: 106; TA: 0.61, pH: 3.5, RS: [dry].

1993 Washington Pinot Noir: We source this fruit from two small growers located in southwestern Washington in the Lewis River Valley. Both vineyards are dry-land farmed and grown in a very similar climate to Oregon's Willamette Valley. This is our best Pinot Noir to date. The blend of the two vineyards has created an explosive wine with aromas of ripe strawberries, cherries and plums. This vintage has greater complexity and more tannin than our previous vintage making it an excellent candidate for cellaring.
Varietal: 100% Pinot Noir; Appellation: Washington State; Vineyard: 53% LaCenter, 47% Miller/Gasper; Cases produced: 125; TA: 0.67, pH: 3.6, RS: [dry].

1993 Washington Merlot: The 1993 vintage produced Merlot with extremely small, dark-colored berries on well proportioned clusters, giving us an exceptional concentration of flavors. Grown on sandy loam soil, this vineyard produces extreme black cherry aromas and flavors, coupled with bright scents of ripe raspberry and spice. Our style utilizes very little Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend in order to showcase the outstanding varietal purity of this Merlot. Time in the bottle will definitely enhance this already stylish wine.
Varietal: 96% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon; Appellation: Columbia Valley; Vineyard: Sagemoor; Cases produced: 887; TA: 0.61, pH: 3.5, RS: [dry].

1992 Washington Cabernet Sauvignon: The warm vintage of 1992 has prduced some excellent reds. A bit less concentrated than the 1991 vintage, our 1992 Cabernet Sauvignon is rich with ripe berry and black currant aromas that blend with chewy, dark cherry flavors enhanced with hints of new oak, leather and chocolate. The wine is more approachable now than our previous vintages have been upon release. The wine has abundant soft tannins and will benefit from an additional 3 to 5 years of bottle aging. We are increasing our Cabernet Sauvignon production every year.
Varietal: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon; Appellation: Columbia Valley; Vineyard: Sagemoor; Cases produced: 218; TA: 0.69, pH: 3.6, RS: [dry].

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