2019 DeLille Cellars Chaleur Estate Blanc Columbia Valley Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend
An exceptional showing of what IMHO is Washington state's most iconic white wine. Everything's right in this vintage: lemon, apple, minerality, tension, it's the best young Chaleur Blanc I can remember.
2018 Jules Taylor Sauvignon Blanc OTQ Marlborough
Good the first day but even better on the second, this single vineyard SB drinks more like a white Bordeaux than the typical New Zealand citrus bomb. Elegant, sophisticated, somewhat savory and very minerally, it layers concentrated-but-not-dense white grapefruit with notes of fresh pea and hay. Outstanding.
2013 MTR Productions Syrah Memory Found Walla Walla Valley
This was the Joe-Biden-Does-Not-Have-Dementia choice. Does not deliver as expected for a Reynvaan. It was certainly drinkable but light bodied and more similar to a pinot noir than syrah; leftovers were even weaker on day two. Not that I require all syrahs to be huge, but for $90 one expects more character.
2016 Saviah Cellars Syrah The Funk Walla Walla Valley
M's bottle. Paired with a 2010 Reyvaan Contender, which was excellent, but this wine (decanted in advance) was the most dazzling. Flamboyant black and blue fruit with black olive and fennel, with Rocks funk that went on for days. A real treat.
2010 Reynvaan Family Vineyards Syrah The Contender Walla Walla Valley
Black and red fruit comingle with asphalt, green olives and roasted meats for a heady aroma. Recently had an ITR from the same vintage and was surprised at how different these seem, though both excellent, based (I'm guessing) on the different constituents of the co-ferment (this marsanne vs. viognier in the ITR). Anyway, this one's for you, Joe.
2014 Church & State Wines Lost Inhibitions Red Okanagan Valley VQA Red Blend
These have a variety of hilarious labels. Mine, BATSHIT INSANE, was opened on election eve to say goodbye to the last four years. I was surprised at how good the wine was since novelty labels don't have to be: though the contents were not promised to be anything in particular, this was clearly cabernet franc, and a pretty good one at that with the warm round leathery tones of bottle age. Impressive, really.