WASHINGTON
V I N T A G E S 2 0 1 8 - 2 0 2 0
J e r e m y Y o u n g, S e n i o r E d i t o r
Washington continues to impress year after year with the quality of its winemaking on the world stage. Washington offers an incredible range of wines including some of the very best expressions of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. These wines rival the best of the best from the Rhone Valley, Bordeaux, Napa Valley and any region around the world. Washington not only competes on a world-class level, but in many cases the wines are even more compelling.
This year, I reviewed close to 300 wines from Washington for our annual report, and I was blown away by overall quality of the wines. The freshness, structure, balance, and integrity were some of the trademarks these wines possessed. In fact, the 2019 vintage offered some of the best wines I’ve ever had from several of the wineries listed below. Amongst the amazing wines there were a few producers that stood out and are deserving of special recognition.
Washington Winery of the Year
Reynvaan Family Vineyards - Year after year, Matt Renvaan, winemaker for Reynvaan Family Vineyards, produces phenomenal wines despite vintage and weather variations. His wines are consistently reliable, scrumptious, and skirt close to perfection, and have become a favorite that I look forward to tasting every year. This year, I especially loved the Queen’s Road White Wine that won praises from not only myself, but from the friends and family with who I shared a bottle several months ago.
Washington Winemaker of the Year
Todd Alexander - How does one human being lead the winemaking for four different projects in Washington (Force Majeure, Pasxa, The Walls, Weathereye) and consistently craft gorgeous, drinkable, and age-worthy wine every year? Anytime I see his name attached to a bottle of wine, I know I’m in for a treat when I pop it open. I also love the consistent style across all of his projects which is a testament to his abilities to take fruit sourced from across the state and create something special.
Washington Wineries to Watch
Devison Vintners - Pete Devison is making small-batch wines that are seriously great and ones that I am going to look forward to trying for years to come. If you get a chance to try any of his wines, don’t hesitate to do so as they are absolutely stunning.
Savage Grace - Michael Savage is a winemaker you should know, but probably do not. He is crafting lean, old-world-styled wines that have low alcohol, very low intervention, and really made me think about what I was drinking. His style is apparent throughout his entire lineup - think lean, quaffable, and downright delicious wines that are totally different from anything you will find in Washington.