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Beyond Category: Twelve Vintages of Hors Catégorie
United States: Washington, Verticals & Retrospectives, featured
, Jun 2026
Christophe Baron has excelled with Rhône varieties in The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater for decades, leaning on this special site in the Blue Mountain foothills to craft something truly beyond category. This 12-vintage vertical of Hors Catégorie Syrah reflects the pedigree and staying power of a wine that bridges the Northern Rhône and the Walla Walla Valley.
Cellar Favorite: 2006 Cayuse Vineyards Bionic Frog
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, United States: Washington
, Jun 2026
Now at age 20, the 2006 Bionic Frog is a wild, feral, mind-bendingly complex wine that has aged with supreme grace.
Washington State on a Roll: The Suave 2022s and Seductive 2023s
United States: Washington, featured
, Oct 2025
Washington State fans, rejoice. The 2022 vintage delivered on its promise of complexity and structure. Meanwhile, the idyllic 2023 vintage offers notable brightness, energy and depth. This report delves into details of both vintages, the movement of winemaking talent across the region and unexpected opportunities that are emerging from economic turmoil that is present today.
Better Late than Never: The 2022 Vintage in Washington State
United States: Washington, featured
, Dec 2024
My ears perk up with excitement when I hear of cool, extended growing seasons in any region. So, how did Washington State producers fare in the idiosyncratic 2022 vintage? Success wasn’t easy to come by, but it also wasn’t unattainable.
Washington State 2021 and 2020: From the Frying Pan to the Fire
United States: Washington, featured
, Jan 2024
The smoke-plagued 2020 vintage produced wines that are significantly better than originally expected. By comparison, the 2021s show the effects of unrelenting heat and a compressed season. Despite those challenges, top producers found balance in creating opulent wines that will please a broad audience.
Making History: 21 Vintages of Leonetti’s Red Wine Reserve
United States: Washington, Verticals & Retrospectives, featured
, Oct 2023
Leonetti remains one of the leading producers of Bordeaux blends, not just in Washington State, but worldwide. Gary and Chris Figgins joined me for a tasting of twenty-one vintages of their Red Wine Reserve for this vertical.
Rhônes on the Rise: Washington State Takes the Lead
United States: Washington, featured
, Aug 2023
It’s about time Rhône varieties in Washington State receive the recognition they deserve. In addition to high-quality producers making wines that can compete with established global benchmarks, I found a surge in unique, terroir-driven and unforgettable reds of the highest caliber on my most recent trip to the region.
Against All Odds: Washington State’s 2020s and 2019s
United States: Washington, featured
, Mar 2023
In the face of many challenges, Washington State winemakers are working hard to prove the quality of their wines and terroir. Battling the conditions of the 2020 vintage is just the tip of the iceberg. This is winemaking in the extreme.
Cellar Favorite: 2018 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, United States: Washington
, Sep 2022
There are very few wines that I personally seek out year after year. For a wine to become a recurring purchase for my cellar, it takes a proven track record, unparalleled quality among. peers, vintage-to-vintage consistency and. relative value. The Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon is such a wine, even with steady price increase over the past ten years.
Washington Waltzes in 2018, Slowly Marches on in 2019
United States: Washington, featured
, Mar 2022
My inaugural Washington report for Vinous focuses on the exceptional 2018 vintage, as well as some bottlings from 2019 and a smattering of 2020s. Of these vintages, red and white wines from 2018 stand tall among the others and complete what is arguably the finest lineup of Washington wines in the last 20 years.