• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe

Tasting Room Magazine

The magazine for people who love wine tasting

  • Home
  • About
  • Articles
    • Tour
    • Taste
    • Travel
  • Special Sections
    • 2026 Guide to Event & Wedding Venues
    • Top Wine Clubs of 2025-2026
    • 2025 Top Winery Dogs We Love
    • 2025 Women of Washington Wine
  • Wine Reviews
  • In the News
  • Event Calendar

Guide to Wine Scores

Our wine reviews are based on evaluative tastings by Tasting Room Magazine’s editors. Overall score ratings are based on aroma; flavor; typicity of character; structure and balance. Quality-to-price ratio (QPR) can play a factor, meaning that an $80 wine with a score of 90 pts. falls in a much higher league than that of a $15 wine given the same score.

95-100 pts. – Extraordinary: a truly great wine of its variety
91-94 pts. – Outstanding: exceptional quality, character and complexity
88-90 pts. – Excellent: very well made and highly recommended
85-87 pts. – Recommended: a solid wine, may offer superior value if the price is right

3 Releases from Page Cellars

December 6, 2022

Innovators like this boutique warehouse winery have helped to shape Woodinville’s reputation as a destination for world-class wine. Page Cellars was started two decades ago by James and Rothelle Page. Upon retiring last year they relayed the baton of ownership to Todd and Dee Krivoshein, former club members as well as cellar volunteers who were keenly familiar with the … [Read more...] about 3 Releases from Page Cellars

Princess & Bear Wines in Seattle Offers Chance to Taste Uncommon French Imports

December 5, 2022

If you love French wines and live in Seattle, consider yourself fortunate. Princess and Bear Wines is a new tasting room in the South Park neighborhood of Seattle that is importing small batch, affordable wines from over 40 independent French winemakers exclusively from the Languedoc-Roussillon region. This wild and unspoiled appellation in the South of France is currently … [Read more...] about Princess & Bear Wines in Seattle Offers Chance to Taste Uncommon French Imports

Three of Cups Expands Woodinville Footprint with Winning Combination

October 14, 2022

Mike Metheny, a former aerospace engineer, along with business partner Lisa Swei, a technology expert, fall into that delightful echelon of people with magnetic personalities. Their balanced upbeat-nature is contagious not only to winery guests, but seems to flow through their carefully French-oaked reds and stainless steel-aged whites. With a bevy of awards and genial hosts, … [Read more...] about Three of Cups Expands Woodinville Footprint with Winning Combination

Welcome Road Winery Opens Satellite Tasting Room in Bellingham

October 6, 2022

Rallying around a slogan of “wine, food and the great outdoors,” Leigh McMillan and Kristen Dorrity chose Bellingham for their second tasting room location when they decided to branch out from West Seattle. Welcome Road is named for a road near Mount Baker where Leigh and Kristen own a cabin. The pair have been making their Yakima Valley-sourced wines for well over a decade, … [Read more...] about Welcome Road Winery Opens Satellite Tasting Room in Bellingham

Drum Roll Wine Marches to a Different Beat

October 5, 2022

As a vintner and lifelong drummer drawn to the arts and culture, Matt Frazier says he had a revelation about wine during a visit to Chicago’s Art Institute. He stood gazing at a stunning Impressionist painting by Renoir and realized that great wine was akin to fine art in the sense both could be appreciated by the masses, not just those with deep intellect on the subject … [Read more...] about Drum Roll Wine Marches to a Different Beat

Fall 2022 Top Picks: Taste from 7 Washington AVAs

September 23, 2022

Reviews of 28 wines from seven different Washington American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) … [Read more...] about Fall 2022 Top Picks: Taste from 7 Washington AVAs

Story Cellars Shines Light on Northwest Zinfandel

September 12, 2022

Tim Oas produces assorted red and white wines but his eye has been trained on Zinfandel from the very start of Story Cellars' first commercial vintage back in 2014. Oas continues to shine a spotlight on the masterful potential of this variety grown with grapes culled from the hot slopes of Red Mountain, as well as the cooler climate of the Columbia Gorge region. These bold and … [Read more...] about Story Cellars Shines Light on Northwest Zinfandel

Succession Wines 2021 Rosé

September 3, 2022

Brock and Erica Lindsay built this Manson, Wash. winery from humble beginnings into one of the premier wineries overlooking Lake Chelan. As a viticulturist and vintner, Brock's has what it takes to craft solid New World reds, whites and rosé wines that are as enchanting as the lakeside views from their back patio. Visit and taste at the winery's sleek and modern tasting room … [Read more...] about Succession Wines 2021 Rosé

2 White Varietals from Côtes de Ciel on Red Mountain

August 28, 2022

When Ciel du Cheval Vineyard was planted on Red Mountain in 1975, Richard Holmes was there assisting his father, Jim Holmes, alongside members of four other families (including John and Scott Williams of Kiona Vineyard fame). In 2012, after 37 years of growing grapes for some of the most hailed wineries in Washington, Richard and his family decided to allot a portion of their … [Read more...] about 2 White Varietals from Côtes de Ciel on Red Mountain

Silver Bell Winery Lands on the Shores of Lake Chelan

August 12, 2022

Epic views of the glacial waters of Lake Chelan are abundant from Silver Bell’s sleek tasting room that opened in the summer of 2021. The modern winery facility on six beautiful acres is the result of four years of sweat equity, constructed by hand literally from the ground up by entrepreneurial owners Alan and Diane Holtzheimer. “We built the current winery ourselves with the … [Read more...] about Silver Bell Winery Lands on the Shores of Lake Chelan

Summer 2022 Top Picks: From Chardonnay to Zinfandel

July 1, 2022

WASHINGTON winemakers push tough boundaries in their quest to make world-class vino. In this section, we review seven distinct styles emerging from the region. First up is Chardonnay, which has greater competition nowadays in the category of easy-to-love-white-wines but still remains the most popular white varietal for good reasons. Sparkling wines are on the rise and … [Read more...] about Summer 2022 Top Picks: From Chardonnay to Zinfandel

La Dolce Vita: Reviews of 20 Italian Varietal Wines

April 6, 2022

Reviews of Washington-grown Italian varietals that rival their European counterparts and pair delightfully with your favorite Italian-American dishes.  … [Read more...] about La Dolce Vita: Reviews of 20 Italian Varietal Wines

Trio of Pinot Noir from Bayernmoor Cellars

April 6, 2022

Owners Kim and Larry Harris opened their first tasting room during the summer of 2021 in Woodinville’s Woodin Creek neighborhood. Although they produce a Chardonnay, a Cabernet and Rosé with grapes from eastern Washington growers, the real story centers on their series of estate Pinot Noir grown north of Seattle. They began planting vines on the family’s estate land in … [Read more...] about Trio of Pinot Noir from Bayernmoor Cellars

Cairdeas Winery’s Deep Dive Into Rhône Varietals

April 6, 2022

This outfit consistently turns out head-turning wines, and the caliber of guest services scores high marks, too. Since 2009, Washington Tasting Room magazine has followed Charlie and Lacey Lybecker’s wine "journey," if it’s fair to call it that. Considering their many accomplishments over the past decade on a deep dive into Washington-grown Rhône-style wines, the term “journey” … [Read more...] about Cairdeas Winery’s Deep Dive Into Rhône Varietals

Red Mountain Trails Offers Tastings & Horseback Tours

April 6, 2022

Red Mountain Trails Winery founders Teresa and Jeff Owen have built up their family business quite literally on horseback. The couple have been leading horseback rides and horse-drawn wagon rides through vineyards in the Red Mountain AVA since 2013. It seemed only logical when Red Mountain Trails expanded their offerings in 2016 to include a “wine tasting by horseback tour.” … [Read more...] about Red Mountain Trails Offers Tastings & Horseback Tours

Itä Wines Hatches in Walla Walla

April 6, 2022

Kelsey Albro Itämeri is behind the latest “incubator winery” to hatch at the Port of Walla Walla's Incubator Winery Facilities along Piper Avenue near the airport. She came to winemaking via a long and winding road, having tried her hand at many occupations in the years following college: political campaign manager, reality TV production assistant, executive assistant at … [Read more...] about Itä Wines Hatches in Walla Walla

DeLille Cellars Hits 30th Anniversary Milestone

April 5, 2022

Known as one of Washington’s vanguard wineries to raise the benchmark on Bordeaux and Rhone varietal blends in the state, this year marks DeLille Cellars’ 30th anniversary. Veteran director of winemaking and viticulture Jason Gorski, along with winemaker Nick Bernstein and together with their cellar team continue to impress with impeccably-balanced red blends that manage to … [Read more...] about DeLille Cellars Hits 30th Anniversary Milestone

4 Releases from Warr-King Wines

April 5, 2022

This Woodinville winery continues to churn out small-lot red and white wines with amazing alacrity. Concentrating on fruit culled from both the Royal Slope and the Wahluke Slope AVAs in eastern Washington, the winery is in the heart of Woodinville’s warehouse winery district. Visitors will find a full lineup of current releases, and a few library wines to boot. Located at 19501 … [Read more...] about 4 Releases from Warr-King Wines

Rolling Bay Winery Explores the Square Root of Pinot Gris

April 5, 2022

Alphonse de Klerk of Rolling Bay Winery has a natural gift for crafting solid red and white wines. It could be said he is the foremost ambassador for Upland Vineyards, the largest family vineyard operation in the Snipes Mountain AVA, a subset of the Yakima Valley appellation. Alphonse has been producing classically styled wines with grapes grown at Upland Vineyards for many, … [Read more...] about Rolling Bay Winery Explores the Square Root of Pinot Gris

Top Picks: Winter 2021/22 Reviews

January 14, 2022

Reviews of 20 Washington-grown Rhône style wines, proving that Washington terroir is every bit as bold, brash and exciting as France’s.  … [Read more...] about Top Picks: Winter 2021/22 Reviews

Vertical Vintages of Mourvèdre from Nota Bene Cellars

January 9, 2022

Washington Tasting Room Magazine recently sampled a vertical flight consisting of three consecutive vintages (2015-2017) of Mourvèdre from Seattle-based craft producer :Nota Bene Cellars. Each bottling was sourced from Heart of the Hill Vineyard in the Red Mountain AVA. Vintners Tim Narby and his wife Carol Bryant have been at this a long time and are staunch believers in using … [Read more...] about Vertical Vintages of Mourvèdre from Nota Bene Cellars

3 Releases from Prohibition Cellars

January 9, 2022

Sandor and Sabrina Faludi put their heart and soul into every release at this fashionable winery in Woodinville’s warehouse district that opened in December of 2019. Winemaking runs deep in Sandor’s bloodline—his grandfather was a winemaker with a small vineyard in Hungary where Sandor grew up. These latest releases from Prohibition Cellars continue to impress. Visit & … [Read more...] about 3 Releases from Prohibition Cellars

« Previous Page
Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

OUR WEB PARTNERS

TsillanCellars” width=

“Wine

Maryhill

Search The Site

WINE REVIEWS

Best 75 Wines of the Year

Reviews: Fall 2025

Wines of Distinction & Sweeping Views From Echolands in Walla Walla

More Wine Reviews →

UPCOMING EVENTS

View Event Calendar by Month →
View Event Calendar by List →
View Event Calendar by Photo →

Footer

About the Magazine

Tasting Room® magazine is the ultimate authority on the Washington wine scene and your personal tour guide to wineries, vineyards, destinations and travel tips, and artisan foods, chefs and artists. In short, Tasting Room is a metaphor for life’s simple pleasures that pair remarkably well with wine—touring, food, travel, culture, recreation and people.

HOME
SUBSCRIBE
NEWSSTANDS
ADVERTISE
EVENTS
CONTACT

Search Tasting Room Magazine

Copyright © 2026 Washington Tasting Room Magazine