Washington Tasting Room Magazine’s 2025 list of the “Best 75 Wines of the Year.”
As the year 2025 comes to a close, the editors of Washington Tasting Room Magazine have carefully narrowed down the selection for our list of “Best 75 Wines” from among hundreds of releases we have reviewed in the past year. These wines represent an array of producers, from well-established ones to emerging talent coming up through the ranks, yet all are worthy of special recognition for having a noteworthy quality that captured our complete attention.
Our selection criteria includes quality-to-price ratio, availability (mail list-only labels were not included because the wines are not easily accessible to the general public). Additionally, selections were limited to just one per producer in order to provide readers with a broader range of offerings.
It’s worth noting many wines are made in limited quantities and frequently replaced by newer vintages. Some are one-off’s that are here today and gone tomorrow. Regardless, consider this list a blueprint to inspiring wineries worth keeping track of now and in the future.
– John Vitale
#1. Figgins Estate Red Wine Walla Walla Valley
Vintage: 2022
Score: 98 pts.
Price: $95
A sensational red from veteran Chris Figgins, elegantly chiseled and showing depth and purity of fruit. Cassis, macerated blackberry, plum and dried black mission fig set the pace, alongside finessed notes of dark red fruit, violet and crushed stone. The powerhouse finish is marked by a sheen of finely-matted tannins that lay down with refined tension, and a lasting impression of red and black fruit.
#2. Upchurch Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage: 2021
Score: 97 pts.
Price: $90
This signature Cabernet Sauvignon from Chris Upchurch is made from 100% estate-grown Red Mountain grapes. Finessed, with a rich and vibrant core of boysenberry and blueberry that sync with bold red and black fruit, followed by violet, creamy vanilla and mineral spice. Generously structured, with a beam of fine-grained tannins leading to the robust finish dusted with white pepper.
#3. Avennia Estate Vineyard Red Wine
Vintage: 2022
Score: 97 pts.
Price: $75
Lush and seductive, this Red Mountain AVA wine from winemaker Chris Peterson offers a tightly focused mouthfeel and shimmering beam of cassis, cherry paste and licorice lined with fig paste, mesquite and blueberry notes. Fine yet grippy, chalky tannins delineate a muscular edge cut with fresh acidity that ramps up on the radiant and stellar finish.
#4. Cairdeas Consonance Red Wine
Vintage: 2022
Score: 96 pts.
Price: $56
A bold, rich and expressive blend of two varieties, Petite Sirah and Syrah, with a splash of Mourvèdre. Keenly structured, with blueberry and blackberry matched with savory mountain herb, spice and mineral details that bind with elevated balance on the well-chiseled finish. Consonance is a musical term that refers to a group of harmonious tones, and this wine orchestrates exceptionally with its blend from seven Columbia Valley vineyards.
#5. Boudreaux Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage: 2018
Score: 96 pts.
Price: $80
The father and daughter winemaking team of Rob and Keely Newsom used grapes from seven vineyards blended together in a 2,000-gallon French oak tank. There’s outstanding intensity behind the bright, fresh mix of cherry, blackberry and red currant details. The structured palate is backlit with crushed rock, sage, graphite and cocoa, dusted with a coating of fine tannins.
#6. Tsillan Cellars Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Lake Chelan
Vintage: 2022
Score: 96 pts.
Price: $56
Head winemaker Garret Grubbs and his team truly highlight the beauty of Lake Chelan AVA fruit with this concentrated and powerfully structured estate-grown Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s a svelte blend of cassis, blackberry, red currant and black olive that display fresh minerally focus, backed by graphite and barrel spice. The firm tannic finish is rich, savory and expressive. A gorgeous rendition of the varietal from the Lake Chelan appellation.
#7. Adams Bench “The Gem” Chardonnay
Vintage: 2023
Score: 96 pts.
Price: $58
From one of the state’s benchmark producers of red wines comes this debut white wine. It’s a single-vineyard version of Clone 548 from Celilo Vineyard, introduced by floral and citrusy aromas of white stone fruit, kiwi, lemon zest and nutty hints. Rich and luscious, offering complex notes of pear tart, honey mango and lemon curd nuanced with refined minerality and ginger.
#8. Maryhill Winery Syrah Proprietor’s Reserve
Vintage: 2020
Score: 96 pts.
Price: $50
This generous red reveals a contoured structure as it opens, offering generous ripe boysenberry and black raspberry encased by intriguing layers of applewood bacon and wild blueberry. The expressive finish shows flashes of iron minerality ending with a savory richness. A blend of three premium vineyards—McKinley Springs, Les Collines and Tudor Hills.
#9. Hedges Family Estate La Haute Cuvée
Vintage: 2020
Score: 96 pts.
Price: $75
Winemaking talent Sarah Goedhart uses ‘old vine’ grapes from the estate’s original Red Mountain blocks dating back to 1990 that are farmed to Demeter Biodynamic standards. This 100% Cabernet shows meticulous structure, etched with fine-grained tannins teeming with expressive blackberry, cassis and high-toned red currant studded with black olive, crushed rock, dried herbs, pencil lead, cocoa and leather hints. Finishes with acute focus and duration.
#10. Echolands Taggart Estate Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc
Vintage: 2024
Score: 96 pts.
Price: $48
A complex and elegant white that opens with fragrant wheat grass, pressed citrus peel and wet stone. It’s remarkably driven on the mouthfeel by energetic acidity sustaining a payload of lemon, lime, pear and elegant peach. The long finish is inlaid with river rock and concentrated minerality. This release sets a new benchmark for Sauvignon Blanc grown in the Walla Walla Valley AVA.
#11. Muret-Gaston Red Mountain Red Blend
Vintage: Non-vintage
Score: 96 pts.
Price: $50
Combining finesse and power, Yakima Valley vintners Kyle and Amy Johnson craft this red in the Solera aging style that utilizes fractional blending that, over many years, creates a finished wine blended from multiple vintages. Dominated by the classic 2012 vintage, there’s beautiful balance to the blend with barrels from 2011, 2013 and 2014. Gushing with dark tones of blackberry and plum that build with intensity, nuances of rosemary, iron, graphite and cocoa permeate the finish with ultra-fine tannins.
#12. JB Neufeld Two Blondes Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage: 2022
Score: 96 pts.
Price: $50
A stunning rendition made from Clone 8 Cabernet Sauvignon that’s both velvety and energetic all at once, building on the superb balance of tension with polished tannins that leave an indelible grip on the luxurious mouthfeel. Waves of rich black cherry coax out deeper notes of blackberry, framed by floral violet, lavender, fig and baking spice details that linger on the sharply focused finish.
#13. Sleight of Hand “Psychedelic” Syrah Stoney Vine Vineyard
Vintage: 2022
Score: 95 pts.
Price: $75
A benchmark version from the renowned Rocks District of the Walla Walla Valley AVA. Intensely aromatic, yielding a lovely nose of purple flowers, blue and red fruit, spun sugar, Parma ham, smoked herbs and Asian spice that carry onto the satiny palate. Marvelously focused with notes of wild strawberry, blueberry, tapenade, red licorice and moist earth.
#14. Co Dinn Elephant Mountain Vineyard Red Blend
Vintage: 2016
Score: 96 pts.
Price: $65
This terroir-driven Bordeaux-style red from veteran Coman Dinn is made mostly of old vine Cabernet Sauvignon (63%) that was planted in the late 1990s. An elegant library wine bursting with expressive and compact layers of cassis, blackberry, brilliant red cherry and violet wrapped in a bolt of fresh acidity. A matrix of fine tannins adheres to briary and spice accents that dig in on the long and vibrant finish.
#15. Sparkman Cellars Kingpin Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage: 2021
Score: 95 pts.
Price: $70
Regal and powerful, this boldly structured Cabernet Sauvignon from the Red Mountain AVA is packed with steeped blackberry, cassis and red currant, inlaid with harmonious accents of Madagascar vanilla bean, crushed gravel, cigar wrapper and cocoa powder. Grippy tannins lend a sculpted edge to the well-defined structure, finishing with exceptional duration.
#16. Va Piano Vineyards Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage: 2021
Score: 96 pts.
Price: $75
Velvety throughout, this Walla Walla Valley red brings into play a tightly-coiled structure threaded by a fine beam of acidity that spreads slowly outward in a circuitous motion, filling every part of the palate. Dense blackberry coulis, black cherry and red currant are highlighted by eucalyptus, crushed rock, tobacco and shadings of vanilla, with firm tannins that cling to the lasting finish.
#17. Chandler Reach Omaggio alla Toscana Sangiovese
Vintage: 2020
Score: 94 pts.
Price: $45
Len Parris’ winery in Benton City delivers great wines with incredible consistency every vintage—and this sleek, medium-bodied 100% Sangiovese sourced from Block 7 of the estate is no exception. Fresh, elegant and focused, delivering fig paste, red cherry and plum wrapped in layers of baking spice, crushed pebbles and hints of sage. Finely integrated tannins and tangy acidity provide good definition to the well-structured frame.
#18. Vagabond Nomad Cabernet Sauvignon Red Mountain
Vintage: 2022
Score: 95 pts.
Price: $60
Rich and powerful, this brooding red from vintner Ryan Lowell is packed with copious blackberry, black plum and dark cherry, inlaid with refined layers of sweet pipe tobacco, a dusting of cocoa and minerally details. A grip of glossy tannins permeates the creamy finish, with the concentrated fruit filling in along the way.
#19. Lone Point Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley
Vintage: 2021
Score: 95 pts.
Price: $55
A full flavored red with brooding dark fruit, expressing a rich center of juicy blackberry, black currant and huckleberry. Strikingly nuanced, this red from the Divis family over delivers with cascading layers of pencil shavings, fresh vanilla bean, black cherry and cola hints. A grip of muscular tannins wades through the lavishly structured finish.
#20. Mercer Estates Small Lot “Maltos” Malbec 20th Anniversary Edition
Vintage: 2022
Score: 94 pts.
Price: $42
Celebrating their 20th anniversary in 2025, Mercer Wine Estates introduced this lush red honoring cellar master Michael Maltos. Finely balanced, the medium body is filled with vibrant red fruits of fresh strawberry and mulled cherry, lightly spiced with peppercorn and clove accents. Graceful in every respect, ending with stellar length and a dusting of fine tannins.
#21. Brian Carter Cellars Le Coursier
Vintage: 2021
Score: 95 pts.
Price: $45
Built in the Right Bank Bordeaux style, this red blend is youthfully lush and fruit-forward. A seamless front of Marionberry, Bing cherry and Damson plum flex outward with deepening concentration, merging with subtle anise, barrel spice and waves of satiny tannins on the broad finish.
#22. Côte Bonneville Red Label Merlot
Vintage: 2022
Score: 95 pts.
Price: $150
Sleek and concentrated, yet pure and fresh, this red displays a seamless nucleus of red and black fruit structured around fine sweet tannins. Crushed black cherry and black currant flavors swirl with nuanced details of dried sage, thyme, cocoa and mineral inflections.
#23. DeLille Cellars Chaleur Estate Red Wine
Vintage: 2022
Score: 95 pts.
Price: $90
This Cabernet-dominant red blend is ultra-polished, gleaming with ripe blackberry and dark cherry fruit, nuanced with violet, mocha, sage, clove and mineral spice. Shows power and finesse, with sleek tannins and impeccable balance.
#24. Fidélitas Estate Red Wine Red Mountain
Vintage: 2021
Score: 95 pts.
Price: $60
This Bordeaux varietal blend is made from the winery’s Red Mountain estate vineyard. Ethereally structured, offering floral aromatics and finely polished tannins that merge with bright red fruit on the front, evolving in the glass with dense, darker fruit of cassis and plum. Notes of black olive, sage and graphite linger on the finish.
#25. Dossier Flagship Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley
Vintage: 2022
Score: 95 pts.
Price: $110
Impeccable structure defines this single-varietal, blended from six different AVAs. Lithe and vibrant, delivering rich flavors of blackberry, cassis, cherry paste and licorice. The details keep coming with dried herbs, cocoa, graphite and tobacco hints. A firm tug of powder-fine tannins and uplifting acidity lend energy to the finish.
#26. Matthews Reserve Claret
Vintage: 2022
Score: 96 pts.
Price: $
Ten different clones went into this red to create a powerful Bordeaux-style wine, streaming with expressions of blackberry, crushed pebbles, cassis, fig and dark chocolate with a touch of dried herbs and blue fruit. Finely structured with fresh acidity and lush tannins. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec
#27. Kinhaven The Bossy Badger Walla Walla Valley
Vintage: 2023
Score: 95 pts.
Price: $58
One of the best offerings yet to date from the Davenport family, this plush and dense Bordeaux varietal red is made from almost entirely free-run juice. There’s a rich front of blackberry fruit layered with violet, anise, cocoa powder, tea leaf and mineral spice. Fine tannins lean into the concentrated finish, showing complexity and stellar structure. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Petit Verdot
#28. Whitman Hill Captain Block Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage: 2021
Score: 95 pts.
Price: $55
This reserve red from Scott Whitman offers floral-tinged aromas of dusky dark fruit, black olive, graham and pencil shavings. Sleek and assertive, with lively acidity and tightly-knit flavors of cherry paste, red currant, balsamic reduction and lavender. Notes of rosemary and boysenberry are revealed in time on the long finish.
#29. Amavi Cellars Ceres Red Wine
Vintage: 2022
Score: 94 pts.
Price: $52
Rich and ripe aromas of boysenberry and blackberry mingle with sage and forest floor. The mouthfeel is coated with plush tannins, evoking freshly-crushed blueberry, along with earthier tones of mulled cherry and tomato leaf. The graceful structure leans toward the juicier side on the supple finish. Cabernet Franc and Malbec
#30. Capital Call Vintners Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage: 2022
Score: 95 pts.
Price: $70
This red is polished and expressive, sculpted with an underlay of shining acidity and snowflake-like tannins. The fruit is defined by ultra-smooth cassis, blackberry and dark cherry that gain exponential depth, infused with tobacco leaf, graphite and dried herbs that encircle the impressive finish.
#31. Coyote Canyon H/H Estates Reserve Big John Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage: 2020
Score: 94 pts.
Price: $60
Built in a bold and luscious style, with a fruit-filled display of steeped black cherry and dried currants, accented with roasted espresso beans, tobacco, graphite, cocoa and caramel details. This reserve label is named after a world-class Hereford bull raised on Mike Andrews’ family ranch.
#32. Hard Row to Hoe Vineyards GSM
Vintage: 2021
Score: 95 pts.
Price: $49
Vivacious and complex across the board, there’s a saline-infused core of red fruit that rides high on the viscous mouthfeel inlaid with herbaceous notes. A seamless front of red cherry and cranberry fall in league with savory accents of white pepper, rosemary and tapenade, followed by toffee hints on the rounded finish.
#33. Treveri Cellars Extended Tirage Blanc de Blancs
Vintage: 2017
Score: 95 pts.
Price: $55
Made with Chardonnay from Upland Vineyard, this aged version is multi-dimensional and luxurious with heady aromatics of ripe apricot, pear and black currant. Rich accents of pastry dough and bread yeast chime in on the curvaceous midpalate, studded with fine bubbles and pierced by sophisticated minerality.
#34. Mansion Creek Cellars Reserve Tempranillo
Vintage: 2021
Score: 95 pts.
Price: $70
Aged 28 months in French and American oak, this red delivers towering structure and complex expressions of spiced cherry, ripe plum, fig and black fruit layered with tobacco, vanilla, cocoa and graphite. The finish is extensive, with a continuum of red and black fruit, spice, cedar notes and a roll of firm tannins that goes on and on.
#35. Camaraderie Cellars Reserve Vida
Vintage: 2019
Score: 94 pts.
Price: $45
Winemaker extraordinaire and 40-year industry visionary Don Corson brings us this juicy and sultry blend of Tempranillo and Malbec. Grilled mesquite and rose water notes grace the palate, backed by a deep well of blackberry, cherry and red plum that forge a powerful and concentrated beam. Layers of red licorice, baking spice, worn cedar and saline minerality shine on the finish. Sourced from Crawford Vineyard in the Yakima Valley AVA.
#36. Baer Winery Arctos Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage: 2020
Score: 94 pts.
Price: $49
Supple throughout, fortified by uplifting structure and bold, rich dark flavors of blackberry and cassis, layered with harmonious accents of cocoa and barrel spice. A mesh of fine-grained tannins lends a powerful grip, joined by dense blueberry fruit that chimes in on the beautifully focused finish. Sourced from the Royal Slope AVA.
#37. J. Bookwalter Conflict Red Wine
Vintage: 2021
Score: 95 pts.
Price: $70
Most all the grapes for this Right Bank Bordeaux-style red wine hail from the famed Conner Lee Vineyard (once managed by industry legend Gerald Bookwalter). Succulent black and red fruit abound with flair, adjoined by expressive violet, sage, eucalyptus, fig and dark chocolate hints winding down on the powerful, yet smooth finish marked by shimmering minerality.
#38. Tinte Cellars Cabernet Franc
Vintage: 2022
Score: 94 pts.
Price: $50
This single-varietal red is beautifully aromatic, packed with luscious, jammy blueberry cobbler accented with briar patch, herbal and spice details that truly shine. Texturally smooth tannins add a wonderful density, evolving with touches of boysenberry, violet, cocoa and white pepper notes on the rich and savory finish.
#39. Dunham Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon XXVII
Vintage: 2021
Score: 95 pts.
Price: $50
Xxxx Review here!
#40. Rolling Bay Winery Upland Vineyard Grenache
Vintage: 2019
Score: 94 pts.
Price: $39
Veteran winemaker Alphonse de Klerk overdelivers with this silky yet powerful Grenache blended with 20% Mourvedre and a dash of Syrah, resulting in a harmonious unison of red and black berries, licorice, red currant and river rock. Garrigue and peppercorn spice details entrench the juicy, minerally-driven finish. Sensational value for a wine of this caliber.
#41. Five Star Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla Valley
Vintage: 2018
Score: 95 pts.
Price: $54
Rich, bold and plush in feel, this ultra-smooth red shows blackberry cobbler, steeped black currant and dark cherry, embellished by floral accents of violet, crushed rock, almond nougat, allspice, dark chocolate and a dash of white pepper. The flavors show great density and structure along the lasting finish.
#42. Sightglass Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon/Malbec
Vintage: 2022
Score: 94 pts.
Price: $40
Sean Boyd crafts this 50/50 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon from Boushey Vineyard and Malbec from Stillwater Creek Vineyard. A flow of rich blackberry and cassis flavors roll with precision through the midpalate, layered with singed alder, crushed pebbles, graphite and blueberry accents that peek through on the savory-toned finish.
#43. Bosma Estate Winery Cattle Baron Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage: 2020
Score: 94 pts.
Price: $46
Velvety and dark-fruited, leading with macerated blackberry, cassis and red currant that wrap generously around hints of leather, cola, black cherry, stony minerality and spice details that gain prominence midpalate. Firm, dry tannins are well integrated into the framework. A standout, made with Clone 4 Cabernet Sauvignon.
#44. AniChe Cellars Baba Yaga Grenache Blanc
Vintage: 2024
Score: 94 pts.
Price: $34
This white wine was sourced from Boushey Vineyard, displaying citrusy aromas of peach, honeysuckle and apricot. Textural and dry, delivering a tang of salty minerality underscoring zesty flavors of vibrant lemon, kumquat and river rock. Sleek acidity carries fresh herb notes across the mouthwatering finish.
#45. Stevens Winery “424” Red Wine Yakima Valley
Vintage: 2020
Score: 94 pts.
Price: $36
Veteran winemakers Tim and Paige Stevens were once part of a leading group of Woodinville winemakers known as the “Grape Killers,” and their prominent wines under the Stevens brand continue to be stand-outs. Silky, pure and linear in profile, this Bordeaux-varietal red from is chock-full of cherry paste, boysenberry, violet, mulberry and leather hints draped over a beautifully sculpted structure. Pillowy tannins ebb and flow with vitality on the lengthy and balanced finish, marked by mineral spice.
#46. Martinez & Martinez Dion Carlo Carménère
Vintage: 2021
Score: 94 pts.
Price: $43
This is ripe and glossy-textured delivering mouthcoating flavors of rich black plum, boysenberry and currants woven together with herbal underpinnings, mulberry and minerality. A thread of acidity supports the structured midpalate, reinforced with ultra-fine tannins that extend the bone-dry finish. Sourced from Alder Ridge Vineyard.
#47. Devison Vintners Evergreen Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc
Vintage: 2024
Score: 94 pts.
Price: $28
Vibrant and intensely floral, offering enchanting aromas and flavors of kiwi, guava, gooseberry, passionfruit, pineapple rind and lime blossom. A majestic white that’s pure, balanced and complex, yet lithe and fruity, that soars on the aftertaste with oyster shell and saline minerality details. Sourced from Evergreen Vineyard, one of the pioneering vineyards of the Ancient Lakes of the Columbia Valley appellation.
#48. Airfield Estates Founders H. Lloyd Miller Red Wine
Vintage: 2021
Score: 94 pts.
Price: $50
Swooning with dark fruit, this top-tier red exhibits a rich corridor of blackberry preserves, black cherry and plum handsomely backlit by fine touches of forest floor, graphite, cacao nib and a deft touch of cedar. A well-structured blend, unswerving on the expressive finish.
#49. Dineen Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Yakima Valley
Vintage: 2021
Score: 94 pts.
Price: $47
Hand-picked from Catherine’s Block and Bridget’s Block, this tightly-structured red delivers a burst of juicy black cherry, black currant and pomegranate burst from the glass, with seamless notes of dark chocolate and barrel spice. Stays focused on the finish, supported by a compact edge of smooth and refined tannins.
#50. Anelare Ciel Du Cheval Vineyard Cuvée White Wine
Vintage: 2023
Score: 94 pts.
Price: $32
Ultra-creamy on the mouthfeel, offering floral hints and a sense of elegance. The lush texture of this Red Mountain white wine delivers succulent honey mango and pineapple fruit sprinkled with spice-laden minerality and white pepper notes. Shows purity yet fantastically complex throughout. Roussanne, Viognier
#51. El Mochuelo Viñedo La Espuella Lake Chelan
Vintage: 2021
Score: 95 pts.
Price: $50
Blanketed by an ethereal layer of crushed blackberry, this Merlot-forward red is infused with gentle white pepper and a lick of top grain leather. A fresh burst of acidity on the long finish leads to secondary notes of graphite, cherry, cedar and mineral earth, with a lasting finish encased by velvety-textured tannins.
#52. Cedergreen Cellars Cabernet Franc
Vintage: 2021
Score: 94 pts.
Price: $31
Co-winemakers Kevin and Julie Cedergreen sourced this single-varietal red from Minick Vineyard. It dazzles with a fruit-forward core of red cherry and ripe plum, accented with mint leaf and herbaceous undertones. Crushed rock minerality adds intrigue and elegance to the silky smooth finish.
#53. Gård Vintners Solaksen Vineyard Pinot Noir Royal Slope
Vintage: 2021
Score: 94 pts.
Price: $65
A single-vineyard red made with grapes farmed by the Lawrence family in the Royal Slope AVA. It’s packed with a vivid array of rhubarb, strawberry, dried cherry and dark earth. The well-structured finish reveals complex nuances of tea leaf and savory spice that merge with lasting red fruit expressions.
#54. Frichette Reserve Red Wine Red Mountain
Vintage: 2021
Score: 94 pts.
Price: $52
Deftly structured, backed by lithesome acidity that wraps around a finessed grip of stately tannins along a minerally-infused corridor of rich blackberry, ripe raspberry and cherry. Secondary layers of baker’s chocolate, graphite, wood spice and vanilla cream find nice balance and length on the lustrous aftertaste.
#55. Tirriddis Blanc de Gris Rendition #4
Vintage: Non-vintage
Score: 94 pts.
Price: $38
This sparkling Pinot Gris pushes the creative envelope, made with high-quality press cuts (free run juice) to maintain exceptional fruit and mouthfeel character. Fine bubbles lend an elegant mouthfeel, filled with tempting expressions of apple tart, pineapple, peach, honeysuckle and purple flower blossoms.
#56. Browne Family Vineyards Bitner Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage: 2021
Score: 93 pts.
Price: $35
Precept Wines CEO Andrew Browne founded this family winery in part to pay tribute to his inspirational war hero grandfather, William Bitner Browne. This red is harmoniously balanced, filled with dark flavors of ripe black cherry and plum that play nicely together, wrapped around a blanket of sweet tannins and appealing toasty oak. Layered hints of roasted coffee and bittersweet chocolate round out the structured finish.
#57. Woodward Canyon Estate Merlot Walla Walla Valley
Vintage: 2021
Score: 94 pts.
Price: $55
Supple from front to finish, there’s a savory side to this red that comes through underneath the black cherry and Italian plum fruit infused with cedar-wrapped herbs, roasted coffee, baker’s chocolate and hints of black licorice that persist on the finish.
#58. Mosquito Fleet Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage: 2020
Score: 94 pts.
Price: $50
Fresh and focused, this gushes with cassis, blackberry and blueberry with flickers of licorice, coffee, violet and sandalwood. A sheen of refined tannins is embedded on the long finish, driven by gorgeous structure and lasting impressions of anise.
#59. Genoa Cellars Mainstay Sangiovese
Vintage: 2018
Score: 95 pts.
Price: $46
Made with fruit from the famed Ciel du Cheval Vineyard on Red Mountain. Alluring dark cherry and currant fruit introduce this aged beauty, accented by dried herb, mineral spice and distant toffee notes. Offers fine length and balance, leaning in with a muscular edge of tannins that drive the lingering finish.
#60. Dichotomy Vineyards Syrah Yakima Valley
Vintage: 2022
Score: 92 pts.
Price: $32
Husband and wife team of Jared Jenner and Rosie Signer-Jenner produce this youthful fresh-cut version made from estate-grown Yakima Valley fruit. A gorgeous beam of uplifting acidity exudes a complex profile of blackberry, raspberry and earthy shadings of briar, spice and a touch of salinity.
#61. Eleven Winery Sugarloaf Vineyard White Mourvedre
Vintage: 2024
Score: 92 pts.
Price: $34
Pale golden in hue, this exotic white wine is both dry and fruity, with crisply-cut texture and good weight. There’s sophisticated refinement to the aromas and flavors of white stone fruit, melon, pineapple and spring flowers, leading to lemon pith and zingy mineral accents that linger on the well-structured finish.
#62. Jacob Williams Winery GSM
Vintage: 2022
Score: 94 pts.
Price: $40
This Grenache-forward blend was inspired by the great wines of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Supple and lithe, with briary-infused notes of raspberry, cherry and red licorice bearing complementary savory notes of peppercorn, bay leaf, pipe tobacco and river rock. Pillowy tannins and mineral spice enhance the complex finish. Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre
#63. Henry Earl Estates Shaw Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage: 2018
Score: 94 pts.
Price: $65
Powerfully built with a well-chiseled structure, this Red Mountain single-varietal is packed with dense blackberry, cassis and gorgeous black cherry flavors. Plush on the midpalate, adorned with anise, cedar and graphite details supported by firm acidity and grainy tannins. Ends with concentration, richness and superb length.
#64. Castle & Crown Cellars White Pinot Noir
Vintage: 2023
Score: 93 pts.
Price: $30
A singular rendition made with grapes from Rainmaker Vineyard, a site in the Columbia Gorge AVA renowned for its sought-after Pinot Noir. Light coral in hue, there’s a delicate canvas of pear blossom, apple, honeydew, ginger and pineapple rind that finds an elusive ‘sweet spot’ somewhere between floral, fruity and semi-dry.
#65. Above the Curve Catharsis Sparkling Old Vine Semillon
Vintage: 2022
Score: 93 pts.
Price: $40
Complex and rich, this sparkling wine was crafted in the traditional French Champagne style. Aged on the lees, a fine and elegant mousse opens to flavors of apple tart, lemon essence and baking spices. Pair with shellfish, rich cheeses and desserts.
#66. Sin Banderas Syrah Mourvedre Blend
Vintage: 2020
Score: 93 pts.
Price: $42
This Rhone-style red is the winery’s sixth consecutive vintage of their signature Yakima Valley appellation blend, comprised of Syrah (57%) and Mourvedre (43%). Lightly mouthwatering, with streaks of tar and juniper berry underscoring black cherry, ripe plum and anise. Leaves a lingering aftertaste joined by sweet notes of black fruit and saline minerality.
#67. Latah Creek Wine Cellars Orange Moscato
Vintage: 2023
Score: 92 pts.
Price: $17
Boasting an unctuous mouthfeel enlivened by light effervescence this sweet white wine is made from a hard-to-find varietal. Floral and fruity, with highly distinctive expressions of orange blossom, jasmine, honeysuckle and candied orange. A great value.
#68. Itä Wines Les Collines Vineyard Merlot
Vintage: 2022
Score: 93 pts.
Price: $48
Blended with 15% Petit Verdot, this is a nimble whirlwind of cranberry, Morello cherry and zesty currants backed by titillating accents of tea leaf and evergreen boughs. A nice punch of acidity gives a curvaceous structure to this leaner style, which arcs along the finish with an elegant grip of sleek tannins.
#69. Van Löben Sels Cellars Stillwater Creek Vineyard Bona Dea
Vintage: 2019
Score: 93 pts.
Price: $65
Blanketed with violet-hued blackberry, currants, fig and mocha that show excellent depth and balance. The refined structure of this Bordeaux varietal red blend lets the fine-grained tannins drape over the concentrated finish, melding with minerally-charged spice and upbeat acidity. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc
#70. Vin Du Lac Tunnel Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir Lake Chelan
Vintage: 2023
Score: 94 pts.
Price: $60
Made from Pinot Noir clone 113, this red exhibits a distinctly umami, spicy style of this classic Burgundian grape. Enticing aromas of graham, fig paste and cherry echo on the silky palate, complemented by currants, dark plum and earthy minerality that hold sway on the sustained finish, blanketed by plush and fine-grained tannins.
#71. South Hill Vineyards Estate Gamay Noir
Vintage: 2021
Score: 93 pts.
Price: $38
An appealing flavor-filled red that was fermented using its own native yeast. Dark hued in the glass, offering jammy berries, anise and a whiff of baking spice that grace the nose, joined by earthier flavors of pomegranate, wild strawberry and red licorice. The finish is threaded with gentle loamy expressions and a kiss of spice.
#72. Grosgrain Vineyards Pétillant Naturel Old Vine Lemberger
Vintage: 2023
Score: 93 pts.
Price: $30
This stellar sparkling wine displays fruit of fresh-picked red berries, heirloom apples, ripe currants and orange blossom streaming with creamy, fine-knit bubbles driven by a backbone of citrus-driven acidity. Sourced from 1976 plantings at Kiona Vineyards.
#73. Januik Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Red Mountain
Vintage: 2021
Score: 94 pts.
Price: $45
Dark berries swirl on the dusky nose, echoing on the medium-bodied palate with blackberry, boysenberry and red plum flavors that meld with licorice, cocoa, mineral spice and a frontage of smooth tannins that line the finish with an alluring textural feel.
#74. Abeja Columbia Valley Merlot
Vintage: 2022
Score: 94 pts.
Price: $55
A blend from three AVAs: Red Mountain, Walla Walla Valley and White Bluffs. Polished, showing plush layers of plum, strawberry and pencil lead layered with a mix of rhubarb, mocha, pepper, sage and black olive. Finely integrated tannins and a slice of fresh acidity seal the deal as the flavors sail harmoniously through the finish.
#75. Silver Lake Winery Roza Riesling Rattlesnake Hills
Vintage: 2023
Score: 93 pts.
Price: $18
Leading with aromas of honeycomb, ripe peach and clove scents, there’s a plushness that elevates the creamy mouthfeel, filled with rich flavors of sweet pineapple and pear, neatly balanced with buoyant acidity and spice accents. A terrific value that delivers superior quality for the price category.