2005 Mésalliance 60% Merlot; 30 Cabernet Franc; 10% Syrah Columbia Valley  
Those of you with a long memory will no doubt recall the Mésalliances of yore. Way back when-I think the last vintage was the 2001-it was a Cabernet Sauvignon blend, and it got its name with the '98 vintage. I had been making Cab, but always with at least 75% Cab in the blend, so I could legally call it.Cab. With the '98, however, I didn't meet the minimum requirement, so I had to come up with a name. Because I had blended in a bit of Merlot and because I thought of Merlot as an inferior grape, it seemed clever, if not commercially expedient, to name the blend "Mésalliance," in the sense of "marriage with a person of inferior social position."

Since those days my thinking has changed. I lost interest in Cabernet, and I realized that I enjoyed the Merlot/C. Franc blends of Bordeaux's right bank. And when I was offered some very nice Merlot from Red Willow Vineyard, I took it as a sign. (Technically the fruit is grown at their Les Vignes site just down the road, planted in 1990.) While our fermentation protocol wasn't radically different (though I got a few pointers from a well-known Napa consultant from whom I buy used barrels), we tried something a little unusual when it came time to age the wine. We used a small amount of new American oak barrels. Normally I find American oak to be too obvious, too caramel-ly, too.much. But with this Merlot, it really seems to work, fleshing out the middle while balancing the structure of the Cabernet Franc without entirely obliterating that grape's lovely perfume. And the Syrah? Well, I guess I could say it's there to ensure the blend's pedigree as a misalliance, but when we did our blending we found that it was just what was needed to knit the Merlot and Franc together into a seamless whole. Delicious now for its softness and fruit, the 2005 Mésalliance should age well for several more years.  

2006 Roussanne Columbia Valley
The great white grape of France's Rhône Valley was first planted in Eastern Washington in the late 90s, so it's not surprising that most people are still unaware of its existence. That's too bad, because Roussanne is already proving itself to be well-suited to the Columbia Valley's warm, dry climate. Sourced from Ciel du Cheval, Alder Ridge, and Lonesome Springs, my 2006 was fermented slowly in neutral French oak, remaining on the lees until bottling in July of 2007. The nose reveals scents of flowers, honey, minerals and stone fruits, while the palate is rich, structured, and somehow elegant all at once. It can be drunk now and over the next two or three years. Serve it with rich, complex dishes-scallops and Dungeness crab are ideal.

2005 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley
I would rank the 2005 vintage right up there with 1999 and 2002 as among my best to date. Cooler weather along with some showers at harvest gave us balanced, elegant wines with sane alcohols (13.5 on average) and good acidity. There is a marvelous purity of fruit, both in the nose and on the palate, and just enough new oak to frame the wine without overwhelming it. Bottled at the beginning of February 2007, the Pinot is still a tad reserved. It will benefit from a further 6 months in bottle and should age well in a cool cellar for 5 to 7 years. Wine Enthusiast: 90 points

2005 Cabernet Franc Columbia Valley
I have a confession to make. Early in its career, the '05 Cab Franc struck us as less than a stellar wine. Too disjointed, all elbows and knees, a little.weird. (Some might say that's the very definition of Cab Franc.) Figuring a bit of socialization would do it good, we blended it along with some assorted scoundrels that were frequenting our cellar at the time (cf. 2005 Mésalliance). Luckily we're always second-guessing ourselves, and we left unblended our favorite barrel and a stainless steel drum as an experiment. Well, time has a way of turning even the gangliest of adolescents into self-assured adults. Skilled blending helps, too: the wine in barrel became rounded and smooth, with a spicy nose and a touch of earth. The lot in stainless retained its primary fruit-strawberries and cherries-but a leaner mouthfeel. Our blend includes just a touch more of the barrel, and we knitted it all together with a five percent addition of Malbec.

2005 Malbec Columbia Valley
As is the case most every year, the Malbec is like a favorite son: a bit spoiled, it can do no wrong. We love it; we admire it; it never lets us down. Yummy from the get-go, it is still yummy today: very floral, very blackberry, with lush dark fruit in the mouth and a long, soft finish. Over. In previous vintages I've called it a slurper, but this year it seems to have taken on a bit of gravitas. As an experiment, we aged the wine in two-thirds (previously filled) American oak barrels, which seem to lend it additional sweetness without overpowering its pure fruit with slutty toast. It's structured, but you don't notice it. You could drink this now or put it down for a couple of years. Either way, we expect it to remain a favorite of women's book groups.

2005 Coup d'Etat Columbia Valley
Doing our part (for the fourth time) to "épater le merloisie," we have welcomed back to the barricades the prodigal Counoise, fighting the good fight along side Grenache, Mourvèdre, and Syrah. As new-world Rhône-style blends go, this one is remarkably balanced without lacking a bit of that wild, peppery, Mediterranean scrubland thing found in our favorite Châteauneufs. To be drunk in warm weather with all sorts of grilled meats, or in winter with the heartiest dishes.

2005 Syrah Columbia Valley
Our '05 Syrah blends fruit from five different vineyards-two on Red Mt. and three in the Horse Heaven Hills-so perhaps it's that added complexity (or something) that makes this year's Syrah so approachable in youth. Blackberries and other dark fruit swirl enticingly on the nose, with just a hint of pepper, toast, and black olive. The mid-palate is soft and quite lush, with a framework of tannin that seems to melt in the mouth. The wine is lively-that's the acidity talking-rather than ponderous, making it a great partner for rich fall and winter dishes. I'll have the lamb, please. Medium rare.

2005 Syrah "Les Vignes en Face" (aka Reserve) Columbia Valley
I've been accused of concocting confusing, unpronounceable names for my wines, but it's all really quite logical. (If you're me. And a French major.) This is a 50/50 blend of my two best Syrah vineyards, Klipsun and Ciel du Cheval, just as the 2003 Reserve Syrah was. I find intriguing the synergy between these two. They are both located in the tiny Red Mountain AVA, right across the road from each other. (Hence "en Face": across from or opposite.) The Klipsun is large-scaled, structured, full of big fruit and even bigger tannins. The Ciel brings great purity of fruit, elegance, harmony, and balance. We selected the best barrels of each to craft a wine of power and beauty. This is wine can be enjoyed now for its opulent nature or cellared five to seven years to reveal more subtle and complex nuances. 180 cases produced.

2006 Gewürztraminer Dessert Wine Washington/Oregon
I hadn't tasted this wine much since it was bottled last spring, so when I brought a sip of it to my nose the other day I was astounded. Pure old-fashioned roses, just like the books say. Litchis? Perhaps, but certainly pineapple, guava, apricot, honey.The flavors are just as complex, the balance chronometer precise, the finish nearly endless. The eleventh(!) vintage of this wine may well be the best yet.