WA & OR Wine Month Sampler #3 - Washington Reds 2025

Sparkman "Wilderness" Red (Washington) - Sparkman Cellars, founded by Chris and Kelly Sparkman, is one of Woodinville’s most respected wineries, known for crafting elegant, balanced, and high-scoring Washington wines with a philosophy centered on family and environmental stewardship. The Wilderness Red is a Columbia Valley blend that serves as a tribute to the founders' backgrounds in wildlife preservation, and it is a consistent overachiever garnering 90+ point scores in every vintage.  composed of Rhône varieties, including Syrah, Petite Sirah, and Grenache, with a small amount of Touriga Nacional added for complexity. It offers a dense, extracted ruby-purple color with an immediate bouquet of smoky cedar, black pepper, and mint, complementing the rich black fruit core. The palate is full-bodied and supple, delivering concentrated, ripe flavors of black cherries and blueberries, alongside hints of espresso and a lovely soft texture. This approachable and flavorful red blend has soft tannins and a refreshing sense of acid balance, resulting in a smooth, lingering finish.

Gramercy Cellars Walla Walla Syrah (Washington) - Gramercy Cellars, founded by Master Sommelier Greg Harrington, is dedicated to crafting European-inspired wines in Walla Walla with an emphasis on balance, whole-cluster fermentation, and minimal new oak. The 2018 Walla Walla Syrah is a spectacular wine from a near-perfect Washington vintage. 100% Syrah, sourced from top vineyards including Les Collines and Forgotten Hills, is a beauty that features aromatics of purple plum, spicy red and black fruits, and peppery stem notes, alongside savory hints of mint and olive. On the palate, the wine delivers a smooth, luxurious texture, with bright flavors of blackberry, black cherry, and thyme, all held in check by fine, polished tannins and a distinct, food-friendly saline acidity that contributes to a long, intriguing finish.

Dusted Valley "Boomtown" Merlot (Washington) - Dusted Valley Vintners, founded by brothers-in-law Chad Johnson and Corey Braunel, is one of Walla Walla’s leading family-run operations, and their Boomtown label is dedicated to crafting approachable, over-delivering Washington State wines. The Boomtown Merlot, sourced primarily from The Cliffs Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA, is a Merlot-dominant blend that includes small amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot, and it was aged with a modest 20% new French oak. This wine offers an inviting nose of ripe cherry hand pie, dark chocolate, and black currants, alongside a savory whisper of peppered pastrami. The palate is soft and approachable, with a satisfying medium body that delivers a smooth texture and concentrated flavors of black cherry and dusty malted-chocolate. It has supple, mouth-coating tannins and balanced acidity that contribute to a polished and immediately enjoyable finish.