Pursehouse – ‘I tasted 250 wines in February, here are 10 I loved’

As you can no doubt imagine, our editorial team receive lots of wines for review.

It was a banner February for me. With very little travel, I found myself tasting a lot of wine – nearly 250 different wines from the West Coast in fact, the vast majority of which were from Washington and Oregon.

In addition to the virtual tastings, including an Instagram live with Ross Cobb of Sonoma Coast’s Cobb Wines and countless bottles opened at home, I was able to make a few visits to vineyards and cellars from Red Mountain, to Walla Walla and a couple of stops in the Willamette Valley.

Scroll down for scores and reviews of Clive’s selection of wines from his February tastings

One of the most iconic wine growers in the Pacific Northwest is Dick Boushey, and I paid him a visit in the Yakima Valley.

Over dinner we tasted a variety of Boushey Vineyard designates, showing the tremendous terroir and remarkable Syrah that comes from those hallowed vines in Grandview, Washington.

In Walla Walla, I was able to check in with Chris Figgins of the region’s stalwart brand, Leonetti. I also managed cellar visits to Valdemar Estates, which is doing exciting things with new vineyards, and Grosgrain, a wildly popular Walla Walla brand that’s thinking a bit outside the box.

Grosgrain has brought Washington wine drinkers Lemberger Pét Nat, the state’s first Ribolla and a delicious skin contact Sémillon bottling, which I really enjoyed. You’ll see more below.

Meeting a legend

In the Willamette Valley, I finally connected with living legend David Adelsheim, who has been vital to the region’s success since he first put down roots at his original vineyard in 1972. We talked about the early days of the Oregon wine industry and if he ever imagined what it has become.

I also tasted with several winemakers, including stops at Willakenzie Estate, Penner-Ash and Open Claim, as well as an exciting chance to meet with Junichi Fujita, who has a fascinating vineyard project in the works in the McMinnville AVA.

Below, you’ll find a selection of 10 of the most interesting wines I’ve tasted in February, with their reviews and scores.

I was bowled over by the Crowley Chardonnay ‘Phoebe’ from the Four Winds estate. This was my first experience with the wine, and it is an impressive expression of site and continues to show the capacity of the Willamette Valley to make some of the world’s greatest Chardonnay. I said what I said.

From Red Mountain, the Domaine Magdalena Cabernet Sauvignon from the biodynamic estate is a deliciously fresh and balanced bottle from the very hot appellation.

The wines of Delmas continue to impress me, and The Peddler in magnum only from the 2021 vintage was showing The Rocks District terroir at its finest, balancing savoury and umami depth with great freshness.

You can see all the wines we taste in our Decanter database.

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Clive’s selection of top wines from February

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