Long Shadows is one of those wineries that seems a bit overpriced for the quality. Much more impressed with the wines from Januik.
You seem to have a good bead on Washington wine. I’ve been on Long Shadows’ mailing list for the past handful of years, and find them to be a fair value, but nothing really gets me excited to drink. I also get Leonetti, Cayuse, and most recently Reynvaan, and they are for special occasions due to price point. I used to get Pepper Bridge and Betz, but tired of both and dropped them. Whenever we visit Walla Walla or Woodinville, I always find a wine or two I like, but rarely do I find one that inspires me to join a club or mailing list.
I have not had Januik, at least I don’t ‘remember’ having one. I just looked at their website and it appears they have three different levels?
Might you have other suggestions for Washington wines to try? Cause like others have commented, Long Shadows isn’t scratching the itch anymore, and I’d like to have a source of wines in the sub $50 range for everyday drinkers.
The two best surprises from this weekend were Result of Crush and Watermill. The 2017 Balboa Reserve Syrah was my wine of the night at the Saturday Grand Tasting and liked the other wines I tasted from them. Elephant Seven also makes some nice wines and very reasonable.
My bad, I was thinking of a different winery and NOT Rotie when I said I had their dessert wines. I had a brain fart. I was thinking of Rotta winery out of Paso Robles. I have a bunch of their wines in the cellar. My g-friend loves their Black Monukka.
I was surfing through my collection of Washington wines in Cellar Tracker and forgot I really enjoyed Tero Estates. It was a surprise tasting in their downtown tasting room, the last time we were there. I tried to find their website, but it appears to be shut down.
Tero has gone out of business as far as I know, after the owner died a few years ago.
I will second Andrew Will and Rotie at this price point. Rotie I still buy every year and think they are the highest quality for value in the WA Rhone category. (Btw I did not know they did dessert wines. I have never come across that from Rotie).
I have not had recent vintages of Andrew Will but still have some from the 1990s that are drinking really well.
I guess I am burying the lede here as the one addition I would strongly recommend is JB Neufeld. Really great Bordeaux blends for under 50. In fact I think there premium bottle (Old Goat) is around 50 if I remember. For my taste these need to age a few years (particularly old goat). But these are great wines at a great price.
Andrew Will is excellent. I find their base Cabernet to be one of the better values out there. Of course they don’t need the age of their other wines but the 2016 Andrew Will Sorella Champoux Vineyard is one of my favorite wines tasted so far this year.
Chris still catching up on day 2 notes but will get the Grand Tasting notes soon. A wine from Balboa was my wine of the night over some stiff competition and Watermill is a new favorite.