This Week's Tasting
Giving Washington its Due
March 4, 2026
This week, we are happy to welcome wine geek extraordinaire Howard Gold, who seeks out some of the more interesting, small winemakers who make wines of individuality and character. We'll explore Washington vineyards east of the Cascades.
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This Week Wednesday, March 4, 2026 Giving Washington its Due In-Store, 5 - 6:30pm
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Washington vineyards east of the Cascades are different from most others on the West Coast. The mountains block the rain clouds, making for the high desert’s hot, sunny days, which foster grape ripening, followed by cold nights that fix acidity, giving wines liveliness and a closer-to-ripe European affect.
This week, we are happy to welcome wine geek extraordinaire Howard Gold, who seeks out some of the more interesting, small winemakers who make wines of individuality and character. Likely you won’t have heard of them, but they are well worth getting to know.
White
2023 Idilico Albarino;
Spanish expat Javier Alfonso makes white wines using the grapes of his native Galicia. This Albarino is riper than most more familiar from Rias Baixas versions, but has the same sort of herbal character that you find in them. We found it very, very good for its price.
Aroma: Rather bright and forward, bright and intense, spicy acid, aromatically heady and fresh. Mouth: rounded, smooth, clean, bright acid, firm, fat, juicy, herbal, intense, long; Very Good Plus $21.99; Case, $18.99
2023 Lydian by Avennia SB/S
80% Sauvignon Blanc with 20% Semillon from top vineyard sources.\ This is Washington’s take on white bordeaux. It has the incisive acidity of Sauvignon Blanc, tempered by the textured creaminess of Semillon, at a moderate 13% alcohol.
Aroma: heady and rich, anise & grapefruit, pronounced; Mouth: clean light, lifted and savory replicates the nose with more pronounced acidity; Very Good Plus $22.99; Case, $19.95
Red
2022 Hyatt Saperavi
Hyatt tempers the often-unruly Georgian Saperavi grape into a smooth and fleshy wine with just enough kick to make it lively and interesting. Great stuff for steak or hard cheese.
Color: medium dark; Aroma: savory, tannic, firm, bright savory, rhubarb? herbal, Mouth: soft rather deep, juicy, bright and fleshy juicy bright acid; Very Good Plus $34; Case, $28.95
2022 Dominio IV Technicolor Bat Tempranillo Syrah Columbia Gorge
As fruit-forward and colorful as its name, there's an artful blend of 60 per cent Tempranillo and 40 per cent Shyrah is quite a mouthful. Bold, vibrant, and fleshy, it will go well with any herb-infused dish, such as lamb, for example.
From a single vineyard on the southern side of the river, not too far from Portland, I suppose this is technically an Oregon wine, who cares?
Color: very dark black, heady; Aroma: heady, soft and spicy, herbal, fruity, assertive acidity, savory spice; Mouth: clean, spicy dark fruits, forward, fine tannins; Very Good Plus $29.95; Case, $25.95
2020 Pollard Cabernet Franc
Thierry Germain’s Saumur Cabernet Franc sold out at last week's tasting. This is quite a worthy successor, and I suspect it might also. Robin Pollard makes her wine at Chris Camarata's Andrew Will Vineyard. It is incisive, clean, and direct, while at the same time having enough flesh to make it oh so palatable.
Color: very dark, opaque; Aroma: savory and heady, savory rather intense, sweet herbal quality; Mouth: clean intense, smooth rather intense, nice herbal, fine acid, fine smooth, nice depth; Very Good - Excellent $43; Case, $37
2022 Avennia Cabernet Sauvignon Red Mountain
Red Mountain is small but, in my opinion, produces some of the best cabernets from Washington state. The wines can evoke Pauillac in style. This version from Avennia does that with its grace note of herbaceous graphite. It is extraordinarily balanced and very well done, but unfortunately limited in quantity.
Color: Very dark black; Aroma: cedary, intense, spicy, and intense, herbal spicy, with growing depth, heady, rich very intense; Mouth: clean, light and firm forward, bright acid, nice structure, finely delineated; Excellent $59; Case, $49
Washington Discovery Case $425, $349, $29.08 per bottle
Or mix any twelve at their case prices
At the tasting, get any wine at its case price
Order by phone at 617.367.8605, or reserve here: order@federalwine.com
Please pass this on to any friends who are wine enthusiasts!
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