Wine Spectator
July 25, 2022
Tasting Highlights’ wine reviews are fresh out of the tasting room, offering a sneak peek of our editors’ most recent scores and notes to WineSpectator.com members.
Few things are more exciting than finding a great wine that won’t break the bank. Here, we’ve selected diverse red, white and rosé wines from California and Washington that scored 90 points or more on Wine Spectator’s 100-point scale, all perfect candidates to add to your list of impressive, yet affordable favorites.
Like many white wines, Sauvignon Blanc is often a reliable go-to for value. Here, St. Supéry and Mason deliver vibrant Napa Valley versions. St. Supéry sources its grapes from its 500-plus acres of estate vineyards, delivering an aromatic Sauvignon Blanc with orchard fruit, herb and floral notes. Mason’s Yountmill Vineyard bottling is a perennial leader in the category. Vintner Randy Mason started this Sauvignon Blanc–focused brand in 1993, showcasing a light and bright style that had not become common in the region yet. Mason’s 2021 bottling is wonderfully sleek, juicy and pure with ripe pear, apple and nectarine notes.
The dog days of summer are certainly here, so it’s a good idea to keep chilled rosé at the ready. Pursued By Bear‘s Blushing Bear is a delicate and vibrant pink with watermelon, strawberry and spice flavors. Or if you’re looking for a summer red, try the juicy Cinsault from Poe. With it’s light hue, supple mouthful and fresh red fruit notes, it sits stylistically between red wine and rosé, and would be excellent served lightly chilled.
Blending grapes can be used to keep winemaking costs down while developing complex flavors. For example, Estate of the Art has made a kitchen-sink blend of Sangiovese, Syrah, Malbec, Zinfandel, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Sauvignon, resulting in an an enticing mix of vanilla, tobacco, cedar and dark fruit notes. You can also look to the XXVIII Old Vines bottling from Pleiades Wine Company, a California winery carrying on the legacy of acclaimed winemaker Sean Thackrey. Thackrey, who recently passed away, made his career by producing unconventional wines; Pleiades was his signature non-vintage bottling, made from a combination of grape varieties that would change yearly. This latest release combines Sangiovese, Pinot Noir, Viognier, Zinfandel and Petite Sirah, and offers cherry, herb, chocolate and blackberry puree notes.
PURSUED BY BEAR
Rosé Blushing Bear Columbia Valley 2021
Score: 90 | $28
WS review: So delicate and pretty, this light-hued blush is fresh and vibrant, with watermelon, strawberry and spice flavors. Grenache and Mourvèdre. Drink now. 591 cases made. From Washington.—T.F.
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