Northwest Cellars was founded by Bob Delf in 2004 with a vision of producing quality wines with customizable labels, made to the customer’s choosing. It works with top vineyard sites throughout the Columbia Valley and in this review we take a look at their red and white blend.

2008 Adajio – W.E.P. Rating: 88%

Technical Data:

Grapes: 61% Sauvignon Blanc, 39% Chardonnay

Price: $15

Nose: lemon zest, cantelope, grapefruit, river rock and kiwi.

Taste: Classic hay-like component from the sauv blanc coming through along with some nice notes of citrus fruits like lemon, lime and grapefruit. Good balance of fruit and acidity with a finish that lingers very nicely.

2006 Intrigue – W.E.P. Rating: 85%

Technical Data:

Grapes: 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Syrah, 18% Pinot Noir and 9% Carmenere

Price: $28

Nose: Christmas spice, pine-cone, smoke, black fruits – such as, black cherry cola, plum and black berries.

Taste: Good mouthfeel with nice layers of carmel-covered black fruits which have been lightly dusted with pepper. A long finish, however, is a bit on the hotter side – I’m sure that’d blow off a bit if you allow time for decanting or chill the wine a bit. This would be a better wine if it was more mellow on the heat from the alcohol but it’s not at all a bad effort.

Winery website: www.northwestcellars.com