I already reviewed the more value-driven wines from Sweet Valley called the “Righteous” wines a few weeks ago so I’m excited to dive into these wines and see what they have to offer. Winemaker, Josh McDaniels, might be young and relatively new but so far, his chops seem to do a good job of producing competitive wines at their respective prices.

Walla Walla is world-renowned for its sweet onions – the likes of which are some of the best in the world and it’s that montra in which the name Sweet Valley Wines takes its namesake  - it’s the valley of the sweet onions.

The two wines I’m looking at here come to us on the Sweet Valley label so that means they are aimed at a slightly higher pricetag and should also bring a bit nicer quality – let’s dive in.

2008 Viognier – W.E.P. Rating: 120%

Technical Data:

• Alcohol: 13.6%
• ph: 3.4%
• Cooperage: 100% Stainless
• Vineyard Source: 75% McKinley Springs, 25% Markham Banks
• Price: $18.00

Nose: Nice hints of rose petal, lavender, vanilla, melon rine and lemons.

Taste: Chalk-laden tomoto vines, with compliments of honeysuckle, ripe cantalope and honeydew coupled with a distinct earthy finish that lingers quite nicely on the palate. This is a stellar effort by such a young winemaker and one that’s highly worth seeking out.

2007 Double-Barrel Red – W.E.P. Rating: 90%

Technical Data:

• Alcohol: 15.4%
• Acidity: .61 g/100ml
• ph: 3.78
• Vineyard Sources: Pepper bridge, Les Collines, Forgotten Hill, Seven Hills, Golden Ridge and Forgotten Hills
• Price: $20.00

Nose: Black cherry, tar, tobacco, dark chocolate with hints of cinnamon.

Taste: Cedar-planked blackberry tart coming thru on the initial attack which have a strong tannin structure that gives away how youthful this wine is. Good mouth-feel, with some chunks of leather that are left standing around on the back-end of your palate and some cedar shavings. This is a wine – if you drink it now – would do well to decant for a few hours and should improve quite nicely over the next 3-5 years in the bottle.

Winery Website: www.sweetvalleywines.com