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A veteran winery and a newcomer stole the spotlight in a tasting earlier this spring of top end Pacific Northwest Cabernet Sauvignons.

Two wines received a double outstanding award, meaning all five judges believed they were outstanding. They were veteran Walla Walla Waterbrook Winery and newcomer Spokane's Townshend Cellar.

When you consider the competition included such Cabernet giants as Leonetti, Woodward Canyon and Quilceda Creek, the double outstanding achievement is all that much more impressive.

The tasting of 76 wines costing $25 or more by Wine Press Northwest was a beauty contest for wine lovers. We'll concentrate on most of the outstanding rated wines in this column.

A wine needed three of the five judges to rate it outstanding to gain that title.

Waterbrook Winery 1999 Meritage, Red Mountain, $35 - This is a renaissance for Eric Rindal, winemaker and founder of Waterbrook, one of Walla Walla's oldest. A lush red blend of cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and merlot with lovely black currants and cinnamon spice. The finish is as smooth as a chocolate milk shake with balanced tannins.

Townshend Cellars 1999 Columbia Valley, $30 - A first cabernet by newcomer Don Townshend, who lives in Greenbluff near Spokane. Beginning with a cornucopia of aromas, including cigar leaf, black walnut, vanilla and oak and then leading to ever-so-smooth voluptuous fruity flavors. The finish was bittersweet chocolate with an intriguing toasty farewell.

Kiona Vineyards Winery 2000 Washington, $25 - Slight French earthy aromas with hints of tar and chocolate. Complex big ripe juicy black cherry fruit along with plums give this beauty plenty of oomph!

Leonetti Cellar 2000 Walla Walla Valley, $65 - It doesn't get much better than this. Big oak and fruity aromas with blackberry flavors and a smooth complex finish with touches of chocolate. What makes this wine outstanding is its acid balance.

Pepper Bridge Winery 2000 Walla Walla Valley, $50 - A new rising star on the Walla Walla scene. Strawberry, cedar and oak blend to some elegant fruit sweet earthiness and white pepper spice. Wonderful tannins and structure.

Preston Premium Wines 2000 reserve, Columbia Valley, $32 - A knockout wine that delivers the right punches. Slightly charred oak and spice aromas with supple blackberry fruit flavors. Youthful with great integrity.

Reininger 2000 Walla Walla Valley, $32 - Unassuming Chuck Reininger has been anything but quiet when it comes to making great wines. Lovely berry and oak melds to bracing currant and well managed tannins. "This really sang in my mouth," one judge commented.

Bunchgrass Winery 2000 Walla Walla Valley, $30 - Winemaker Roger Cockerline makes a tiny bit of wine but what he does make is primo stuff. Toasty oak aromas with lovely cherry/berry mouth-filling flavors. Great acids and consistency. A fine match for a flavorful steak.

Tamarack Cellars 2000 DuBrul Vineyard reserve, Yakima Valley, $40 - Ron Coleman makes his wines in an old World War II fire station at the Walla Walla airport. French oak and vanilla chalky European style. A voluptuous rich berry delight with massive fruit depth.

Woodward Canyon Winery 2000 Old Vines Columbia Valley, $68 - Rich Small has been making this classic and highly acclaimed red for years. Cloves, leather and oak with big brash mouth filling blueberries and other fruit. Loaded with plenty of depth.

Fidelitas 2000 Meritage, Columbia Valley, $40 - Charlie Hoppes, who is acquiring a reputation for making great wines for a number of different wineries, saved perhaps his best for his own label. Captivating spice beginning with good length. The flavors are elegant and complex with smooth currants and tremendous acids and tannins balance for aging.

L'Ecole No. 41 2000 Walla Walla Valley, $36 - Almost all wines made by Marty Clubb are gangbusters. This is a fun wine with great acids and slight herb touches at the beginning with cherries and dried blackberries. Sweet tannins lead to a fine farewell.

Three Rivers Winery 2000 Champoux Vineyard Columbia Valley, $40 - Made by Hoppes and current winemaker Holly Turner, this is a smooth easy drinking wine loaded with juicy boysenberry flavors and huge tannins with nice oak aromas and essences of milk chocolate.

Columbia Crest 1999 Reserve, Columbia Valley, $28 - We hope Doug Gore's promotion to vice president of winemaking operations for parent company Stimson Lane won't prevent him from keeping his hand in making great wines in the future. This has smoky mocha aromas with touches of violets. Flavors of black currants, licorice and just a wee bit of brown sugar. Nice tannins.

Gordon Brothers Cellars 1999 Tradition, Columbia Valley, $50 - A cabernet blend has developed it own tradition of being an outstanding red. Bacon and meat aromas with a nice earthiness. Frontal tannins, black cherries bittersweet chocolate and licorice round out the flavors. A great steak wine!

Betz Family Winery 2000 Clos de Betz Columbia Valley, $28 - Bob Betz, Stimson Lane executive and master of wine, has a sideline making small quantities of his own wine and does it very well. This wine has everything, wonderful aroma and flavors that are in perfect balance. There are tons of fruit with gripping tannins for aging but ready to enjoy now.

Canon de Sol 2000 Meritage, Columbia Valley, $28 - Hoppes helps his boyhood friend Victor Cruz make outstanding wines in small lots at this tiny Tri-City area winery. Cherry cola, tobacco and chocolate aromas lead to lovely black fruit and plums. A clean, flavorful wine that is balanced and absolutely delicious.

Camaraderie Cellars 2000 Grace, Washington, $29 - Another cabernet sauvignon from a fine Spokane winery. Spicy cedar aromas with flavors of black currants and dark berries, a chewy drink with lots of tannins and some black tea components.

Ryan Patrick Vineyards 2000 Red, Columbia Valley, $35 - A relatively new entry on the Washington wine scene, this Wenatchee area winery has Hoppes as a consulting winemaker and is producing some fine wines. This one has lush jammy characteristics, very refreshing and flavors of huckleberries and lovely acidity.

Chateau Ste. Michelle 1999 Reserve, Columbia Valley, $34 - Head winemaker Ron Brunell is gaining quite a reputation for reds. Tasty chocolate cherry components. This is a well-put-together promising wine with vanilla aromas and great tannins for aging.

Hedges Cellars 2000 Red Mountain Reserve, $45 - Winemaker Pete Hedges has crafted lovely chocolate and lilac aromas with a dense berry flavors. This is a big, well structured wine with a great focus.

Saintpaulia Vintners 1999 Red Mountain, $28 - A smoky gem with oak with deep chocolate aromas. Lush berry jam flavors for this Snohomish winery. Intense and complex with great depth.

Tamarack Cellars 2000 Columbia Valley, $32 - Espresso, vanilla and chocolate beginnings with delicious blackberry fruit followed by lingering aftertaste. Great dried cherry mid palate. 

Bob Woehler has been writing about grapes and wines of the Pacific Northwest since 1978. His columns appear twice monthly in the Tri-City Herald in Tri-Cities, Wash. and in Wine Press Northwest.

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