At Snooth's tasting room I had the opportunity to sample 12 Syrahs selected by Greg Dal Piaz. They were all 100% Syrah varietal, so it still amazes me how much of a range there was in the flights. 2005 LaTour Vineyards Napa Valley California Syrah 14.8% - $26.50 Please note all bottles were opened 2.5 hours before tasting). MORE >>

It should also be obvious that some Cults aren't even from California, such as the aforementioned Quilceda Creek, which hails from eastern Washington. Most of the cults aren't even bottled yet when they are purchased as futures, and this fact might give you the "blues." You aren't alone. It is also very likely the only list of its kind. MORE >>

So instead, I want to bring up wines from another not-too-discussed wine region - Washington state. Washington State, is known to produce some exceptional reds, in particular Merlot, Syrah and yes, of course, Cabernet Sauvignon (and blends including all or some of the aforementioned varietals). MORE >>

If, for example, your topic is Washington syrah, then the ringer might be a syrah from Paso Robles. Paul Gregutt is the author of "Washington Wines and Wineries The Essential Guide I just read a great article on wine tasting groups. Paul Gregutt. Special to the Seattle Times. There is nothing wrong with any of that. MORE >>

A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to attend the Washington Wine Commission's tasting called Expressive Terroir of Washington Country. There are some big name producers in Washington, among them Quicelda Creek, Betz, Chateau St Michelle (where Bob Betz worked for almost 30 years), L'Ecole, Andrew Will, and Abeja, to name a few. MORE >>