Slide Show: Budget-Friendly Bottles
2007 Ponzi Arneis, $20
Known as the “little rascal” in Italy, arneis grows wild among the Nebbiolo vines of Barolo and Barbaresco. Ponzi has cultivated this varietal to create an utterly unique wine full of character and body but with a dry finish.
Photography by All photos courtesy of wineries.
2008 Januik Bacchus Vineyard Riesling, $20
A beautifully balanced wine that is ever-so-slightly sweet, with screaming citrus and stone fruit.
2008 Stevens Winery Divio Viognier, $21
From the Dineen Vineyard in the town of Zillah, Stevens’s viognier is lower in alcohol than most with no residual sugar. It tastes of dried apricot and has a honeyed nose.
2008 Airfield Estates Unoaked Chardonnay, $12
This is a chardonnay in its truest form, without the manipulation of oak. It is light bodied with great acids, and has flavors of lemon and grapefruit plus a little peach on the finish.
2007 Willamette Valley Vineyards Riesling, $12
This riesling is a sweet tart of a wine with fresh peach, pear, and nectarine, and bright, steely acidity.
2008 Dowsett Family Gewürztraminer, $21
This is an exceptional wine with pure fruit and balance.
2008 Abacela Albariño Umpqua, $18
This wine has great acid, low alcohol, and matches well with all sorts of Northwest seafood.
NV Domaine Ste. Michelle Blanc de Blancs Sparkling Wine, $13
Consistently amazing value for the price with wide availability, it’s a crisp and dry sparkler with tree fruits including pear and green apple.
2007 Chateau Ste. Michelle Eroica Riesling, $25
This riesling has crisp lime and mandarin orange, good minerality, racy acidity, and terrific body.
2007 Cedergreen Cellars Sauvignon Blanc, $14
It’s crisp and clean with delicious aromas of star fruit and melon. Pair it with scallops, Dungeness crab, or oysters.
2008 McKinley Spring Chenin Blanc, $12
This wine is rich and textured with lovely acid and notes of ripe stone fruits.
2007 The Four Graces Dundee Hills Pinot Blanc, $18
A very elegant example of Oregon pinot blanc: crisp, fruity, and food loving.
2008 Syncline Grüner Veltliner, $20
This unusual white varietal from the cool climate of the Underwood Mountain Vineyards in the Columbia Gorge has flavors of lemon, pineapple, honeydew melon, and white pepper, and brilliant acids.
2007 Efesté Evergreen Vineyard Riesling, $16
A cool-climate, surprisingly dry riesling from above the Columbia Gorge, it has fresh lime and white peach fruit, and a slatey minerality.
2008 Efesté Feral, $18
Fermented with native yeasts in neutral oak barrels, Efesté’s sauvignon blanc is very Old World in style with lots of minerality and notes of flint and grapefruit.
2008 Poet’s Leap Riesling, $20
The only white wine from the very cool people at Long Shadows Vintners, the Poet’s Leap is somewhat German in style—medium dry with an abundance of fruit.
2008 Ransom Pinot Gris WV, $15
Tad Seestedt started out making spirits but grew into wine production. Truly a master of whites, his pinot gris is all free-run juice.
2007 Sleight of Hand Cellars The Magician, $17
Good gewürztraminer is rare, but this one is dry and rippling with an acidity that keeps floral, nutty aromas at bay, allowing the fruit to shine.
NV Pacific Rim White Flowers Sparkling Riesling, $15
This wine is crisp, floral, and fruity.
2008 Amavi Cellars Sémillon, $20
This is an excellent alternative to chardonnay, with ripe yellow apple, honeydew melon, and pineapple fruit, a creamy texture, and bright acidity.
2007 Pacific Rim Wallula Vineyard Riesling, $20
Pacific Rim’s food-friendly riesling has apricots, white peach, citrus, and honeysuckle flavors, refreshing acidity, and a long finish.
NV Chinook Yakima Valley White Wine, $12
A blend of sauvignon blanc, sémillon, and chardonnay, this is a quality wine at a price everyone can afford. It is crisp and refreshing and has ripe citrus with hints of yellow apple.
Find budget-friendly red wines HERE, and read about more noteworthy Northwest wines HERE.
