The Benson Vineyards Estate 2008 Pinot Gris Lake Chelan (13.1%) was a clear, straw color in the glass, delivering notes of ripe melon, wet stone, and a bit of citris. In the mouth, this pinot gris offered muted fruit flavors, nice acidity, but a flat finish. We paired the Benson Estate pinot gris ($18) with various meals, including chicken teriyaki and braised beef short ribs, but it just didn't meet the bar for us. I'd pass on buying another bottle of this wine - pinot gris is a tough sell relative to more flavorful varieties. Related Links A Visit...

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Posted by Thad W. at 09:39 PM | Permalink

In the glass, the Benson Vineyards Estate 2008 Viognier Lake Chelan (14.0%) was a light yellow-green straw color with hints of lemon, minerals, and tropical fruit. This Washington viognier offered a clean, crisp mouthfeel, although the alcohol created a bit of a burn on the finish. I really liked the minerality, bright acidity, and stonefruit flavors in this Lake Chelan wine. At $19, this wine offers a good quality-to-price ratio. In fact, after enjoying this and another Lake Chelan vigonier, I am starting to prefer the fruit from this region of our state, specifically for its acidity and minerality....

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Posted by Thad W. at 09:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

This Washington chardonnay offered a pleasant surprise, primarily due to it tasting like a crisp Chablis. The Benson Vineyards Estate 2008 Chardonnay Lake Chelan (14.5%) was a clear golden yellow in the glass, providing scents of pear and wet stone to the nose. This steel fermented wine was sharp on the palate, but in a good way, for there are far too many Washington chardonnays that are cloying, viscous, and vanilla for my taste. I really liked the minerality and acidity in this wine, although the alcohol showed a bit of heat on the back of the throat. It...

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Posted by Thad W. at 09:03 PM | Permalink