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Long Shadow. They make various blends by noted winemakers plus a Reisling.
Max, as you can see from the responses, there’s a lot of great wines in WA state. Probably an important question for you is what style of wines you currently enjoy. As Greg pointed out, there is a lot of stylistic variation in the recommendations here. As my palate has changed, some WA wines I enjoyed in the past are harder for me to enjoy now that I am preferring higher acid, mineral-driven wines. This is clearly not a reflection of a lack of ‘quality’ in wines the wines. Like QC - I can appreciate that it is great for what it is - but at my last big professional tasting, I didn’t go back for a second pour 
But if you’re simply looking to taste a range of wines from quality producers, then this thread (or Kris’ list) is a great way to assay some great wines across a range of styles.
You know, I’ve been drinking wine for 3-4 years and somewhat more seriously the last 1-2 years. I know I love Brane Cantenac and Heredia Rose, but I also know I love port, riesling, and a ton of other stuff I haven’t jumped into. I’m definitely still figuring things out, but it looks like I’ve got a great starting point here!
Welcome to the board Sean 
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I just happened to be looking at a retailer I buy from pretty regularly and noticed the Powers Sheridan Reserve Cab for sale at half the price (for the current release) as what the vineyard sells it for. Is it normal to see something like this?
I like the Lobo Hills wines. Prices are very reasonable and the wines are excellent. Diana and Tony Dollar are some of the nicest people in the industry.
For my money, the best maker and blender of Bordeaux varietals in the state is Chris Camarda at Andrew Will, and his son, Will Camarda.
For my money, the best maker and blender of Bordeaux varietals in the state is Chris Camarda at Andrew Will, and his son, Will Camarda.
Agree. Their base bottles are very approachable now.
The 2014 & 2016 Andrew Will Cabernet Sauvignon (USA, Washington, Columbia Valley) were both super approachable early and performed well over 3 days.
Chuck what do you guys pay for the Columbia Valley Cab in Washington? I thought Minneapolis had a good deal on sale as I paid $27 with tax.
Riesling - Eroica is probably still the best example in WA
I have seen recent vintages around $14. Seems like price has gone down on this wine. Very good stuff for the money.
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Like Ron, for Riesling I generally prefer OR vs. WA. And I often prefer German Riesling to both, which is not to say that both OR + WA aren’t worth trying to assess for yourself.
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For WA Bordeaux-style blends, most of the names I’d contribute have been covered, including Leonetti, Betz, Cadence, Gramercy, Andrew Will, and Long Shadows. Figgins (same winemaker as Leonetti) and Rasa also have some nice wines on the higher end of the WA price spectrum, though less than Leonetti and Quilceda Creek. (Quilceda Creek also offers their lower-priced “CVR” Cab-based blend which is generally around $45-$55.)
- Like Ron, for Riesling I generally prefer OR vs. WA. And I often prefer German Riesling to both, which is not to say that both OR + WA aren’t worth trying to assess for yourself.
Agree on the Riesling front with Germany. Still in my opinion the best value for wine in the world on a regular basis.
I may stick to red in WA then for the time being. I love German riesling and I feel like there’s a whole world to explore there that I’ve barely touched.
I’ve never had it, but Sean Sullivan recently wrote, about the 2018 Chateau Ste. Michelle Dry Riesling Columbia Valley:
What more can I say about the Ste Michelle Dry Riesling that I haven’t said before? This is quite simply the best wine value in the United States. Period. Better still, you can find it at your grocery store while you’re stocking up (not hoarding people!) on toilet paper. 2018 is one of the best vintages ever. Only seeing the 2017 or 2016? Don’t worry. They are supremely delicious too.
The aromas are perfumed, with appealing notes of flower, lime leaf, orange peel and white peach. Bone-dry, mouthwatering stone fruit flavors follow, showing spot-on balance and a lingering finish. It’s a complete delight. 91 points. Best Buy, $9
This list is great. There are some different styles here, as there should be when you’re looking to explore.
They’re consistently one of the best producers in the US for the volume they turn out. Parker used to love them too. It’s easy to turn out huge quantities of plonk, but they turn out quantities of very solid wine. Their entire Ethos line in particular merits some consideration, as does the top tier of their Columbia Crest.
That’s a really good idea.
Sort of controversial opinion, I don’t think there’s a single white wine in WA worth drinking for the money*. There’s a lot of great red wine in the state to suit most palates, but I think the whites are a really tough sell for me. Oregon Chardonnay and Riesling crush WA whites up and down the price spectrum.
That said, try some, you and I might have completely different preferences.
For reds, what kind of non-WA reds do you like? There’s all kinds of variety here, I think BDX varieties and Syrah are what we do best, as others have mentioned, but there’s a TON of stylistic variety.
I think the claim that Quilceda is “sweet like Caymus” is way off base, I’ve drank a ton of WA wine and most of it is too sweet for me these days and Quilceda is probably in the bottom 50% of the extraction/RS/megapurple spectrum. It’s just VERY structured and is an un-fun wall of tannin on release.
I’m always evangelizing Cadence, so I’ll 2nd (or 3rd) them, Ben makes beautifully restrained wines that seem to age forever, they’re killer for the money.
K Vintners has changed style in the past 4 or 5 vintages and now they’re making wonderfully savory and ethereal, almost Sonoma-coast pinot-like Syrahs that are delicious throughout the range. They age decently but I kind of prefer them right on release when they’re really bright and primary.
Baer is affordable and makes reliably not over the top bordeaux varietal wines.
Leonetti Merlot is considered the benchmark for WA merlot, I don’t love merlot but some of the more restrained producers make kickass merlot in WA. I think in WA merlot has its own character, dusty fruit and good structure, it’s very different from CA merlot.
Reynvaan is sort of like higher-acid, more affordable Cayuse. Technically mailing list only, they’re easily findable on the secondary market, try them out if you want to experience the full-on Rocks funk without going all they way to Cayuse money.
Everyone seems to love Gramercy, but I don’t care for it, so if you try it and don’t think its great, you’re not alone.
Betz is classic, it’s about as big of a wine as I can get down with these days, and it ages really well.
Andrew Will kicks ass too.
You can’t do better than Fidelitas if you like a lot of spendy oak and complex fruit up front, it mellows eventually, but on release if you like big wines it tastes expensive, complex, and has a great structure to support its weight. It’s not really my style anymore but every time I have it I think “well this is about as good as this style of wine gets for my money”.
I will n’th that Chateau Ste Michelle wines are excellent for the price, the stuff at that price point I’m drinking these days are usually light chuggable eurotrash, but man, I don’t think you can buy a better domestic Cab or Merlot for even twice the price.
Buy Two Vintners “Some Days are Stones” and “Some Days are Diamonds”, you (probably) won’t be sorry.
*Reynvaan’s whites are complex af and I would consider them singular and very enjoyable, but they’re $60+, for the same money you can get condrieu or some white burgundy…
Lots of great info from Bryan there, I would add Travis’ Kobayashi Viognier and Delmas’ Viognier to the list of whites that are “complex af” and worth the $60 price tag in my humble opinion.
First time I had a QC I was given a glass blind and asked what I thought of it. I said it seemed like a too-expensive, overly woody, overly sweet Napa Cab. Not good. I have a few. Every time I’ve opened one I’ve felt pretty much the same. Never felt that they were particularly structured or tannic when compared with some of the other WA wines or CA wines that I’d buy. And if I recall, they pretty much all come in at over 15%, which is pretty ripe for Cab/Merlots. They were Parker faves and that’s not a knock in my book, but they did fit the sterotype of wines he likes. Not saying that side by side it would be hard to distinguish between Caymus and QC, but they’re both in the large category of sweeter wine that I’d pass on with softer tannins, uber ripe fruit, and lavish oak.