2009 WA Wine Awards: Best Late Harvest

Late Harvest
< $25 Mount Baker Vineyards 2004 LH Viognier, Yakima Valley
($20, 350 ml); Everson; 4298 Mount Baker Highway; 360.592.2300; mountbakervineyards.com
An amber-gold wine full of peach, honeysuckle, orange zest and almond aromas. In your mouth, it is velvety and lush with candied pineapple and golden raisin flavor. Enjoy this wine along with some excellent aged Gruyère, toasted walnuts and fresh pear.

> $25 Chateau Ste. Michelle 2006 Ethos LH Riesling, Columbia Valley
($40, 350 ml); Woodinville, 14111 NE 145th St.; 425.415.3300; ste-michelle.com
A rich, sweet (23 percent residual sugar) but balanced wine full of peach, honey and white flower aromas, and a bit of spice on the palate. A truly special wine for a special after-dinner sip.


Ice Wine
Airfield Estates 2006 Riesling Ice Wine, Yakima Valley
($28, 375 ml) Prosser, 560 Merlot Drive; 509.786.7401; airfieldwines.com
Made from the juice of frozen Riesling grapes, this luscious bright yellow wine smells of cooking peach preserves, yellow roses and rain, with a mouthwatering, velvety but fresh blast of peach, apricot and nectarine. It’s light in the mouth and a great match
for a fruit and nut tart.