Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/1013885
august 2018 / the tasting panel / 61 Washington State, with all its diversity, is a play- ground for vintners and wine enthusiasts alike. Once known for producing singularly jammy, fruit-forward wines, a maturing industry has revealed a truly impressive range of styles thriving within the borders of the Columbia Valley's scrubby, arid topography. From light and crisp whites to baritone reds with stratified layers of dark fruit and spice, the state has decidedly come into its own as its vintners relentlessly push boundaries in search of new flavor profiles. Spoken Barrel, which offers two sleekly packaged wines, is one such project. Its Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux-style Meritage blend resonate on the palate with deep tones that impart concentration without an overbearing alcohol content; their accessible price point ($20 for either wine), mean- while, makes them an attractive fit for by-the-glass lists. The woman behind Spoken Barrel, veteran winemaker and Twin Falls native Maurine Johnson, spent 29 years as Head Winemaker for Idaho's largest winery, Ste. Chapelle, before moving on to work at Hogue Cellars in Washington's Yakima Valley in 2016. Her lengthy career working with fruit from the Pacific Northwest has gifted her with an uncanny, almost intuitive ability to coax out the full poten- tial of the grapes she sources. Johnson's approach centers entirely around the concept of quality. "It all starts with the grapes," she says. "I love working with Washington fruit because the quality is truly exceptional. Columbia Valley gets very little rainfall, which allows us to control the amount of water the grapes receive, and the high elevation of many of our premier growing sites gives the grapes additional time on the vine to ripen and develop complex flavors." The unique terroir of the Columbia Valley contributes to the excellent quality of Washington grapes used in Spoken Barrel wines. Rted