As I’ve written elsewhere, Chenin Blanc seems to be slowly slipped away in Washington. Despite a relative abundance of vines twenty years or older, the wine seems to have fallen out of favor somewhat with consumers and each year seems to bring fewer vines in the ground and fewer producers making the wine. A consistently [...]

As I’ve written elsewhere, Chenin Blanc seems to be slowly slipped away in Washington. Despite a relative abundance of vines twenty years or older, the wine seems to have fallen out of favor somewhat with consumers and each year seems to bring fewer vines in the ground and fewer producers making the wine. A consistently enjoyable representation of the grape comes from Riesling specialist Pacific Rim. The winery’s 2008 vintage Chenin continues that trend with (yet) another well priced, quality wine from this producer.

WA Wine report

2010 Pacific Rim Columbia Valley Riesling ($10, 10.5%):
Under the eye of winemaker Nicolas Quillé , this Randall Grahm-founded label is proving the potential of Washington Riesling. Don’t let the faux-exotic package and price deceive you; this blend from top Columbia Valley sites puts Pacific Rim fully back in the groove. Full of wet river stone, [...]

2010 Pacific Rim Columbia Valley Riesling ($10, 10.5%):
Under the eye of winemaker Nicolas Quillé , this Randall Grahm-founded label is proving the potential of Washington Riesling. Don’t let the faux-exotic package and price deceive you; this blend from top Columbia Valley sites puts Pacific Rim fully back in the groove. Full of wet river stone, deep nectarine and green apple, it shows the magnitude of both fruit and acid that most Rieslings at this price lack.

Full Article
Top Whites

And for something truly remarkable, make some scrambled eggs in butter with shavings of black truffles. Pour a glass of iced Pacific Rim Vin de Glaciere Riesling 2010 ($16 half bottle), made in Washington’s Yakima Valley. Now, that is a decadent revelation indeed.
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And for something truly remarkable, make some scrambled eggs in butter with shavings of black truffles. Pour a glass of iced Pacific Rim Vin de Glaciere Riesling 2010 ($16 half bottle), made in Washington’s Yakima Valley. Now, that is a decadent revelation indeed.

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This being the Northwest Wine Anthem, we’re taking the Northwestern angle thanks to our good friends at Pacific Rim. Not familiar with them? Pacific Rim is serious about Riesling. How serious? They’re making eleven Rieslings. Eleven. Two sparkling Rieslings and one ice wine. They make Rieslings in different styles, with different sweetness levels and four [...]

This being the Northwest Wine Anthem, we’re taking the Northwestern angle thanks to our good friends at Pacific Rim. Not familiar with them? Pacific Rim is serious about Riesling. How serious? They’re making eleven Rieslings. Eleven. Two sparkling Rieslings and one ice wine. They make Rieslings in different styles, with different sweetness levels and four single vineyard Rieslings. The Pacific Rim project started out as a release in 1992 from Bonny Doon’s Randall Graham. The idea caught fire and in 2006 a bunch of the ne’er-Doon-wells moved from California to Eastern Washington to focus almost entirely upon Riesling, a Riesling they could believe in. As it turns out, there are several Rieslings they believe in, representing 90% of their production.

Full article at nwwineanthem.com

2010 Pacific Rim Vin de Glaciere ($14 for 375 ml). This is a sweet end to a fabulous meal. For Pacific Rim’s dessert wine, Riesling grapes were frozen after picking, then pressed while still frozen. Like a Sauternes, the frozen Riesling delivers a slightly sweet floral and honeyed wine. It’s dessert in [...]

2010 Pacific Rim Vin de Glaciere ($14 for 375 ml). This is a sweet end to a fabulous meal. For Pacific Rim’s dessert wine, Riesling grapes were frozen after picking, then pressed while still frozen. Like a Sauternes, the frozen Riesling delivers a slightly sweet floral and honeyed wine. It’s dessert in a glass. A little of this concentrated nectar goes a long way.

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Riesling is a classic Thanksgiving pick, and while it’s getting harder to find good, inexpensive ones, the 2010 Pacific Rim Columbia Valley Riesling ($10, 10.5%), from the Randall Grahm-founded project in Washington state is better than ever, thanks to winemaker Nicolas Quillé. (This one is slightly sweet with green apple and a river-stone minerality. Get [...]

Riesling is a classic Thanksgiving pick, and while it’s getting harder to find good, inexpensive ones, the 2010 Pacific Rim Columbia Valley Riesling ($10, 10.5%), from the Randall Grahm-founded project in Washington state is better than ever, thanks to winemaker Nicolas Quillé. (This one is slightly sweet with green apple and a river-stone minerality. Get the dry version if you prefer.)

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Riesling Pacific Rim 2010 Riesling – A 90 Points best buy from Wine Enthusiast (August 2010) this Riesling is on the borderline between dry and sweet, this richly fruity Riesling is packed with flavors of peach, apricot, pear, a hint of mint, and a streak of wet stone.
eatdrinkbetter.com

Riesling Pacific Rim 2010 Riesling – A 90 Points best buy from Wine Enthusiast (August 2010) this Riesling is on the borderline between dry and sweet, this richly fruity Riesling is packed with flavors of peach, apricot, pear, a hint of mint, and a streak of wet stone.

eatdrinkbetter.com

At first swirl I knew this wine was more than just fine. I could smell immediately this was going to be a pretty good wine! I took just one sip, jotted down some quick notes then went to my computer to see what this wine retails for. When I read that [...]

At first swirl I knew this wine was more than just fine. I could smell immediately this was going to be a pretty good wine! I took just one sip, jotted down some quick notes then went to my computer to see what this wine retails for. When I read that the wine sells for $10 I said to myself… you can’t be serious?! No, really I said that, out loud.

Full story at vindulgeblog.com

Then one evening in early August (or was it late July?), I had an opportunity to further substantiate Riesling’s status as the most food-versatile of all varietals when I sipped the Pacific Rim Dauenhauer Vineyard bottling from Oregon ($24, 8.6percent alcohol, 3.9percent residual sugar) with beef and bean chili topped with cheese and sour cream [...]

Then one evening in early August (or was it late July?), I had an opportunity to further substantiate Riesling’s status as the most food-versatile of all varietals when I sipped the Pacific Rim Dauenhauer Vineyard bottling from Oregon ($24, 8.6percent alcohol, 3.9percent residual sugar) with beef and bean chili topped with cheese and sour cream (yum). The next evening (day 3 open) I very much enjoyed it with a rueben sandwich sans sauerkraut and with a Cheetos chaser. The vintage was 2007 and was a fine example of how Riesling develops texture and aromatics in the bottle, striking a delicious balance between residual sugar and acidity.

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FOR MANY years Washington wines were damned with faint praise by both buyers and some critics. Accused of being good enough, but too pricey, our wines’ reputation always seemed to suffer in comparison with other new and emerging wine regions such as Argentina, Chile, New Zealand and even Old World regulars such as Italy and [...]

FOR MANY years Washington wines were damned with faint praise by both buyers and some critics. Accused of being good enough, but too pricey, our wines’ reputation always seemed to suffer in comparison with other new and emerging wine regions such as Argentina, Chile, New Zealand and even Old World regulars such as Italy and Spain.

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On the next sunny weekend, we suggest holding a summer lunch for friends. Plan to make the wraps and buy a bottle of the Pacific Rim Riesling and Gewürz, then let your guests decide which they like better with the meal.
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On the next sunny weekend, we suggest holding a summer lunch for friends. Plan to make the wraps and buy a bottle of the Pacific Rim Riesling and Gewürz, then let your guests decide which they like better with the meal.

Read more

Pacific Rim Rieslings, Columbia Valley, Wash. ($10-$13): A trio, dry to sweet, of the best-priced Rieslings in America, from America.
Chicago Tribune

Pacific Rim Rieslings, Columbia Valley, Wash. ($10-$13): A trio, dry to sweet, of the best-priced Rieslings in America, from America.

Chicago Tribune

“Pacific Rim’s Riesling offers bright crispness, subtle sweetness and aromas of pear and apple. Its natural sweetness makes it a perfect contrast, thus pairing, to a spicy dish such as Cajun-style grilled shrimp.”
Huffington Post

“Pacific Rim’s Riesling offers bright crispness, subtle sweetness and aromas of pear and apple. Its natural sweetness makes it a perfect contrast, thus pairing, to a spicy dish such as Cajun-style grilled shrimp.”

Huffington Post

Inspired by the French cherry soup, The Chronicle Food & Wine staff came up with this Bay Area version. Use a fruity Riesling such as the 2010 Pacific Rim Columbia Valley Riesling ($10; 12.5% alcohol).

SFGate.com

Inspired by the French cherry soup, The Chronicle Food & Wine staff came up with this Bay Area version. Use a fruity Riesling such as the 2010 Pacific Rim Columbia Valley Riesling ($10; 12.5% alcohol).

SFGate.com

Finally, with fruit-flavored chocolate truffles, try Pacific Rim, Framboise Wine, Washington State (Specialty 15789; $14.99 for 375 ml.). Morrison-variety raspberries, a special clone with low bitterness, create exceptionally intense aromas and flavors. Natural grape spirits arrest fermentation to create 20 percent residual sugar and 16.5.percent alcohol.
Intense, fresh raspberry aromas open to concentrated ripe raspberry flavors [...]

Finally, with fruit-flavored chocolate truffles, try Pacific Rim, Framboise Wine, Washington State (Specialty 15789; $14.99 for 375 ml.). Morrison-variety raspberries, a special clone with low bitterness, create exceptionally intense aromas and flavors. Natural grape spirits arrest fermentation to create 20 percent residual sugar and 16.5.percent alcohol.

Intense, fresh raspberry aromas open to concentrated ripe raspberry flavors balanced by pleasant bitterness through a long, sweet finish. Highly recommended.

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

In the New World, a winery can get away with focusing narrowly on cabernet sauvignon, zinfandel or syrah. But few would think about building a winery around riesling. And perhaps only one could do it successfully.
That winery is Pacific Rim Winemakers in West Richland.
The News Tribune. Tacoma, WA

In the New World, a winery can get away with focusing narrowly on cabernet sauvignon, zinfandel or syrah. But few would think about building a winery around riesling. And perhaps only one could do it successfully.

That winery is Pacific Rim Winemakers in West Richland.

The News Tribune. Tacoma, WA

Pacific Rim White Flowers Sparkling Riesling, $15
Easy to guess how the name White Flowers came about: just lift the glass to your nose and inhale the aromatic honeysuckle and delicate spring blooms.
www.detnews.com

Pacific Rim White Flowers Sparkling Riesling, $15
Easy to guess how the name White Flowers came about: just lift the glass to your nose and inhale the aromatic honeysuckle and delicate spring blooms.

www.detnews.com

To honor the enduring link between sweetness and passion, over the holidays share well-made sweet wines and liqueurs with your sweetie — or, somebody you’d like for your sweetie. Have fun, and who knows where it will lead?
Try:
N.V. Pacific Rim, Framboise, Washington State (Luxury 15789; $14.99 for 375 ml.): This fortified fruit wine captures black [...]

To honor the enduring link between sweetness and passion, over the holidays share well-made sweet wines and liqueurs with your sweetie — or, somebody you’d like for your sweetie. Have fun, and who knows where it will lead?

Try:
N.V. Pacific Rim, Framboise, Washington State (Luxury 15789; $14.99 for 375 ml.): This fortified fruit wine captures black raspberries’ sweet essence. Made from a highly aromatic strain with low bitterness, the winemakers stopped fermentation early by adding grape spirits. This resulted in 16 percent residual sugar and 16.5 percent alcohol by volume, a heady combination to be sure.

The dark ruby color explodes with intense raspberry and floral aromas leading to lush black raspberry flavors and an intense sweet finish. Pair it with bittersweet chocolate, and sparks will fly. Highly Recommended.

www.pittsburghlive.com

Pacific Rim Dry Riesling, Columbia Valley, 2007
This versatile bargain bottle grabbed our attention with apricot flavors—it’ll even stand up to Thai takeout.

Pacific Rim Dry Riesling, Columbia Valley, 2007
This versatile bargain bottle grabbed our attention with apricot flavors—it’ll even stand up to Thai takeout.

One of the best sweet dessert wine values out there has to be Pacific Rim’s 2007 Vin de Glaciere Riesling from Washington state, which showed beautifully at the end of a dinner with good friends the other night and is a shoe-in for pairing with Thanksgiving pies. Actually, this is a tale of two [...]

One of the best sweet dessert wine values out there has to be Pacific Rim’s 2007 Vin de Glaciere Riesling from Washington state, which showed beautifully at the end of a dinner with good friends the other night and is a shoe-in for pairing with Thanksgiving pies. Actually, this is a tale of two dessert wines – Pacific Rim’s, with a suggested price of $14 for a half-bottle, and a well-known California wine, also in half-bottle, that sells for $80 or more (yes, you heard right).

Vint-ed.com

Washington’s Pacific Rim winery specializes in Rieslings, in every style, but they also make a little-known Framboise. This fortified raspberry dessert wine comes in half bottles and sells for around $15. The raspberries are grown at a Mount Vernon berry farm; this is like a sip of summer. Drink Framboise from your smallest wine glasses, [...]

Washington’s Pacific Rim winery specializes in Rieslings, in every style, but they also make a little-known Framboise. This fortified raspberry dessert wine comes in half bottles and sells for around $15. The raspberries are grown at a Mount Vernon berry farm; this is like a sip of summer. Drink Framboise from your smallest wine glasses, and serve it with vanilla ice cream or chocolate truffles.

Full article available at The Seattle Times

2007 Riesling, Wallula Vineyard Biodynamic Cuvee
Simply a wowser of a Riesling – one of the best from the Northwest I’ve ever tasted
Northwest Pallet

2007 Riesling, Wallula Vineyard Biodynamic Cuvee
Simply a wowser of a Riesling – one of the best from the Northwest I’ve ever tasted

Northwest Pallet

Riesling is one of the most versatile food wines ever created, the pros all agree. You can pour it with everything from Thai green curry chicken to trout in a French mushroom cream sauce. But the American public has largely raised its communal nose at the variety, going instead for chardonnays, sauvignon blancs and pinot [...]

Riesling is one of the most versatile food wines ever created, the pros all agree. You can pour it with everything from Thai green curry chicken to trout in a French mushroom cream sauce. But the American public has largely raised its communal nose at the variety, going instead for chardonnays, sauvignon blancs and pinot grigios.

2007 Pacific Rim Wallula Vineyard, Columbia Valley: This biodynamic wine was a winner on its own and paired with chicken. The nose is like tropical flowers plushed with mango. The flavor is lively, with notes of pear and apple. Subtle honey accent is balanced by good acidity. The food-wine pairing is energetic; each is enhanced. ✭✭✭ $19

Chicago Tribune

At Pacific Rim in Washington’s Columbia Valley, Riesling rules. Ninety percent of their 150,000 annual case production is Riesling. Smart marketing has built a campaign with three Rieslings to cover the market with at least one for everyone’s taste. And they are all $10 a bottle! For a gathering, buy all three. [...]

At Pacific Rim in Washington’s Columbia Valley, Riesling rules. Ninety percent of their 150,000 annual case production is Riesling. Smart marketing has built a campaign with three Rieslings to cover the market with at least one for everyone’s taste. And they are all $10 a bottle! For a gathering, buy all three. We can guarantee that there will be something to please everyone.

Fort Worth Business Press

It’s unfortunate but true: Ask a member of the wine trade and an everyday consumer to write down their three favorite wine styles, and you’re guaranteed to get two different lists.
When it comes to whites, your average shopper is liable to toss a bottle of chardonnay, pinot gris (aka grigio) or sauvignon blanc in her [...]

It’s unfortunate but true: Ask a member of the wine trade and an everyday consumer to write down their three favorite wine styles, and you’re guaranteed to get two different lists.

When it comes to whites, your average shopper is liable to toss a bottle of chardonnay, pinot gris (aka grigio) or sauvignon blanc in her shopping cart. A sommelier is more likely to stock up on riesling, Champagne and chenin blanc.

Chenin blanc, however, remains elusive to the average consumer. Which is a crying shame. I recently sat down and blind-tasted 12 chenin blancs from all over the world, ranging in price from $10 to $20, and wondered, as I often do, why this white isn’t on more people’s dinner tables every night of the week.

Chenin blanc: An affordable white that goes well with food