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Avalon Wine: Oregon and Washington wine specialists since 1988.
Avalon Wine gives you access to rare, unique wines, often before anyone else. We have a twenty year-plus reputation for great customer service and professional business practices.
Highly-rated and rising-star wineries alike seek out Avalon and offer us their wines, because we do a great job of representing them. Wine Club members benefit from our access to special, limited bottlings.
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STOCK YOUR CELLAR AT 15% OFF. Re-order any of the Club selections at 15% off as part of a case.
Avalon’s 22 years in the NW wine community mean we have the contacts and connections to get you the wines you want. Every week we’re up in the wine country, driving from winery to winery, checking out the newest releases, trying barrel samples, trolling for gossip about the next must-have wine. After twenty years, we’re pretty good at finding you the wines you want to try, way before they hit the press.
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Monthly newsletter with shipment, plus private Club Only section of website with PDFs of Newsletters and Email news.
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Oregon Reserve Pinot noir Club Selections
Evesham Wood Temperance Hill 2009
Club Price $27.20
Cameron Abbey Ridge 2009
Club Price $46.75
Northwest Big Reds Club Selections
Mark Ryan Dead Horse Red 2009
Club Price $44.20
Nuthatch Cellars Malbec 2009
Club Price $25.50
Northwest New Discoveries Club Selections
Dominio IV Technicolor Bat
2008 Club Price $17.00
Haden Fig Willamette Valley Pinot noir 2010
Club Price $17.85
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Oregon Reserve Pinot noir Club Selections
Brick House Les Dijonnais 2009 $50
Club Price $42.50
Crumbled Rock Juliard Vineyard 2008 $33
Club Price $28.05
Northwest Big Reds Club Selections
Guardian Cellars The Alibi 2008 $42
Club Price $35.70
Club Price $33.15
Northwest New Discoveries Club Selections
Walter Scott La Combe Verte Pinot noir 2010 $20
Club Price $16.00
720 Cellars Croft Vyd Pinot noir 2008 $20
Club Price $16.00
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Northwest Big Reds Club Selections
Lullaby Winery Lalayee 07 $36.00
Club Price $30.60
Club Price $38.25
REMINDER to Big Reds Club members -
Reynvaan’s “The Unnamed” Syrah 08 (shipped to you in January) just received 95 points from Wine Spectator and was listed on their “HOT WINE” page. You were the only customers offered the last bottles of this impossible to get wine after the rating was announced.
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Eola-Amity Hills Estate Pinot Noir 09 $25.00
Club Price $21.25
Dineen Vineyard Kamiakin Red 08 $16.00
Club Price $13.60
June 2011 Wine Club Selections
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Oregon Reserve Pinot noir Club Selections
Arterberry Maresh Maresh Vineyard 09 $55
Drink now or Cellar 2011-2018
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In the riper 2009 vintage, Jim picked and blended for balance and elegance and there’s no stopping the sexy pie cherry and strawberry scents and flavors. The impeccable Pinot sweetness hangs on from the middle of your palate through a minute past the finish, resonating with dark berry, brown spices, orange essence and a mineral thread. Seamless as always.
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J. Albin Laurel Vineyard Pinot noir 08 $29
Drink now or Cellar 2011-2014
On the the redder side of the 2008’s, John Albin’s Laurel Vineyard Pinot offers elegant, slightly dusty cherries and raspberries, with a fantastic sweetness/brightness equilibrium. It has a softer, more supple texture than many of its peers. Tasted next to a pair of Burgundies (from Mercurey), this made perfect sense.
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Northwest Big Reds Club Selections
Rasa Vineyards VOX Populi Mourvedre 09 $45
Drink now or cellar 2011-2013
This winery is going to be famous, and soon. You definitely want to know about their wines now. Very different, there’s nothing “just another boring Walla Walla red” about them.
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The Vox Populi Mourvedre has aromas and flavors of black raspberry, blackberry, earth, truffle, grilled meats and a hint of flowers. Beautiful structure, complexity, and length. The expansive, rich, slightly grippy texture and brawny flavors scream for dry-aged, marbled artisan Angus beef T-bone or venison sirloin strip medallions.
Guardian Cellars Gun Metal Red 08 $36
Drink now or Cellar 2011-2014
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Guardian Cellars Gun Metal is a huge red filled with black cherry, marionberry and plum. A hefty blend of Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot and Cabernet Franc, this wine pairs well with food and is delicious on its own. This vintage of Gun Metal was aged 20 months in 70% new French Oak. Another straight shot from Jerry.
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Dundee Hills Pinot noir 09 $25
15% off – Club Price $21.21
Drink Now
Amazing value. Let me explain: you take some 1970-planted Maresh Vineyard Pommard and add in more Maresh Pinot, plus fruit from the esteemed Juliard and Winderlea Vineyards and put it in a bottle for under $25. Yep, Jim declassified some of his best fruit because it was a little “bigger” than he likes for the Maresh. Lucky us, since that makes his Dundee Hills packed with flavor, slightly spicy red fruit brimming out of the glass. At 13.8%, I wouldn’t exactly call this “big,” but I would call it smoking good.
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Evesham Wood Blanc du Puits Sec 10 $15
Club Price $12.75
Drink Now
Our go-to white wine when we want the hint of flowers (Gewurztraminer), the smoothness of fresh pear (Pinot gris,) and the racy lilt of a well made white wine. Creamy pear, white flowers, minerals, and a clean uplifting finish. A sipper or a wine to pair with anything from salads to white pizza to roasted chicken. A blend of 85% Pinot Gris and 15% Gewurztraminer.
May 2011 Wine Club Selections
Oregon Reserve Pinot noir Club Selections
Cellar 2011-2018
One of Witness Tree’s three Reserve Pinots, made from a tiny block of vines that sits on top of a small basalt outcropping. Winemaker Steven Westby describes the vines as producing wine with “the next level of quality, with depth, silky tannins, elegant and graceful.”
It’s dangerous to say that I’ll judge all future Witness Tree Reserve Pinots on the 08 Benchmark – the 08 vintage being so outstanding and all. But it’s that good, I have no choice. This wine is unstoppable. Seeming dark when it’s poured and smelled – lots of blackberries and black cherries -it bursts with red fruit, especially a sweet summer raspberry thing that held me captive in wine nirvana. Very velvet, the palate-coating texture is the perfect partner for the vibrant red fruit, earthy cream and cinnamon. Subtle tannins show up in the finish and help the flavors saunter on.
Omero CellarsCellar 2011-2014
Outstanding, age-worthy Pinot noir. This has the 08 profile I love: licorice and white pepper-accented black cherry, with juicy acidity and subtle crushed herbs on the finish. – Marcus
Omero’s 08 Pinot was a clear standout among the 100 wines at the recent Chehalem Mtn. trade tasting. Frankly, I expected the wine to be more expensive, especially since it comes from Chehalem’s Corral Creek Vineyard, planted in 1983. Only 10 cases available – that’s 20% of Omero’s whole production!
Northwest Big Reds Club Selections
Basel Cellars Merriment 06 $50
Cellar 2011-2015
This gorgeous Bordeaux-style blend is deep red in color, and has a plush, velvety texture. Citrus, candy and earthy aromas are evident. Smooth strong tannins structure the huge flavors of black cherry, vanilla, and smoke, setting the wine up for cellaring. Their top of the line red, made from the best barrels of the best sections of Walla Walla’s Pheasant Run Vineyard.
Merriment is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. Aged 18 months in French Oak, this wine is a classic Bordeaux blend. Blend: 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Cabernet Franc, 15% Merlot.
JB Neufeld Artz Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 08 $32
Cellar 2011-2018
Justin Neufeld’s Artz Vineyard Cab has a deep black red color with wonderful intensity all the way to the edge, reflective of Red Mountain pigments. It coats the glass with awesome density and viscosity. On the nose a penetrating black cherry aroma is supported by smoke, wild berries and roasted pan drippings. Plush and full on the palate with a refreshing acidity, this is a big wine, with well managed astringency. It’s an excellent example of pure Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon.
Gilbert Cellars Rose of Mourvedre 2010
Drink Now
Red fruit infused with exotic hints of a Moroccan spice market – earthy cardamon, caraway, musk, turmeric, and cumin. It pairs perfectly with lamb kebabs dusted with a Ras El Hanout spice blend. The spices from the meat and the flavors of the wine play off each other in a way I’ve not tasted before. This wine just screams for grilled meat, a north African stew, couscous, or Greek food. P.S. – if you like French Rosé, you know Domaine Tempier. It’s also made from Mourvedre and it’s about $40. I’ll take the Gilbert.
Laura Volkman St. James Pinot noir 09
Drink Now – 2013
This is the richest and plushest of Laura’s last three vintages of St. James. She took advantage of the riper 2009 vintage to make a balanced wine with big, upfront juiciness and smooth tannins. The St. James has her trademark aroma of incense, roses, and spice. It’s a bigger style than her usual Pinot — almost California big — and with plenty of acid to lift and round out the succulent blackberry, raspberry and cherry fruit flavors.
April 2011 Wine Club Selections
Oregon Reserve Pinot noir Club Selections
Cellar 2011-2018
Unique is an overused word, but I’m using it anyway – there are flavor components of this wine that I haven’t tasted in any other 2008 Oregon Pinot. Fascinatingly complex, it’s almost as if the wine was “aromatized” – the botanicals that are interwoven from nose to finish flipped my lid.
Juicy black cherry and raspberry provide the fruit center, with a sweet-bitter interplay that adds a perfect tension. Expect this to
age extraordinarily well, with spot-on balance and alcohol at 12.8%. One of the last 2008 new releases was entirely worth the wait – Johan Three Barrel 08 is one of our top 10 2008 Oregon Pinots.
As you’ve likely guessed, the “Three Barrel” aspect of the name refers to the production level – only 72 cases were made. If you collect Oregon Pinot, you need this wine. Give it the right amount of time and I bet you’ll say the same thing I did…
Laura Volkman VineyardsCellar 2011-2014
This is the richest and plushest of Laura’s last three vintages of St. James. She took advantage of the riper 2009 vintage to make a balanced wine with big, upfront juiciness and smooth tannins. The St. James has her trademark aroma of incense, roses, and spice. It’s a bigger style than her usual Pinot — almost California big — and with plenty of acid to lift and round out the succulent blackberry, raspberry and cherry fruit flavors.
Northwest Big Reds Club Selections
ButyCellar 2011-2020
Violets, blackberry and black raspberry engage with earth and stones in this dynamite red from the ancient Walla Walla riverbed cobblestones. The Cabernet brings a cassis thread that carries the finish. Tons of volume and intensity without any undue heaviness.
A blend of 79% Syrah and 21% Cabernet Sauvignon, Rediviva of the Stones is made from grapes grown outside the town of Milton-Freewater, on the Oregon side of the Walla Walla AVA. The area’s vineyards are world famous as the source for Cayuse Winery’s highly rated Syrahs.
Phillip LeighCellar 2011-2018
This wine offers wonderful fruit aromas of cherry, current and blackberry integrated with alluring vanilla, tobacco, and exotic spice aromas. The bouquet entices the palate with rich red fruit, highlighted with spice, fine-grained tannin, and a lengthy finish. It shows great balance, offering generous fruit, texture and complementary oak flavors of vanilla and chocolate.
The 2007 Cabernet is – 100% Cabernet Sauvignon – 50% from Klipsun Vineyard and 50% from Stillwater Creek Vineyard. Production: 50 cases
Cameron Willamette Valley Pinot noir 09 $19
Cellar 2011-2014
What doesn’t make it into Cameron’s other Pinots becomes the Willamette Valley. All Dundee Hills, from the best neighborhood in Oregon (Worden Hill Road outside of Dundee), these misfit barrels band together. Drinks like a Bourgogne rouge, with high-toned red fruits, clove, and pepper that moves throughout the nose and palate. Simply put – a screaming deal.
Gilbert Cellars Left Bank Red 08 $21
Cellar 2011-2018
Michael Lundeen manages Walnut City Wineworks, a cooperative of winemakers in downtown McMinnville. His own winery makes two labels – his value label, Lundeen, and his estate vineyard Genius Loci label. Michael was formerly winemaker at Ilahe.
To describe the Lundeen Pinot noir 09 – in a word, balance. Just when you think the fruit might be too intense, the needle comes back up to center. The spice, the minerality, the smooth tannins, the uplifting finish – Michael manages intensity and balance to make a terrific Pinot at a killer price.
March 2011 Wine Club Selections
Oregon Reserve Pinot noir Club Selections
White Rose Vineyard Dundee Hills 08 $42
While this wine is delicious now it is still a youngster. Open it if you’re considering a larger purchase but decant before drinking.
Exotic and savory with trademark candied roses shining alongside sandalwood and cinnamon. Intense, bold and vibrant, the fruit pops with excitement from your first sip, giving way to sweet, dark cherry and raspberry. The perfect amount of tannin makes the finish echo. I recently hosted a blind tasting of a dozen 2008 Oregon Pinots. White Rose Appellation Series Dundee Hills Pinot noir 08 was the wine of the night.
John Cameron’s old vine fruit in a perfect vintage. Named after Bill Wayne’s magnificent and long-ago departed dog, Arley, this is truly one of the great red wines of the Dundee Hills. The vines were planted in 1990 from several of the best Clos Electrique clones and have never failed to impress. As they approach 20 years of age, the resulting wine is becoming even more complex and elegant. The very small crop in 2008 adds intensity to a wine that already has plenty of it.
Northwest Big Reds Club Selections
In 1987, Boeing executive David Larsen joined the Boeing Wine and Beermakers Club. By 1989 he had started a winery in his garage, named for a creek near his home. Today he makes his Soos Creek wines in a building near his home in Kent, Washington.
Since his first attempts at winemaking in the late 1980’s, Dave has purchased the best grapes in Washington, establishing relationships that continue to assure him access to some of the best vineyards in the state. His wines have always been the best priced, in some cases even the lowest priced, of the dozen or so made from Champoux and Ciel du Cheval Vineyards fruit.
Cabernet Sauvignon Champoux Vineyard 08 $33
Man oh man – you have to be kidding me! Very Champoux – huge, super-inviting flavors of black cherry, cassis and blueberry are incredibly juicy, playing off a sage note on the supple, perfectly integrated finish. Here’s the win-win: this will drink fantastically from the day it arrives and has outstanding balance to age for years.
Ciel du Cheval Vineyard 08 $30
I need a new superlative. Awesome. The word that comes to mind is harmony – red and black fruits, dark and bright character, sweet fruit and mineral. The red raspberry top note and black currant bottom end makes this irresistible now; the fine tannins keep adding harmony and aging potential..
Planet Oregon Pinot noir 09 $20
A delectable aroma of fresh raspberries, just picked on a hot summer day, almost takes your breath away. An upfront juiciness follows through with mouthwatering flavors of raspberries, blackberries, and cherries tinged with a suggestion of sweet baking spices and dried herbs. A pretty, easy to love wine, ready to drink. It will take you to an Oregon vineyard on a perfect summer day wherever you have it.
Michael Lundeen manages Walnut City Wineworks, a cooperative of winemakers in downtown McMinnville. His own winery makes two labels – his value label, Lundeen, and his estate vineyard Genius Loci label. Michael was formerly winemaker at Ilahe.
To describe the Lundeen Pinot noir 09 – in a word, balance. Just when you think the fruit might be too intense, the needle comes back up to center. The spice, the minerality, the smooth tannins, the uplifting finish – Michael manages intensity and balance to make a terrific Pinot at a killer price.
