It’s the vintage Washington winemakers have been waiting for—some of the highest-quality wines the state has produced in the last decade, fragrant with the state’s signature generous fruit, but with a core of acid and tannins lending a sense of gravitas. The 2012 vintage, which yielded most of the wines on this extraordinary list, is the result of temperatures that were decidedly—and perfectly—average. In winemaking, that’s a good thing. The year tracked almost perfectly to 20-year historical averages for heat accumulation, after a warm 2009 with an early October frost and growing seasons in 2010 and 2011 that were cool and cooler. Reds from the dazzling 2012 season are more than just fruit forward, immediately appealing wines. There’s a core of acid and tannin that gives them a sense of gravitas and also bodes well for their longevity. These are wines to open and enjoy now or tuck away in the cellar for the future. And that’s exactly what we need while waiting for the more brooding 2010s and 2011s to strut their stuff.

The 2012 vintage was also a great one for whites. Though syrah proved the year’s big star, most varieties rejoiced at the growing season. For the first time, this year’s list contains a separate category for grenache, a fruit-rich grape variety making inroads in the state, though Bordeaux-style blends and cabernet sauvignon continue to be strengths. Overall, the year’s list is more selective and represents a higher level of quality than it ever has before. And now, a toast to this most exceptional, average year. The Top 10 Washington Wines Wines with a Sense of Place Bubbles, Dessert, and Our MethodologyImage: Sara Marie D'Eugenio This wine comes from a new project from vigneron Christophe Baron that focuses on vines planted at such high density only draft horses can fit between the rows to plow them. It offers outrageous complexity with aromas of flowers, smoked meat, and pepper leading to a simultaneously elegant yet supremely rich feel. Nothing short of an accomplishment—it’s the year’s top wine.

A perfumed wine hailing from the Rocks region of the valley, it leads with savory aromas of dried flowers, peat, mineral, and olive, followed by a textured, elegant, but decadent feel. The winery makes five vineyard-specific syrahs; this one comes from the Coccinelle Vineyard (French for “ladybug”). The perfume is arresting—notes of olive, earth, and smoke—and the mouthfeel dazzles. Coming from a vineyard planted at a staggering 3,555 vines per acre (a typical vineyard in the state would be more like 1,000), this wine is palate shaking in its intensity with notes of green olive, flowers, earth, and mineral.best way to ship wine across country In a very short time, Avennia has catapulted itself into the upper tier of the state’s wineries. best soils for wineThis wine, however, takes things to a whole new level. buy wine online portugal

It pops with aromas of smoked meat, earthy funk, and mineral followed by dense fruit and savory flavors that are rich but don’t sacrifice balance. The VigneronFrench-born winegrower Christophe Baron (Cayuse Vineyards, No Girls, Horsepower) crafted five wines on this list, including, as it would happen, the first four in our Top 10. The pioneer of winegrowing in the Rocks District is known for uniquely styled wines, equal parts intellectual appeal and straightforward pleasure.best wines to have with turkey 6. Reynvaan Family Vineyards Foothills Reserve Syrah Walla Walla Valley 2012 - $65best wine and spirit offers Reynvaan is a consistent top performer on our annual list, and this year is no exception. buy empty wine bottles

Brooding black pepper, earth, and olive brine aromas lead to concentrated smoke and savory notes on the palate and a hyperextended finish. Just a baby now, this wine should deliver well into the next decade. The name Lagniappe comes from the Cajun word for “a little something extra” and this wine certainly has that. The palate is brimming with herb and savory notes, almost overwhelming the senses with its intensity. The best Lagniappe to date. This benchmark cabernet sauvignon takes days of being open to fully reveal its charms. But oh, what charms it has. It’s wound up tightly at present with incense, barrel spices, and blue and black fruit supported by a firm scaffolding of tannins. Give this wine at least seven years in the cellar to see it at its peak. This wine comes from the winery’s vineyard nestled in the foothills of the Blue Mountains. It’s über aromatic with notes of black olive, sea salt, smoked meat, and earth. The flavors are rich but light; that finish just won’t quit.

Winemaker and master of wine Bob Betz is in top form with a wine that offers a near-endless list of aromatic descriptors, from black currant and bay leaf to graphite and smoke. It’s seamless in feel with layered fruit that captivates the senses. Drink it at a cool 62 degrees to see it shine.Want more food news, plus editor’s picks in every neighborhood, advanced search options, and all of our best-of lists? Download our new Gastronaut app in iTunes or Google Play!As 2015 drew to a close, 'the best wines of the year' lists started coming out of the woodwork. Publications like Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast recently shared their Top 100 list of 2015. When I first started thinking about these "best lists", I wanted to see where Washington wine stood in the eyes of opinion leaders, because I wanted to load up my cellar and think about why these wines were so lauded. After spending an afternoon perusing these lists and other wine cognoscenti lists, there's a lot of noise. My goal was to find the signal of Washington wine, saving my pennies so that I could add these bottles to my shelves.

Wine Spectator is one of the more revered of the wine magazines and their scores hold major weight with wine nerds far and wide. When they released their Top 100 wines of 2015 list in early December, it was exciting to see that Washington wine had four wines made the Top 100, with one Washington wine coming in at #2 overall. That wine was Quilceda Creek's 2012 Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Even Chris Pratt and Anna Faris are fans of this wine. Here are the four wines that made Wine Spectator's list:Wine Enthusiast is another wine magazine that holds clout and when they announced their Top 100 Wines list, six Washington wines made it with Cayuse's 2012 God Only Knows Grenache cracking the top ten at #8. For the other Washington wines making the list, they are:Examining the two lists, there isn't much commonality between the two. Baer makes an appearance on both, but it's not for the same wine. Of the other wineries that made the list, you have a blend of some of the state's stalwart wineries (Betz, Gramercy, Cayuse, etc) and wineries that some wine drinkers probably aren't familiar with (Latta and Tenet).

In the case of Tenet, they are a new project from Chateau Ste Michelle in collaboration with Rhone Valley consultants and winemakers. Latta has been around for a few years and their focus on small production wines that feature less heralded varietals from single vineyards will make them one to watch.Almost all of the wines are from the 2012 vintage that are revered, which means they'll display strong aging potential and flavor characteristics that typify their vineyards. The prices range from $25 to $140, with the bulk between $30-50. They range in AVA with the Columbia Valley region comprising most of the list. What I see from the list is that the red wines of our state lead the pack when it comes to notoriety. We knew this ahead of time. Washington red wines are usually excellent.What would I do if I wanted to build my cellar with a few of these wines? For varietals, the bottles on the Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast are red wines, with all using grapes synonymous with France's Rhone Valley (Grenache and Syrah) or Bordeaux (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc).