Tasting Highlights' wine reviews are fresh out of the tasting room, offering a sneak peek of our editors' most recent scores and notes to WineSpectator.com members.
It's finally starting to feel like spring, and that has us thinking about white wine. To celebrate, we've rounded up these thirst-quenching whites from appellations up and down the coast, all costing $35 or less. They are as diverse as they are delicious, perfect for the even warmer temperatures ahead.
Pinot Gris makes an ideal picnic wine. Crisp and fruit-forward versions from Oregon, at their best, can have compelling depth, like the floral white from Chehalem. Another consistent producer is Maysara, with its single-vineyard Pinot Gris from the McMinnville subappellation in the Willamette Valley.
The white grapes of the Rhône Valley have found a home in California, where they are bottled on their own or in blends. Grenache Blanc and Clairette Blanche find harmony in McPrice Myers' Beautiful Earth white, while The Prisoner Wine Company blends Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc with Rhône varieties.
Washington State is best-known for its red wines like Cabernet and Syrah, but it also excels with a variety of whites grapes. DeLille makes a case for Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon with its expressive Bordeaux-inspired white blend. Idaho-based Huston tapped two vineyards in Washington for its crisp and affordable Chicken Dinner White.
DELILLE Chaleur Blanc Columbia Valley 2017
Expressive and dynamic, with lively pear and figs flavors, accented by a delicate, creamy and toasty note. Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon. Drink now. From Washington. 4,800 cases made.
CHEHALEM Pinot Gris Chehalem Mountains 2018
Floral and pretty, with compelling nectarine and spiced pear flavors that dance on the finish. Drink now. From Oregon. 3,000 cases made.
MCPRICE MYERS Beautiful Earth White Paso Robles Willow Creek District 2017
Finds harmony, featuring Asian pear, mandarin orange, melon and apricot flavors, with touches of almond skin, chamomile and lentil, set on a fresh, crisp frame. Grenache Blanc and Clairette Blanche. Drink now. From California. 342 cases made.
MAYSARA Pinot Gris McMinnville Arsheen Momtazi Vineyard 2018
Sleek and expressive, with floral nectarine and spicy citrus flavors that linger on the finish. Drink now. From Oregon. 1,700 cases made.
THE PRISONER WINE COMPANY Blindfold California 2017
Offering a tropical fruit-cocktail mix of coconut, apricot, peach cobbler and pear flavors, this is ripe and round, with an edge of cream soda. Very smooth and juicy, showing good intensity on the finish. Chardonnay, Roussanne, Viognier, Grenache Blanc, Marsanne and Chenin Blanc. Drink now. 11,000 cases made.
COR Alba Celilo Vineyard Columbia Gorge 2017
Fresh and delicate, with pretty melon and spice flavors. Pinot Gris and Gewürztraminer. Drink now. From Washington. 350 cases made.
HUSTON Chicken Dinner White Washington 2017
Crisp and user-friendly, with pineapple and honeydew flavors that finish on a creamy, toasty note. Riesling, Muscat Blanc and Roussanne. Drink now. 1,170 cases made.
TERRA D'ORO Chenin Blanc-Viognier Clarksburg 2018
Charming, fragrant and juicy, featuring orange blossom, apricot and lemon notes at the core, with a refreshing finish where an accent of candied ginger lingers. Chenin Blanc and Viognier. Drink now. From California. 6,000 cases made.
ANDIS Painted Fields Cuvée Blanc Sierra Foothills 2018
Crisp and juicy, offering an appealing mix of grapefruit zest, lime and smoke notes, with floral and spice accents on the refreshing frame. Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Arinto and Chardonnay. Drink now. From California. 500 cases made.