CHELAN, Wash. - Nearly from the beginning, Larry Lehmbecker had a pretty good idea he was onto something.

To Corey Braunel, Chad Johnson and their 4,000 e-mail fans, the address of Dusted Valley Vintners might as well read, "Walla Walla, Wis."

By strict definition, Sineann is an Oregon winery. But look a bit closer, and one can only describe owner and winemaker Peter Rosback as a New World winemaker.

In a time when red wine rules, JoieFarm in Naramata, B.C., is defying the odds.

There is little doubt that Idaho's Lake City is home to one of the best producers of Rhone varieties in the Northwest.

There's more to Airfield Estates than the clever architecture travelers see while driving past Prosser's Vintners Village at 70 mph on Interstate 82.

Andrew Brown gushes about the Walla Walla Valley family fruit he works with.

When Lanny and Julie Martiniuk sought an apt name for their vineyard, they had to look no farther than the thousands of rocks that had been pulled from their ground over the decades.

Gina Davis harvested experience and gleaned expertise from several of Idaho's largest wineries and most respected winemakers.

A decade ago, Merlot was a favorite son in Washington. In fact, the red grape of Bordeaux was nearly synonymous with Washington wine.

As Todd Newhouse walks up and down the rows of his family's vineyard, he senses the history around him. Here, high above the Yakima Valley floor, roams the spirit of the patriarch of the Washington wine industry

Most wine tourists wouldn't go to a restaurant in Bordeaux and expect to see a bottle of Russian River Pinot Noir.

The Allison Inn & Spa bills itself as "Oregon Wine Country's first ever full service resort." Locals agree the Newberg, Ore., destination resort is something out of the ordinary.

It's difficult to think of a greater food than cheese. And a rich blue is hard to beat.

Jarrod Boyle, owner of Alexandria Nicole Cellars in Prosser, Wash., had a problem shared by many winemakers: What do you do with an oak wine barrel once its life in making wine is over?

Well, if El Nino maintains his current profile, then March could be in like a lamb and out like a bunny.

You don't have to watch an episode of AMC's "Mad Men" to know that images of pretty girls have long been a mainstay of marketing and advertising.

I have many reasons to love wine. One is for the memories evoked when a bottle is shared. They might include the meal, the setting or the friends I'm with. Often, it's all three.

It has been roughly six years since we were witness to one of the wine world's most feared enemies. It is an enemy so fierce that it can play havoc with our beloved industry in ways that are so devastating and so horrifying that mere mortals are driven to cowering in corners.

In the past few years, I've discovered a number of wineries are making Malbec as a single varietal wine instead of using it as a blending grape. What's behind this recent change?

Hail Columbia Crest 2005 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon!

Spring brings a sublime selection of fresh foods to Northwest kitchens: baby greens, peas and herbs; new-laid eggs and grass-fed lamb; and the first catches of salmon and halibut.

Alphabet letters on labels are all the rage. And on wine's wheel of fortune, lots of single letters come into play. So grab a glass and a dictionary, and let's see if we can solve this puzzle.

The grape: Riesling for all occasions.

Red wine reviews from the Spring 2010 Recent Releases section of Wine Press Northwest.

White wine reviews from the Spring 2010 Recent Releases section of Wine Press Northwest.

Best buy ($15 and under) red wine reviews from the Spring 2010 Recent Releases section of Wine Press Northwest.

Best buy ($15 and under) white wine reviews from the Spring 2010 Recent Releases section of Wine Press Northwest.