Appellation: Columbia Valley

Of the eight vintages in this Riesling's history, this is likely the best of Bob Bertheau's four years with Ernst Loosen. You get the sense of walking past Bruce's Candy Kitchen in Cannon Beach, Ore., as they make saltwater taffy and praline pecans, but there's heaping amounts of orchard fruit with steely minerality. And those are just the aromas. Think of apple crisp made with Golden Delicious, followed by a long citrus finish, giving this very appealing wine wonderful balance. Residual sugar of 1.5 percent makes this a nice accompaniment to Asian food, crabcakes or ahi tuna nachos. Rated "Outstanding" by Wine Press Northwest magazine.

Price: $22.

Cases produced: 27,000. This wine has broad national distribution.

Food matches: Pair this with shellfish, linguine in a white sauce or any number of spicy dishes.

Chateau Ste. Michelle, 14111 N.E. 145th St., Woodinville, WA 98072, 425-415-3300, http://www.chateaustemichelle.com