Inlander Restaurant Week is all about choices. From carefully selecting the right restaurant with its unique ambiance and culinary flair, to navigating the options within three courses. The art of choosing the perfect wine becomes the final stroke to elevate any meal.
To help guide you to a perfect pour, we leaned on the experts at Maryhill Winery for some recommendations. Maryhill has received the most Platinum Awards (the highest award) from the discerning judges at Great Northwest Wine than any other winery in the Northwest. In fact, they are the first producer to record 100 Platinum Award winners in the 23-year history of judging. In addition, winemaker Richard Batchelor has three times earned the Winemaker of the Year Award at the Indy International Wine Competition. Maryhill was named MVP (most valuable producer) in 2022 at the Seattle Wine Awards.
These accolades speak volumes about the dedication and expertise infused into each bottle of Maryhill wine, and are also a testament to the quality of wine being produced in Washington. Maryhill visionary Craig Leuthold credits the state's exceptional growing conditions.
"When we first started, there were only 125 wineries in Washington state. Now there are more than a thousand," he explains. "I think that speaks volumes about what the world has thought about Washington as a place to grow grapes and make wine."
Ready to pair some exceptional wine with outstanding cuisine? Look for these Maryhill award-winners on Inlander Restaurant Week menus.
2021 WINEMAKER'S RED
2021 was an unusual growing season, marked by record heat, but winemakers and growers discovered the overall quality of the fruit to be fantastic, with great flavor and concentration. This red blend offers warm fruit pie aromas — think blackberry, cherry and baking spice with hints of chocolate and herbs with a chewy, rich tannin in the finish.
AWARDS
Double Gold: Great Northwest Wine Platinum Awards
Best of Class (94 points):
Great Northwest Invitational Wine Competition
2019 ZINFANDEL
Maryhill earned its first Platinum award back in 2004 for a Zinfandel, and has since continued to produce award winning zinfandels beloved for their smooth mouthfeel. This vintage was Maryhill's top wine at the Great Northwest Wine awards — a double platinum scoring 97 points. That means all of the judges rated the wine exceptional. Taste ripe black currant and cherries on the palate with a hint of tobacco and a rich tanning finish.
AWARDS
Double Platinum (97 points):
Great Northwest Wine Platinum Awards
Double Gold (96 points):
Great Northwest Invitational Wine Competition
Gold:
Cascadia International Wine Competition
2019 CABERNET SAUVIGNON, PROPRIETOR'S RESERVE
Maryhill's Leuthold is an "unabashed cab guy" and Maryhill's 2019 Proprietor's Reserve remains one of his all-time favorites. Tasting notes include ripe cherry, chocolate, blackberries, a hint of anise, and fresh floral notes with a hint of wood and a bold aftertaste. Leuthold describes it as a wonderful reflection of what cabernet can taste like in Washington state.
AWARDS
Double Gold:
Great Northwest Wine Platinum Awards
Double Gold (94 points): Seattle Wine Awards
Gold: Great Northwest Invitational Wine Competition
2020 WINEMAKER'S WHITE
Maryhill's Winemaker's White is a delicious blend of sauvignon blanc, viognier, semillon, albariño and pinot gris that's fermented in stainless steel tanks with French oak staves. It boasts peach, honeydew and a hint of pear blossom. The same lush fruits are on the palate layers of apricot and vanilla and finish with a hint of baking spice and crisp acidity.
AWARDS
Gold: Sip Magazine Best of the Northwest
Gold: Great Northwest Wine Platinum Awards
2021 ALBARIÑO, PROPRIETOR'S RESERVE
Without hesitation, Craig Leuthold named Maryhill's albariño as his favorite wine: "I consider it red in white's clothing. It's rich and full bodied and complex like a red, but it has a nice, dry, crisp finish like a white wine."He adds that because of its depth and complexity, the albariño is really food-friendly, as it pairs well with a broad range of cuisine styles.
AWARDS
Platinum (93 points): Great Northwest Wine Platinum Awards
Double Gold (92 points): San Francisco International Wine Competition
Gold (92 points): Seattle Wine Awards
