After 15 years of operating out of his winery in Newberg, Oregon, O'Reilly has set his sites for the future by building a 7,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art winery in Yakima Valley, with an estate vineyard called Union Gap. The new low-energy facility was built into a metal barn, and it's tricked out with all the bells and whistles that would make any winemaker gush. The pieces of equipment he's dubbed his "geekiest" are two Coquard basket presses that, he says, have surpassed their expectations in the way they improve wine texture. A serendipitous perk is that they're also great for making ice wine. "On a frigid morning we harvested a couple of press loads of frozen Gewurztraminer from Outlook Vineyard and the result was sublime--the steady gentle pressing yielded delicious juice with awesome texture," said O'Reilly.

Yakima Valley is the oldest AVA in Washington and the source of 40 percent of the state's wine production. Nearly any grape can ripen in this AVA, as it has an immense diversity of microclimates, a long growing season, and great silt-loam soils over a layer of basalt. "The wines that we make from Yakima," explained O'Reilly, "while unmistakably New World, show great acidity and finesse. Here the Bordeaux and Rhone varietals ripen beautifully and the long, dry growing conditions provide for vintage consistency." The Owen Roe 2010 'Yakima Valley' red blend is an homage to the Valley. Garnet red in color, this blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon starts with savory aromas of black olive and slate and gives way to chocolate and black cherry. The luscious mouthfeel is balanced by a firm tannic structure, thanks to the cool 2010 vintage. The bottle features one of the winery's signature handprinted photogavure labels, which are reserved for their top wines. Another cornerstone of the winery is the Ex Umbris 2011 Syrah. It is inky, herbal, and smokey, with a velveteen silkiness on the palate. Deeply aromatic, with blackberry, cocoa powder, and dried lavender notes buttressed by firm tannins and a lushness that typifies Washington State Syrah. Click to search all Owen Roe wines currently in stock at Cream.

The photogavures are just one example of the the exacting attention to detail that Owen Roe is known for. Another is O'Reilly's meticulous approach to winemaking. O'Reilly works with small family-run operations with an average acreage of only 30 acres. He and the growers work collaboratively to achieve maximum flavor and optimal ripeness with modest sugars to keep the wines in balance. One of the benefits of the easy growing conditions in Washington is that there tends to be a greater emphasis on vineyard or producer to find truly distinctive fruit. Vineyards are contracted by the acre with strict yield controls, and without the use of any herbicides or pesticides. The grapes receive minimal handling and the juice is racked by gravity. All wines are made in tiny lots.

Owen Roe recently purchased the 280-acre Outlook Vineyard, where they grow much of the fruit for their value-driven second label, Corvidae--a Latin word for the crow family of birds, which are a common presence in the eastern Washington vineyards. These are considered the craftiest of birds, and each wine gets a corresponding folklore. The Mirth 2012 Chardonnay shows great balance and weight that belies the price. Pale gold in glass, it exudes lemony brightness with a creamy medium-weight palate and a long, toasty finish. 2012 was a particularly warm year, and hints of tropical fruits peak through. The Ravenna 2012 Riesling is sourced from both the Outlook and Eldering Vineyards. It has a grassy, tart green apple nose, with dried pineapple flavors on the round palate and a touch of residual sugar. The Lenore 2011 Syrah from Yakima and Horse Heaven Hills is a deep purple, full-bodied elixir, with notes of earth, forest floor, black currant, and dried fig.

Another secondary label is Sharecropper's. During Owen Roe's early vintages, which coincided with an economic downturn, the winery instated the historic practice of sharecropping with its farmers--taking the fruit for its wine on spec then sharing profits with the growers. From this partnership comes affordable, easy-drinking Pinots and Cabs. The 2011 Pinot Noir from St. Paul, Oregon, is a fantastic value Pinot, with expressive dark berries and nutmeg on the nose, opening up to deep currant, plum, sandalwood, and vanilla notes. It's medium in weight, and long on the finish.

Good things are ahead for Owen Roe. The 2013 vintage was unusually warm in both Oregon and Washington. According to O'Reilly, "The early harvest ushered in Sauvignon Blanc at the end of August--by mid-September over half of our Washington fruit was in the winery. Normally harvest doesn't get underway until after September 25. The 2013 Washington wines are intensely flavored and will please many. Oregon was another story with an early harvest broken up by some torrential showers. The Pinot Noirs show quite a range of fruit-filled character to softer, more approachable wines." When I asked him what new projects were on the horizon, he mentioned a Rhone white and a Cinsault-based red from the Outlook Vineyard. For his Union Gap Estate Vineyard, they are planning to plant Mourvedre, Grenache, and Syrah in a bush-styled method--"en gobelet due to the low vigor of the paltry soils, and since the wines will not produce enough leaf to fill a normal trellis. We are excited to be making our Yakima Grange here, so stay tuned!" With all this seemingly unstoppable energy, there's no doubt that the buzz that surrounds these wines (consistently scoring above 90 points in Wine Spectator, with Ex Umbris snagging the #25 spot on its 2011 top 100 list) will continue. It's a winery to keep an eye on, as all the new projects and ideas come pouring out of it. In the meantime, there's some immensely enjoyable wine to sip while we sit back and watch.