A milestone for Tenor.

We’re thrilled to share that our 2022 Tenor wines have received our highest reviews ever from celebrated wine critic Virginie Boone at JebDunnuck.com… including our first 100-point wine!

Years of thoughtful vineyard planting, farming, and refinement have brought the Columbia Valley to a place of extraordinary potential. We believe this truly marks the beginning of our region’s golden era.

With thriving vineyard health, mature vines, precise clonal selection, and intentional winemaking, our wines reflect a region just beginning to realize what it’s capable of.

While the Columbia Valley produces over 17 million cases of wine annually, only a handful of vineyard sites are positioned to craft wines of exceptional character. Beginning in earnest in 2021, our team set out to find and elevate those special sites, guiding them to their purest expression.

The 2022 vintage is a perfect example of what’s possible when a growing season is stewarded to its final moment.

We’re honored that these wines have been recognized so meaningfully by Virginie Boone.

Wine is the ultimate invitation to explore. For those ready to discover something new, Tenor offers a journey through the quintessential single vineyards of the Columbia Valley.

Read below the full coverage of Virginie Boone’s reviews of our 2022 vintage.The wines can be acquired through our online wine shop or at our new Avallé winemaking studio.

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Praise for the 2022 Tenor wines:

2022 Tenor Wines Chardonnay La Reyna Blanca Vineyard – 100 pts

“A hedonistic, floral beauty with a rich midpalate, the 2022 Chardonnay La Reyna Blanca Vineyard is exquisite, from a single site and barrel aged 20 months, with only 111 cases made. White peach is the star, with an intensity of spiced oak and lush texture rounding out its depth of expressive complexity and irresistible mix of cardamom, clove, and marzipan. The wine truly wows and will stay with you long after the bottle is gone. It’s well worth aging 10-12 years, if not more.”

2022 Tenor Wines Syrah Scarline Vineyard – 97 pts

“Inky black in color and equally intense on the palate, the 2022 Syrah Scarline Vineyard is grown in a limestone scar that runs through the vineyard planted to a good majority of Joseph Phelps clone. Peppery garrigue fills the rich, full-bodied palate around demure fruit, the wine mineral-driven with tension and texture. Age another 10-15 years.”

2022 Tenor Wines Syrah Stoneridge Vineyard – 96 pts

“A brambly, boldly layered, full-bodied wine, the 2022 Syrah Stoneridge Vineyard exudes dense layers of black licorice, anise, fennel, and brawny black fruit, concentrated and thick on the palate. There’s a feral sauvage aspect to the taste and texture that compels and commands attention. This is a full-throttled, multilayered, seriously intense wine with a solid 10-15 more years of life.”

2023 Tenor Wines Sauvignon Blanc Spice Cabinet Vineyard – 95 pts

“A balanced sweetness of stone fruit is complemented by an impressive degree of floral minerality in the 2023 Sauvignon Blanc Spice Cabinet Vineyard, with additional caramelized richness from the oak. Full-bodied in style, the wine retains enough acidity to keep focused and fresh and should continue to do so another 8-10 years.”

2022 Tenor Wines Cabernet Sauvignon – 95 pts

“Creamy texture brings the full-bodied palate into focus on the 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon, steeped in soft cassis, plum, and a richness of milk chocolate. Supple tannins add length and breadth, with grip biting just beneath. This is a lovely, layered wine that should age another 12-15 years.”

2022 Tenor Wines Chardonnay Conner Lee Vineyard – 95 pts

“From 30-year-old, low-yielding vines growing in moon dust sandy soils, the 2022 Chardonnay Conner Lee Vineyard tastes of golden honey, apricot, green apple, and white flower and has great midpalate concentration. Saline and floral components accent a core of nervy acidity, the wine intended to be appealing and pleasurable in its youth, though aging another 10-12 years should also be interesting.”

2023 Tenor Wines Sauvignon Blanc Olsen Vineyard – 94 pts

“A creamy, rounded texture gives the 2023 Sauvignon Blanc Olsen Vineyard a compelling complexity and memorability. White flower aromas accent rich, full-bodied, and well-integrated layers of baked apple and pineapple kept fresh in savory minerality. Drink now through 2033.”

2022 Tenor Wines Chardonnay Solaksen Vineyard – 94 pts

“Grown at elevation on the northern edge of the appellation, the 2022 Chardonnay Solaksen Vineyard is a thick, rich, mineral-driven white with racy acidity and balance. It shows tremendous sophistication and full-bodied intentionality, offering densely delicious flavors of pear and nutmeg, the oak adding tension and additional spice. Age another 10-12 years.”

2022 Tenor Wines Pinot Noir – 94 pts

“Sourcing grapes from Connor Lee and Solaksen vineyards, the 2022 Pinot Noir is mineral-driven and reductive in style, a rarity in the region, where not much Pinot is grown. Cardamom, forest floor and tart raspberry accent a darkly colored, concentrated palate that’s stemmy and earthy in garrigue-esque character and soy. Full-bodied and aged in 82% new French oak, it will stand up to a few years of aging, 5-7 years.”

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At Tenor, we’re committed to uncovering and expressing the true potential of the Columbia Valley… one vineyard, one vintage, and one relationship at a time. Our region inspires everything we do, and it’s our purpose to bring you closer to the nuance, structure, and sense of place found in its most remarkable vineyard sites.

The Columbia Valley’s dynamic terroir, dramatic seasonal shifts, and evolving winemaking tradition have shaped not only our wines, but our philosophy: to craft something singular and share it with intention.

We’re grateful to be on this journey, sharing our wines with you. Thank you for exploring the Columbia Valley with us.

Click here to become a member and acquire these wines with exclusive member access and pricing.

To experience them in person, make a reservation to visit our new Avallé winemaking studio. We’d be honored to host you and your guests.