As the year comes to a close, it’s natural to reflect on what we’ve experienced, enjoyed, and learned. In the wine world, this season of reflection reliably brings a flood of “Best of the Year” lists from major publications and independent critics. You’ve likely seen the Wine Spectator Top 100, along with annual roundups from Wine Enthusiast, Jeb Dunnuck, James Suckling, and others.

I figured it was time for Backcountry Wine to join the conversation.

I don’t claim a global or encyclopedic perspective — but I do have a deep, hands-on view into a very specific slice of the wine world: craft wines of the Pacific Northwest. Every bottle on this list has been poured, discussed, debated, and enjoyed either in the tasting room or through our wine club. These are wines that didn’t just impress on paper — they resonated with real people, in real glasses, over the course of the year.

So what follows is my Top 50 Wines of 2025 — drawn entirely from Oregon and Washington, and shaped as much by joy, impact, and value as by technical quality alone.

Before diving in, a few words on how this list came together:

All wines included here were either poured at Backcountry Wine Tasting Room or featured in our wine club during the 2025 calendar year. This is not meant to be a comprehensive catalog of everything produced in the region, but rather a reflection of the wines that were part of our day-to-day experience — bottles we returned to, talked about repeatedly, and shared across many different contexts.

The list is limited to Oregon and Washington, by design. These are the regions I work with most closely and the wines I engage with most deeply, allowing for a level of familiarity and perspective that goes beyond first impressions.

While technical quality certainly matters, this is not a strictly score-driven ranking. In determining both inclusion and placement, I also considered value, versatility, guest response in the tasting room, feedback from wine club members, and the role certain wines played in creating memorable moments throughout the year. Some earned their place by over-delivering at their price point; others by offering something truly distinctive or emotionally resonant.

For the Top 10 wines, I’ve included more reflective, narrative commentary. Wines ranked 11–50 are accompanied by concise, flash-card–style impressions.

Without further ado…

Top 10

1. 2022 Perkins Harter – Bracken Vineyard – Pinot Noir – $60
   This was the break-out “dark horse” winner of our 2025 March Madness bracket tournament. It came in as a relative unknown and emerged a legend. The wine was one that seemed to have “something for everyone.” It was rich and powerful enough to please those who like a robust Pinot, yet delicate and floral enough to tantalize those who prefer more restraint. The aromas were almost impossibly intense, but not in an overwhelming way. The flavors were broad and lengthy while the firm but yielding structure held it all together. A true piece of Oregon Pinot perfection.
2. 2022 Martin Woods – Hyland Vineyard – Pinot Noir – $65
   This wine, ironically, was eliminated in the 1st round of our bracket tournament, but Connor and I were BUMMED because we both labeled it our favorite of the night. (It had the unfortunate draw of facing the Thomas Pinot Noir in the 1st round) We were both smitten by its ethereal elegance, charming fruit, layered complexity, and perfect acid profile. Later in the year, when we did a “2nd Chance Mini-Bracket” of 8 of the wines that had been eliminated in the 1st round, the Martin Woods, unsurprisingly, prevailed this time and won the tournament.
3. 2021 Compris – Given To Fly – Pinot Noir – $100
   I have to admit, I was a little skeptical when I first encountered this wine. I’m generally suspicious of younger labels with three-digit price tags. However, as I sat and casually enjoyed a gift bottle I had received, I found myself doing a double-take. The pure hedonistic pleasure value on this wine is undeniable. It serves up a massive supply of dark berries, compote, black cherry, baking spice, cocoa powder and sweet toasted wood notes. Underneath, as it opens up, is a fascinating undercurrent of damp earth components: moss, mushroom, truffle, moist soil, and wet stone minerality. Absolutely stacked!
4. 2021 Quilceda Creek – Estate – Cabernet Sauvignon – $250
   This is one of those “Bucket List” wines. If you know Quilceda, you know what I mean. If not, let me be very clear: Quilceda Creek is making among the most profound and compelling Cab Sauv in the Pacific Northwest, and certainly belongs in the conversation nationwide. This is a wine that rivals even the iconic giants of Napa. With its colossal power balanced by perfection in extraction and tannin, this vintage acquired 4 perfect 100-point scores from among the top wine critics. 100% deserved.
5. 2021 Abbott Claim – Estate – Chardonnay – $75
   Now for the top white wine on the list. A Chardonnay, naturally. The Abbott Claim Estate is a masterclass in balance. It has some of the compelling tightness of a reductive Chard without dipping too deep into the sulfur/matchstick realm. And it has some of the luscious generosity of an oxidative Chard without getting to flabby or overwhelming. It has the perfect kiss of oak without it feeling like it’s “wearing” it. Basically it has everything you love about Chardonnay and none of the downsides. Perfection!
6. 2023 Big Table Farm – Pelos Sandberg Vineyard – Pinot Noir – $75
   Ahh, the runner-up in our March Madness Tournament. A worthy contender in every way. When I think about the two wines that were in that Finale, I really am impressed at how much the voting public “got it right.” The BTF-PSV is a complete wine. By that I mean – it leaves you wanting for nothing. It has everything you want from an Oregon Pinot, and in perfect proportions: heady, evolving aromas, delicacy, balance, flavor intensity, lively acid, a long finish, and a kiss of supple tannin. What’s more: it is perfectly drinkable now, yet will undoubtedly evolve in an upward trend for at least a decade, if not plenty more.
7. 2022 Antica Terra – Botanica – Pinot Noir – $250
   Look, I’m not going to pretend the price tag on this wine isn’t $250. Yes, that’s shocking. But this one makes the Top 10 on account of its objective quality and the sheer joy it brings me to drink it. In the world of Pinot lovers, the word “purity” holds a lot of weight. And usually this means minimal intervention. The Antica Terra wines, by contrast, are pretty maximal interventionalist – but to stunning effect. To offer an analogy: some chefs are great because they let the ingredients speak for themselves. But some chefs are great because they go to painstaking lengths to process and mold the ingredients into something that nature alone could never achieve. This wine is like the latter.
8. 2022 Antiquum Farm – Ficus – Pinot Gris – $40
   I am so proud to put a Pinot Gris in the Top 10. Lowly, overlooked, underappreciated Pinot Gris. And sure, it’s often crafted into a mindless quaffing wine, but Stephen Hagen at Antiquum is doing some crazy cool things with Pinot Gris at his Junction City estate vineyard. The Ficus is a reserve-level Gris that is fermented and aged in 100% French Oak barrels. The result is a rich, complex, and layered white wine with Rainier cherry and citrus notes, plus a creamy, voluptuous mouthfeel. Amazing with a cheese plate.
9. 2022 Stephen Goff – Shea Vineyard – Pinot Noir – $55
   The 2021 vintage of this wine was the runner-up in our first March Madness bracket back in 2024, which really brought it into sharper focus for us. Since then, we have really grown to love everything that Stephen makes. His style is very recognizable: a bright red purity of fruit, contrasted by an amazingly lifted floral character, reminiscent of roses. And if that doesn’t sound like what you’d expect from a Shea Vineyard Pinot, believe me – I am just as surprised as you are! I don’t know how he does it. Sorcery perhaps.
10. 2023 Morgen Long – Willamette Valley – Chardonnay – $60
    I have been following Seth Morgen Long’s rise to Chardonnay stardom from the very beginning, when his inaugural 2016 vintage was released. I was immediately struck by the understated perfection of his wines. They are clearly the result of obsessive attention to detail, because I have never – not once – encountered anything that could be construed as a flaw. Instead what you get are these ethereal, almost vaporous expressions of Chardonnay that take time to get under your skin. But once they’re under there you’ll never get them out.

11–50

11. 2023 McKinlay – Willamette Valley – Pinot Noir – $25
    Light-bodied. Pure. Incredible value.
12. 2019 Corliss – Estate – Cabernet Sauvignon – $120
    Stately. Showing superb typicity. Destined for cellar greatness.
13. 2022 Evesham Wood – Willamette Valley – Pinot Noir – $30
    An amazing value with loads of earth.
14. 2023 Bethel Heights – Estate – Chardonnay – $40
    Opulent, decadent, and criminally underpriced.
15. NV Lundeen – Brut Reserve – Sparkling Wine – $65
    A dead-ringer for true Champagne.
16. 2021 The Walls – Stanley Groovy – Red Blend – $30
    Super fun Portuguese style red blend with a super fun price tag!
17. 2022 Ambar – Estate – Pinot Noir – $75
    A surprise breakout this year – delightfully layered.
18. 2019 The Eyrie Vineyards – The Eyrie – Chardonnay – $80
    A perennial classic – and as good as ever.
19. 2022 Elk Cove – Five Mountain – Pinot Noir – $70
    Just one of the MANY fine Elk Cove offerings.
20. 2022 Eila – Willamette Valley – Chardonnay – $65
    A complete unknown, and we hope to change that!
21. 2023 Sineann – Columbia Valley – Red Table Wine – $20
    Literally the cheapest wine in the shop – yet juicy, delicious, and endlessly drinkable!
22. 2021 Parabellum – Alluvio – Red Blend – $60
    A rich and hedonistic GSM blend.
23. 2019 Marion Jussiame – Blanc de Blancs Brut – Sparkling Wine – $75
    Big sweet red apples and pie crust deliciousness.
24. 2023 Walter Scott – Lucille – Chardonnay – $125
    Truly one of the great Oregon Chardonnays.
25. 2023 Vinous Obscura – Murmuration – Merlot – $25
    Such a cool and unique wine. Dark yet restrained.
26. 2022 00 Wines – VGR – Pinot Noir – $100
    A truly impressive Pinot that will stick in your memory.
27. 2024 Grosgrain – Phillips Vineyard – Albariño – $30
    Just a delightful and joy-producing white wine.
28. 2023 Hope Well – Estate – Chenin Blanc – $45
    Honeyed, creamy, and a real treat to drink.
29. 2022 Lingua Franca – The Plow – Pinot Noir – $80
    Rich, dark, intense and full of yummy spiced wood.
30. 2023 Hundred Suns – Willamette Valley – Gamay Noir – $35
    Our favorite Gamay. Bright & fun with delicate power.
31. 2024 Liska – Willamette Valley – Mondeuse – $30
    We served this all summer as a chilled red. SO good.
32. 2019 Secret Squirrel – Columbia Valley – GSM – $30
    Always a crowd favorite. Sensuous and velvety.
33. 2022 Adelsheim – Calkins Lane – Pinot Noir – $75
    A taste of the “old school” Oregon style.
34. 2022 Rose Rock – Zepherine – Pinot Noir – $75
    A poised and winsome Pinot with harmonious grace.
35. 2023 White Walnut – Estate South Blocks – Pinot Noir – $65
    A very quintessential Dundee Hills Pinot in all the best ways.
36. 2022 Violin – Polk County Cuvée – Pinot Noir – $45
    Shows off the power of the Eola-Amity Hills in a balanced way.
37. 2021 Pasxa – Walla Walla – Grenache – $95
    An indulgent and luxurious side of Grenache.
38. 2022 Vinous Obscura – Ciliegia – Red Blend – $25
    The pure essence of “cherry” in every way. So fun.
39. 2023 Elevée – Ridgecrest Vineyard – Grüner Veltliner – $30
    The perfect Gruner: cool, nervy, and herbal, yet silky and spiced.
40. 2021 Corollary – Cuvée One Extra Brut – Sparkling Wine – $60
    One of Oregon’s most reliable standard-bearers in Sparkling Wine.
41. 2023 Gradient Vineyard – Reserve – Chardonnay – $35
    A pleasant surprise from an obscure producer. Amazing value.
42. 2023 St. Innocent – Villages Cuvée – Pinot Noir – $35
    Possibly the best under-$40 Pinot in the valley. Complexity galore!
43. 2023 Rasa Vineyards – Occam’s Razor – Red Blend – $25
    Easy-drinking, with intriguing details if you care to inspect them.
44. 2022 Gramercy Cellars – Walla Walla – Picpoul Blanc – $25
    This was a top summer drinker: light, refreshing, easy and delicious.
45. 2018 Adega – Upland Vineyard – Touriga Nacional – $35
    A great local example of this inky, muscular Portuguese grape.
46. 2022 Granville – Basalt Brut Nature – Sparkling Wine – $50
    Easily the best Oregon traditional method sparkler at this pricepoint.
47. 2022 Approachment – Columbia Valley – Grenache – $45
    A bright and joyful wine marked by purity of fruit and structural balance.
48. 2023 Project M – Kairos Ascent – Pinot Noir – $75
    This is one that’s going to require time in the cellar to blossom, but when it does, watch out!
49. 2023 Domaine Divio – Willamette Valley – Pinot Beurot – $30
    Another truly excellent expression of Pinot Gris with ripe fruit and expansive flavor.
50. NV Illahe Vineyard – Cap Fizz Rose – Sparkling Wine – $25
    Obligatory nod to the most-poured wine by volume at Backcountry Wine Bar.