A dessert-styled release, the 2012 Chenin Blanc Ice Wine has loads of honeyed melon, ripe pineapple and peach syrup-like aromas and flavors to go with a full-bodied, sweet, reasonably well-balanced feel on the palate. It needs more vibrancy and energy, but should drink nicely for a handful of years. Tel. (509) 588-6716; www.kionawine.com

Dessert wines are a specialty of Kiona. The 2009 Chenin Blanc Ice Wine offers up alluring aromas of melon and tropical fruits. This sets the stage for a very sweet, bracing elixir that offers considerable complexity and a few years of aging potential. It is a great value in sweet dessert wine. Kiona Vineyards and Winery has been producing wine since 1980 (and growing grapes for considerably longer than that). It has long been a puzzle because its grapes are in great demand but Kiona itself has had difficulty taking advantage of their superior farming. Over the past 1-2 years it appears that significant improvements have been made. Tel. (509) 588-6746; www.kionawine.com

Dessert wines are a specialty of Kiona. The 2009 Chenin Blanc Ice Wine offers up alluring aromas of melon and tropical fruits. This sets the stage for a very sweet, bracing elixir that offers considerable complexity and a few years of aging potential. It is a great value in sweet dessert wine. Kiona Vineyards and Winery has been producing wine since 1980 (and growing grapes for considerably longer than that). It has long been a puzzle because its grapes are in great demand but Kiona itself has had difficulty taking advantage of their superior farming. Over the past 1-2 years it appears that significant improvements have been made. Tel. (509) 588-6746; www.kionawine.com

The 2008 Chenin Blanc Ice Wine is a winner (as usual). Lovely aromas of melon and tropical fruits are followed by a very sweet, bracing elixir that offers considerable complexity and a few years of aging potential. It is one of the great values in sweet dessert wine. Kiona Vineyards and Winery has been producing wine since 1980 (and growing grapes for considerably longer than that). It has long been a puzzle because its grapes are in great demand, but Kiona itself has had difficulty taking advantage of their superior farming. The winery interestingly has always done its best work with sweeter wines (Riesling and Chenin Blanc). www.kionawine.com