Airline Estate Winery in Washington state’s Yakima Valley is owned by the Miller family: father Mike, who has been growing grapes since 1968; son Marcus, the winemaker; and daughter Lori, marketing director. I tasted a few of their wines recently and really come out in favor of the Airfield Estate Riesling 2010, Yakima Valley.

We drank this riesling at home as accompaniment to a chicken and hominy soup with ancho chili puree, and the wine and the dish just snuggled right up to each other, with the wine sort of riding herd on the soup’s inherent spiciness.

Seventy-five miles long and 22 miles wide, the semi-arid Yakima Valley rests within the larger Columbia Valley appellation; naturally irrigation in the region is highly sophisticated. The climate seems unpromising for aromatic and fairly delicate white grapes, but Yakima is noted for its riesling, chenin blanc and semillon.

The Airfield Riesling 2010 should be served chilled but not too cold; allow it a little warmth to unfurl its initially shy aromas of apples and peaches, its notes of apple blossom and grapefruit skin, its gradually burgeoning and penetrating limestone and flint-like minerality. Boy, this becomes pungent, resonant, scintillating with crystalline acidity and high-toned touches of quince and ginger, amid flavors of ripe stone-fruit permeated by smoke and cloves. The texture deftly balances a soft, almost talc-like effect with crisp bone and sinew and river rocks. It’s all lovely and delicious.

For more about wine, check out Koeppel’s blog at www.biggerthanyourhead.net.