L'Ecole N˚ 41: How They "Schooled" Me on Walla Walla and on How Outstanding They Really Are

I was hesitant about going to L'Ecole N˚41 on the first day of our Walla Walla, Washington trip. I'd had their Columbia Valley wines before and they were fine but not outstanding by my memory. 

But the place is the third oldest winery in Walla Walla, and one of the few with broad distribution so we had to hit them on the way in to town. And am I glad we did! I was wowed! It seems like Marty Clubb, who worked with Gary Figgins of Leonetti and Norm McKibben of Pepper Bridge/Amavi to pioneer wine growing in the early 80s, has an excellent feel for the land and that takes the wines in a direction that few can -- you can taste a piece of Walla Walla in each wine from L'Ecole. The man, the land, and the wine are definitely wrapped up with each other and we benefit from that! 


To tie this back to the post on Pepper Bridge, L'Ecole is one of the places that is invested in vineyard development. They own several plots, including the esteemed Seven Hills Vineyard in south central Walla Walla, which they share with with Gary Figgins and Norm McKibben. The high quality soils, mainly glacial wind-blown loess (see this post for more info on that), give the grapes a great mineral flavor and it's a point of difference. There are lots of folks making wine in the valley, but many fewer that grow grapes. I think this understanding of the land adds something special to the wines, since as I mentioned -- it seems like the land is so wrapped up with the ethos of the producer. 

Some History
L'Ecole was started in 1983 as a retirement project for Baker and Jean Ferguson. Baker retired from the family business of banking (the family owns the Baker Boyer Bank, the oldest bank in Washington state) and he and Jean pursued their passion for wine. She had no formal training, but was their first winemaker and won a local wine competition with her first Merlot, which I find kind of awesome. Marty Clubb married their daughter, Megan, and today Marty heads up winemaking and has a staff of great folks to help with their 40,000+ case production. 


L'Ecole N˚41 gets its name from the historic school in which the winery is now housed. It's in an area called Frenchtown, just west of Walla Walla. The school was built in 1915 by French Canadians who settled here. L'Ecole is French for "the school" and 41 was the district number -- easy as that!

Great Hospitality
The winery is cute and so welcoming. There was a great outdoor deck and, if you have kids, a terrific playground in the back in homage to the history! The building isn't in the vineyards, but there are a few token vines nearby to remind you of what goes on there. 

I had the amazing opportunity to meet Debbie Frol, who is the General Manager of the winery. She was so nice and helpful, even though she was swamped with guests because it was spring release weekend (when they release their recent vintages to wine club members).  It's testament to how much they value their guests, and to the fact that they love when other people are as excited about their wines as they are. 

L'Ecole is a not-to-miss if you head to Walla Walla and I would encourage you to try through their Walla Walla stuff. I skipped most of the Columbia Valley offerings this time and my opinion was completed elevated...just saying. 

Here's the lineup:

The Wine: 2011 Luminesce, $19
The Grapes: 67% Semillon, 33% Sauvignon Blanc 
Alcohol: 14.5%

Quick description: This white Bordeaux blend was a rich golden color, but they used old oak so Debbie assured me it was from the darker hued Semillon. A great grapefruit, grassy, and minerally smell with awesome herbal, candied lemon, and honeydew melon flavors. Good acid to keep it fresh!

Drink or sink?: Drink, but it was so good and went down so easy I could have had the whole bottle, so caveat emptor. 


The Wine: 2010 Estate Merlot, Seven Hills Vineyard $30
The Grapes: 100% Merlot
Alcohol: 14.5%


Quick description: A nice dark garnet with dark-colored tears dripping down the glass, post-swirl. The wine smelled like what I expect from Washington Merlot -- a combo of rich spice, smoke, and pine, with a great earthiness and a little bit of fruit. It tasted like a Christmas tree smells -- pine, sap, and earth with some clove flavors to boot. Great tannin and nice acidity made this well balanced, despite the higher alcohol. 

Drink or sink?: Drink. I loved this wine but I also love wines that taste like they are from the ground. If you like a fruitier style of Merlot, this may not work for you but if you are looking for a wine that represents what the vineyard offers, look no further. I loved it.



The Wine: 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla, $39
The Grape: 100% Cabernet
Alcohol: 14.5%

Quick description: A crimson red with totally different smells than the Merlot -- this was like a bouquet of dried flowers with a good hit of black cherry. The wine tasted like a baked cherry pie -- sweet cherries, cinnamon, and nutmeg but with black licorice and black pepper too. There was a salty earth flavor and some spearmint with caramel and pine notes from the oak. Softer tannins and nice mouth cleaning acid kept the wine from feeling too heavy. Well-balanced.

Drink or sink?: Drink. A great, complex Cab. I can't believe this is only $39. I liked it alone but I bet it would be exceptional with grilled food or mushrooms. Again, if you're looking for a fruit bomb, not your wine. 



The Wine: Perigee, Estate Seven Hills Vineyard, $49
The Grapes: 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc, 4% each of Malbec and Petit Verdot
Alcohol: 14.5%

Quick description: The addition of Merlot and Cab Franc made this a less intense red than the straight Cab. The smell was fairly light -- lots of red cherry, some dusty earth but not much there. A total surprise, this wine had tons of fruit -- black plum, black currant, dark cherry -- and then tons of herbal smells (thyme, mint). There was a great green pepper note from the Cabernet and a wet earth (think just after it rains) smell. A long finish with chewy, thick tannins but great acid to keep it clean. Very complex.

Drink or sink?: Drink, but I'd hold this one for a few years. It's an excellent wine, but I guarantee with a few years to mellow, this wine is going to be a barn burner. 



The Wine: 2009 Apogee, Pepper Bridge Vineyard, $49
The Grapes: 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 7% Malbec, 3% Cabernet Franc
Alcohol: 14.5%

Quick description:  A nice raspberry color with a rich, perfumed, floral aroma. The wine was heavy in green pepper and fresh cut herb smells but it had lots of raspberry and red cherry fruit smells too. Nice pine, earth, and cinnamon spice notes gave the wine tons of dimension. Soft tannins and good, noticeable acid gave the wine...what else? Balance - the word I use to describe all these wines!

Drink or sink?: Drink. Excellent and excellent right now. I loved the spice on this wine and I think it doesn't need age like the Perigee. 


The Wine: 2010 Estate Syrah, Seven Hills Vineyard, $34
The Grapes: 100% Syrah
Alcohol: 15%

Quick description:  A dark plum color with thick, gloppy tears from the 15% alcohol. Blueberry, blackberry, violets, and black plums with saddle leather and black pepper smells and tastes. Great spice, full fruit, and strong mouth-drying tannin.

Drink or sink?: Drink. I finished the tasting with a bang. Every wine was outstanding and this full-flavored, rich, decadent wine was a great finale. So luscious. Thinking about it and writing about it now, makes my mouth water for it! 

Thanks to everyone at L'Ecole. A phenomenal place with amazing wines!

Fabulous Wines and A Vineyard Perspective in Walla Walla: Amavi and Pepper Bridge

You really can't do a tour of Walla Walla without hitting Pepper Bridge and Amavi, the creations of Norm McKibben -- an engineer turned grape farmer who has put his heart and soul into growing great grapes and making great wine in Walla Walla. The wines are outstanding (not a bad one in the bunch) and the wineries are in the vineyards -- which is refreshing after touring around the airport district of Walla Walla and the downtown tasting rooms. 

These places have a cool story. 

As his second act, former engineer turned overalls wearer, McKibben moved his family to Walla Walla to become an apple farmer, but found more allure in the vine. By 1989, he had his first vineyard and he just kept going from there. "Stormin' Norman" became immersed the Washington wine industry, working with folks in the Columbia Valley and then teaming with the other pioneers of Walla Walla -- Gary Figgins of Leonetti Cellars and Marty Club of L'Ecole No. 41 to create the foundation of Walla Walla wine.

In 1998, McKibben and partner Ray Goff decided to keep some of his fruit instead of selling it to the great winemakers in Walla Walla. He created Pepper Bridge to showcase the Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot of the region. 

The team brought on Jean-François Pellet, a Swiss winemaker who had experience working for the none-too-shabby Heitz Cellars in Napa, and Pepper Bridge Winery was off and running. A few years later, in 2001, Amavi (as they say, rhymes with "mama me" and is a combination of the Latin words for love (amor) and life (vita)) was created to make lower cost Cabernet and Syrah. 

When I was at Amavi, I had a chance to meet Eric McKibben, Norm's son and the general manager and business head of both the wineries. Loved him. Modest and kind, the guy was such a straight shooter and had enormous pride for what his family had accomplished. It was great to see that the future of these great wineries is in good hands. I kind of loved dishing with Eric and getting his perspective on the valley, its evolution, and its future. 

From a vineyard perspective, Eric was able to tell me more about Walla Walla than anyone else on the trip. For instance, vineyard land is a little limited in growth potential because the valley is shaped like a huge bowl. The valley floor is so big that it doesn't contain the warm air -- it gets too cold at night for grapes to survive. 

The real action for vineyard land in Walla Walla is in the foothills. Very cool insight and unlike most places where seas of wine can come from the warmer valley where warm air hangs around after dark. It seems like this will keep the wines of Walla Walla in high demand (and of high quality) in years to come. 

Most of all, Eric reiterated that the fruit of Walla Walla is something special and unique. The producers have commraderie and a dedication to quality and to the land (the properties are sustainably farmed, which means a little more here than in California), that is rare. You can taste it in these wines. And although I liked the wines of Amavi a little more than those of Pepper Bridge, you can't deny that great wine starts in the vineyard -- and these places more than any other on my visit, have got the stuff in the vineyard DOWN.

Amavi Wines
The Wine: 2010 Amavi Syrah, Walla Walla Valley, $29

The Grape: 100% Syrah 

Alcohol: 14.5%

Quick Description: A dark ruby with tears that stained the glass (common with highly pigmented Syrah), this wine was full of black plum, blackberry, and black cherry smells and flavors. It had a ton of spice -- black pepper from the grape and cinnamon from the barrel -- that came together perfectly. The tannins were thick and chewy, but not overdone. 

Drink or sink?: Drink. A really tasty and excellent wine and great for the money!


I love that I got to try two vintages of the Cab to see the difference. They were similar but different  -- a great exercise in seeing Mother Nature's effect on wine! 


The Wine: 2009 Amavi Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla Valley, $29
The Grape: 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 3% Syrah, 2% Cabernet Franc
Alcohol: 14.1%

Quick Description: A dark crimson wine with licorice, anise, and nutmeg aromas and a kind of bready smell made it interesting and complex. The wine tasted less like fruit and more like tobacco, espresso coffee, anise, and mint. It had powerful tannin but it was completely balanced by the acid. 


Drink or sink?: Drink. I love that this wasn't clobbering me over the head with blackberry and black currant. This wine is a great example of the difference between basic Walla Walla fruit and that of regions like Napa and Sonoma -- much more restrained, less fruity, but with clean, pure flavors of earth and spice. A great wine and another complete steal for the price.



The Wine: 2010 Amavi Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla Valley, $29
The Grape: 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 3% Syrah, 1% Cabernet Franc
Alcohol: 14.2%


Quick Description: Much darker than the '09, this wine was ruby red, opaque, and stained the glass on the swirl. Lots of nice black cherry and blackberry to smell, it also had great floral aromas and a ton of cinnamon from the barrels. 

To taste, this wine was far milder in the fruit department (cooler year), but in lieu of the fruit there was an intense herbal quality -- like butter sauteed thyme or tarragon and a lot of earth. The addition of the 8% pungent, dill-like American oak could have something to do with that buttery herb flavor, but I think the vineyard gets lots of credit too. My notes say "gritty" because I could taste the land -- which I loved. 

Drink or sink?: Drink. I think I liked this even more than the '09, even though this could use a year or two in a cool, dark cellar before it mellows. Pellet clearly understands balance and how to get the vineyard's best out of the grapes.



The Wine: 2010 Amavi Syrah, Les Collines Vineyard Walla Walla, $35
The Grape: 100% Syrah
Alcohol: 14.5%

Quick Description: A dark, prune-juice colored wine with thick legs that stained the glass, this was going to be a powerhouse of a wine from the looks of it. The wine smelled and tasted like black plum and black raspberry with incredible white pepper and clove notes. It had a mineral/dirt taste to it too, making it so complex and delicious. Big mouth-drying tannins, and great acidity.

Drink or sink?: Drink. Outstanding and delicious. I couldn't put it down. This wine is great now, but will be so freaking great in a few years too. Yum! 

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Pepper Bridge 


The Wine: 2010 Pepper Bridge Merlot, $50

Where it's from: 58% Seven Hills and 42% Pepper Bridge Estate Vineyard in Walla Walla 

The Grape: 84% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, 7% Malbec


Alcohol: 14.5%

Quick Description: A light crimson color with good legs, this wine smelled like a bouquet of fresh, dark flowers. It had great cinnamon and nutmeg spice notes and was a perfect storm of dusty earth and great spice. The fruit was hanging out in the background, but this wine is from a cooler year and it is still very young. 

Drink or sink?: Drink. A well-made wine, it's not ready to drink now, but this is going to be amazing in a year or two when it opens up. At that point the fruit will become more prominent and combined with the spice and earth, this is going to be a freaking fabulous Merlot.




The Wine: 2009 Pepper Bridge Cabernet Sauvignon, $60 

Where it's from: Walla Walla, 65% Seven Hills and 35% Pepper Bridge Vineyards 

The Grape: 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 2% Malbec, 2% Petit Verdot

Alcohol: 14.1%

Quick Description: A dark ruby colored wine with smells like a giant pot of violets -- flowers and dirt were all I could smell (I mean this in a good way!). Lots of dusty earth and potting soil flavors with black cherry, blackberry, and black raspberry notes coming out on the finish. It had strong tannin and great acid -- very nice balance. 

Drink or sink?: Drink. A solid Cabernet that I think is still a little tight and not quite ready to show its true flavors. Chuck this in the cellar for two years and you should have something very delicious and food friendly. 



The Wine: 2009 Trine (means group of three for the three partners in Pepper Bridge -- McKibben, Pellet, and Goff), $60 

Where it's from: 62% Seven Hills and 38% Pepper Bridge Vineyards, Walla Walla Valley


The Grape: 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot, 3% Malbec, 3% Petit Verdot

Alcohol: 14.1%

Quick Description: Dark cherry color with staining on the swirl, this was looking like a rich wine. Much like the others, this had a floral and earth smell but the flavor was very different! At first, the wine was like potting soil, minerals, and dusty earth (it's much better than what it sounds like, I promise -- take the risk!) but then there was a ton of fruit and other stuff. 

Black cherry, black tea, green pepper, and an oaky vanilla flavor came through. Excellent tannins to balance some of the perception of sweetness from the vanilla flavor and great acid to clean out your mouth after.

Drink or sink?: Drink. My personal favorite of Pepper Bridge, this wine had a lot of the same characteristics of the others, but I think the big Merlot component brought the wine to another level for me. The fruit and the way the grape reacts with oak made this a perfect storm of earth, floral, and fruit notes with a great hit of tannin and acid to boot. 


The Wine: 2007 Reserve Red, $75


Where it's from: 62% Seven Hills and 38% Pepper Bridge Vineyards, Walla Walla Valley

The Grape: 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 5% Malbec, 5% Petit Verdot

Alcohol: 14.1%

Quick Description: A brownish crimson from age, the wine smelled a lot like earth and like dark coffee grounds and black cherry. It was a total surprise to taste! Tons of cherry fruit -- red cherry and dark cherry with a nice earthiness jumped out of the glass. There was something berry-like too -- like cooked strawberries or a berry pie here as well. Much less earthy than the other wines, this still had a little dustiness and mellow tannins that kept everything balanced. 

Drink or sink?: Drink. A terrific wine that shows how well these Washington reds can age when they are made well. I loved the play between fruit, earth, and tannin.

A total smash hit from these two wineries! And if you can't get to Walla Walla, they are distributed around the country AND they've got tasting rooms in Woodinville too! Who could ask for more? 

Thanks to Eric and the crew at Pepper Bridge for great hospitality too! 

Audio Wine Review 002: Scheurebe (with an M.C. Ice original remix!!!)

For this mini review, we break it down on a grape that has crazy descriptions. The review is solid but this is a "must listen" because M.C. Ice created a musical masterpiece at the end! 

Click here to listen.

A weird grape, called either Scheurebe or Sämling 88 ("Seedling 88," the name of the vine), it's a cross between Riesling and a wild German grape. It was created by Dr. Scheu (rebe means vine in German), hence the name. It's supposed to have crazy flavors -- some that you taste in red wines like black currant. We sussed it out to figure out what was going on. Not sure we got the best version though...


The Wine: 2008 K& G Strauss Sämling 88
Where it's from: Steiermark, Austria
Price: $15
Alcohol: 11.5%


Color: Green, kind of clear with a little spritz


Smell: Not so fresh (it smelled like sea water). A touch of grapefruit, but very light.


Taste: Very light, with almost no flavor.

Drink or sink?: Sink! Too light. There's nothing going on here. It's watery with no punch. For the price, I'm not buying what they're selling. I think this wine is WAY past its prime -- too old, or just bad to begin with. As it stands, I think this is the Coors Light of wine. You can do better, but I see potential so I'm going to look for better quality Sämling/Scheurebe and we'll report again. 

Northstar Winery: A Shining Example of Walla Walla Wine

Since I did an interview with winemaker David "Merf" Merfeld of Northstar Winery, I'll let that do the talking for the winery. Here -- just a few quick points and then to the wine reviews from this great winery, whose wines are actually available outside of Washington!

Northstar was started by Washington's 800-lb gorilla of Washington, Chateau Ste. Michelle, to create premium Right Bank Bordeaux-styled (Merlot based) wines from the best sites in the state. Northstar's first vintage was 1994, made by Jed Steele, a veteran California winemaker who came north to start the project. 

By 2001, Merf had made the moved from craft beer to wine. He was ready to go east to Walla Walla to work with Steele. A year later, the rustic but kind of slick tasting room and winery were built in Walla Walla (I loved their under lit bar -- reminded me of the Hudson Hotel in New York). 

By 2005, Merf was flying solo. He's been the head winemaker since. I love his integrity. The guy loves wine, and is completing a degree in horticulture to learn more about the vine. And he has a great feel for the land and for the grapes. He is such an advocate for the region and he seems to be universally liked by his neighbors -- always willing to help and a true champion for Walla Walla.

I was happy to note that not only is Merf cool, he makes well balanced, clean, and lovely wine. A big bonus: because they are owned by Chateau Ste. Michelle, Northstar wines are distributed more widely than some others from the region so you stand a chance to find them at a restaurant or shop. To the lineup...


2009 Stella Maris Red Blend, Columbia Valley, $29
Grapes: 65% Merlot, 14% Syrah, 11% Petit Verdot, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc
Alcohol: 14.5%

Description: From Columbia Valley and Walla Walla grapes. A light color with lots of floral, perfumed, and red cherry aromas, it had an awesome spiced cherry (like cinnamon), dusty character. The dust and black tea flavors with kickin' tannins and good acid made this a winner. 

Drink or sink?:  Drink. The lightest of the bunch, if were just a little lower-priced this would be my new Wednesday night wine. I'm too cheap to make that happen, but it's a great one. 


2009 Columbia Valley Merlot, $41
Grapes: 81% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot
Alcohol: 14.6%

Description: A cherry color, with awesome fruit aromas -- red and black cherry, dark raspberry, and a bunch of cinnamon from the oak. It had more going on in the taste -- the fruit combined with a maple, nutmeg flavor, and a little black pepper to boot. It was kind of like a spiced cherry pie. I liked the mouth-drying tannins -- great balance to the fruit. 

Drink or sink? Drink. Very clean and not so dusty, it's a sipper but would be great with grilled food too.


2009 Walla Walla Merlot, $50

Grapes: 78% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot
Alcohol: 14.5%


Description: A darker cherry color with awesome dusty, earthy notes and a huge hit of cloves, cinnamon and dark raspberry and black cherry aromas. Tasted like rich baking spices and raspberry -- just like it smelled but with more strawberry fruit flavors. I loved the balance of this wine -- it had a little bite because of the strong tannin and great acid.

Drink or sink?: Drink. Awesome wine. Completely characteristic of Walla Walla -- the dirt and fruit with great balance. I think this could age a few years more and be even better. 


2010 Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, $41

Grape: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon

Alcohol: 14.5%

Description: A rich dark plum color, it stained the glass on the swirl -- lots of pigment, usually means lots of flavor. Very surprising, this was more floral and like violets than fruit to smell. Full of blackberry, red cherry, and black plum fruit, this wine has a ton of fruit to taste. Strong tannins, and a ton of coconut flavor from the oak -- this is Merf's personal stamp on the wine. He loves coconut so he uses 25% American oak to get the essence in the wine. 

Drink or sink? Drink. A very nice Cab. I love the Northstar Merlots more than the Cab, but it's a great wine nonetheless.

2009 Walla Walla Cabernet Franc, $40
Grape: 100% Cabernet Franc
Alcohol: 14.6%

I almost didn't try this, since it's not that widely available and I hate posting on things that are hard to get, but I am SO glad I did. It was probably my favorite of the lineup. 

Description: Red cherry color, this wine smelled like the land (it's from Walla Walla, so I'm not at all surprised!) -- lots of garden smells. It smelled and tasted like red cherry with black olive and green pepper with lots of decaying leaves, wet earth, and tea leaves. It was so complex, with medium tannin and strong acid to put everything in balance. 

Drink or sink? My favorite of the bunch. I loved this wine and I hope they'll increase production (only 212 cases were made) so more people can try it! If you can get your hands on this wine, do it!

Thanks to Merf and everyone at Northstar for being so helpful and cool!!! Go visit when you get to Walla Walla!

Wine for Normal People Radio Ep 075: Interview with David "Merf" Merfeld of Northstar in Walla Walla

This week we've got a different kind of show for you! No M.C. Ice, but instead a terrific interview with winemaker David "Merf" Merfeld from Northstar Winery in Walla Walla, Washington. 

This 43 minutes will give you a great perspective on the region through the eyes of a winemaker. Merf tells us all about the differences between the appellations, the grapes that thrive in the region, and why Washington is so unique. We hit on everything from soil, to wildlife, to distribution of Washington wines. 

A great perspective that we hope you enjoy!

Reviews of the wines will be posted up soon so you can get to see what I thought of Merf's creations as well. 

Download us on iTunes or Click here for the player in Podbean!

Thanks for listening! We can't wait to hear from you! If you've got a question you want us to answer, post it here or on Facebook or Twitter we'll include it on the show!

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Podcast music: "Café connection" by morgantj / CC BY 3.0, ©2009 - Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (3.0)Map: Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported, 2.5 Generic, 2.0 Generic and 1.0 Generic license

Mark Ryan and Forgeron Cellars: Solid Washington Wines in Woodinville OR Walla Walla

And it's more Washington wineries! This time, two more that you can visit either in downtown Walla Walla or in Woodinville -- both these shops have storefronts in each place. 

Mark Ryan

Founded by Mark Ryan MacNeilly in 1999, these wines are made from the heart -- MacNeilly is a self-taught winemaker who made wine in friends' garages in Seattle until 2003 when he went for it and got set up in Woodinville. He's a Washington State winemaker not a Walla Walla one and although there are plans to make some wines from Walla Walla, the very attractive tasting room in downtown Walla Walla seems largely for marketing and less for a tie to the area. 

That said, if you visit at the original storefront in Woodinville or in Walla Walla these are solid wines and a fun place to visit with a lovely staff. The lineup:

2011 Board Track Racer, Columbia Valley, $15

(Mark Ryan's Second Label, made from grapes that don't make the cut for his higher end stuff)

Grapes: 95% Chardonnay, 5% Viognier

Alcohol: 13.9%

Color:  Pretty clear, it promised to be a high acid, dry Chardonnay.

Smell:  Crisp, green apple from the Chardonnay with a touch of honeysuckle or gardenia from the Viognier. Nice, interesting smell.

Taste:  Wasn't expecting this: This tasted like a sweet, red apple, and a sweet melon. It's an off-dry wine with medium acid. A little surprising from a Chardonnay, which is always dry except for low-end brands (think Gallo or Yellow Tail). 

Drink or sink?: Not a fan. A sweet Chardonnay doesn't work for me. To make it worse, the wine had lower acid, which didn't balance the sweetness of the wine. I know this is a second label and is "declassified fruit" but this was not a great start to the tasting...thank goodness things got better.

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2011 Black Love (Pinot Noir), Willamette Valley, Oregon, Lachini Vineyard, $52

Grapes: 100% Pinot Noir

Alcohol: 14%

Color: Pale ruby, and transparent with a brownish hue. A good Pinot color -- shows that the grapes didn't get overripe to get a dark, rich hue.

Smell: Raspberries, strawberries, and earth, with a nice hit of black tea leaves. Typical of a well-made Oregon Pinot Noir.

Taste:  Southeast Asian spice (coriander, curry), soy sauce, and candied raspberry with lots of earthy, rocky flavor. The wine had a great balance with medium tannin and nice mouth cleaning acid. 

Drink or sink?: Drink. A great Oregon Pinot, but I'm not sure what this was doing in a Walla Walla tasting room. I was going by the recommendations of the tasting room staff, but it seems to me that if you're going to represent Washington wines, this standard Oregon Pinot is an odd pick. Still, if you like Oregon Pinot and want a change, give it a whirl because it's good stuff.

Now on to the more standard-bearers and those for which the winery is known (with good reason!). Also, these wines give you a real opportunity to taste a sub-appellation of Columbia Valley that a lot of winemakers use for its unique character: Red Mountain. Some of these are mainly Red Mountain fruit, so they allow you to isolate the character very well and learn about the area through tasting.

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2010 Long Haul, Columbia Valley (if you listened to the WA podcasts, lots of Red Mountain fruit here), $48

Grapes: 61% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Cabernet Franc, 9% Malbec, 2% Petit Verdot

Alcohol: 14.8%

Color: A rich garnet, with thick legs from the higher alcohol

Smell: Fresh violets, licorice, black pepper, cinnamon, blackberries and black plums. Lots of earthy notes.

Taste: Just like it smelled but with more dark fruit flavor (plums, blueberry), medium tannin and lower acid.

Drink or sink?: Drink. Here's what people were talking about! This is an excellent wine. Complex and delicious, very well balanced. _________________________________________

2010 Dead Horse Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain, WA, $52

Grapes: 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 2% Malbec, 2% Petit Verdot
Alcohol:14.7%

Color: A brownish red with thick legs dripping down the glass from the alcohol.

Smell: Strawberry, raspberry, black plum, prune, and cinnamon and chocolate/mocha from the oak.

Taste: Green pepper from the Cabernet(s), ripe black plums, cinnamon, and violets. Black pepper with excellent, strong tannin, and good acid.

Drink or sink?: Drink, but in a few years. A great wine, but not anywhere near ready to drink. The bold, spicy Red Mountain fruit needs another 3 to 5 years in the bottle before it's perfect. Great beginnings though -- this will be stunning.

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2010 Lonely Heart, Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon, $80

Grapes: 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Petit Verdot

Alcohol: 14.8%

Color: With no Merlot or Cab Franc to lighten it up, this wine was much darker than the others. A crimson red with very thick legs from the alcohol.

Smell: Wow! Spice! Green pepper, black cherry, black pepper, and a rich cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove backbone. 

Taste: Just like it smelled but with lots of vanilla and caramel from the new French oak. Strong mouth drying tannins with lower acid. 

Drink or sink?: Drink. Another excellent wine. Powerful, richly flavored but also needs 5 years to relax. 

Mark Ryan gets a thumbs up for me, although I'd hit them on their home turf in Woodinville, since they have no Walla Walla wines to show right now and half the fun of Walla Walla is tasting the indigenous wares. Still, they are a don't miss on the WA wine scene. 

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Forgeron Cellars

This small winery is run by French winemaker, Marie-Eve Gilla. Forgeron, which means blacksmith in French, is located on the former site of the blacksmith's shop in downtown Walla Walla. It's a cool place with very passionate staff and solid wines, although if I'm going to be honest, which I always am, these were my least favorite of the trip. This completely surprised me because I love French wine and I know Ms. Gilla was trained in Burgundy, but maybe the lighter touch that is required there didn't translate for me in Washington. I liked the wines, but wasn't blown away. Here was the lineup:

2011 Columbia Valley Chardonnay, $27

Grapes: 94% Chardonnay, 6% Orange Muscat (very interesting blend)

Alcohol: 14.1%

Color: Like most of the Chardonnays from this area, this was almost clear in color which was strange because 42% of the wine was aged in new French oak, which would normally give more color to the wine. 

Smell: A strong lemon-lime, green apple smell. This was all fruit.

Taste: Lots of green apple and citrus with a little vanilla flavor from the oak. This was a very bright, high acid Chardonnay -- extremely fresh but still very soft feeling because of the oak treatment

Drink or sink?: Drink. A nice picnic wine but a little pricey for something so standard.

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2010 Columbia Valley Merlot, $30

Grapes: 100% Merlot

Alcohol: 14.2%

Color: A nice, rich ruby color with thick legs from the alcohol. I expected a lot of flavor.

Smell: Much milder than the other Merlots I'd sniffed, this was nicely perfumed -- like violets and raspberry tea. A little bit of raspberry briar (like the patch where they grew) was there too.

Taste: Raspberry with a light black tea note. There was a good amount of mouth drying tannin but the acid was a little bit lacking so the wine felt too soft for me -- there was not a counter-balance to the tannin or fruit, which I think is key in a Merlot. 

Drink or Sink?: In the context of Merlot at large, this is a very nice, light style Merlot and therefore is a drink. It's much better than many California Merlots at the same price. That said, in context of what other Merlots I tasted from Walla Walla and from Columbia Valley, this would be a sink. 2010 was a tough year in Washington, but I'm surprised that even with growing areas in the warmer Yakima and Wahluke Slope and the addition of the strongly flavored American oak aging (13% of the wine was in American oak) that there isn't more punch to the wine. There are too many better competing Merlots in the area so this one falls to the bottom of my list.

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2009 Columbia Valley Syrah, $30

Grapes: 96% Syrah, 4% Petit Sirah

Alcohol: 14.5%

Color: A dark crimson, this was a rich wine -- totally opaque with a cherry red rim. Looked like it would have lots of flavor, but the red indicated a potential good acid level too (red=more acid, bluish tones = less acid).

Smell: Bursting with red fruits -- strawberry, red apple, raspberry -- and blackberry and black plum. Lots of leather/horse saddle that is typical of Syrah that's been aged in oak.

Taste: Much more dark fruit than red -- tons of black plum. Very earthy and oaky. Vanilla and mocha were prominent. The tannins were massive but there was decent acid here. 

Drink or sink?: Drink. This wine reminded me much more of a California Syrah than a Washington one -- lots more fruit and oak than the versions I tried elsewhere. Still, a good wine but I think it will improve with a few more years in the bottle. 

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2010 Columbia Valley Zinfandel, $30

Grapes: 77% Zinfandel, 23% Primativo (a clone of Zinfandel)

Alcohol: 14.8%

Color: A nice light garnet color, perfect for a Zinfandel. Very thick legs from the nearly 15% alcohol. 

Smell: The combination of raspberries, blueberries, and the underbrush of a shrub. A nice contrast of fruit and earth.

Taste: Dark cherry, ripe strawberries, and then that dirt/underbrush thing was in the background (in a good way). The 100% American oak aging showed itself on the taste -- these barrels can give a coconut or dill herb flavor and I got both from this wine. 

Drink or sink?: Drink. The best wine of the bunch, this was a unique take on Zinfandel. I liked the play between fruit, earth, and oak. I also loved that this was a unique wine -- I saw no other Zin on my trip. It was made very well and was a standout.

A nice complement of wineries to add to the list if you are either in Woodinville or Walla Walla. Thanks to the folks at Mark Ryan and Forgeron!

If you've tried these wines and you have something to say, drop a comment below or ping me on Facebook or Twitter! 

Walla Walla Wineries: Rhône Meets Walla Walla at Reynvaan Family Vineyards and Rôtie Cellars

Reynvaan's Estate Vineyards in Walla Walla

Continuing on the march to share with you the fabulous places in Walla Walla, Washington that M.C. Ice and I hit on the trip, we have two very small wineries with very high quality wines: Reynvaan Family Vineyards and Rôtie Cellars. Both focus on Rhône varieties and both are so small that you'd need to get on their mailing lists to try them (although Reynvaan does have limited distribution in the northeastern U.S.). I know that's a little inconvenient, but I promise -- it's worth the hassle. 

Here's the quick scoop on each:

Reynvaan Family Vineyards
I was tipped off by a wine friend who had visited Reynvaan that they were a must-see in Walla Walla. They're located in the foothills of the Blue Mountains on the Oregon border in a lovely, clean facility with pretty views. Although not open to the public generally, I was lucky to squeak in for their spring release weekend where they feature their latest and greatest vintages. 

The Reynvaan family was all there, including Mike and Gale Reynvaan, who started the winery in 2005 with the goal of making wines that reflect the terroir of Walla Walla. They were very cool people and I loved talking wine business with Mike. He's a great, smart guy.

Reynvaan's grapes come from two vineyards. The first, called "In the Rocks," is known around Walla Walla as having a soil profile that's similar to Châteauneuf-du-Pape in the Rhône Valley. The rocks absorb sun and then radiate heat onto the vines during the cooler nights. This helps reds like Syrah and Cabernet and warmth-loving whites like Viognier, Grenache Blanc, and Marsanne thrive. 

The second, "Foothills in the Sun," is a high elevation vineyard best for Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Viognier. These grapes can take the heat and maintain acidity even when it gets a little sunny and steamy. 

Angela and husband Chris,
lovely folks

I had great conversations with everyone in the family at Reynvaan -- Mike, Gail, and their daughters Amanda and Angela who have started their own wine project, a non-vintage red called "Result of a Crush." Seems like a fun project and a great way for them to get into the family biz! 

Now to the wines. I was sad I didn't get to try their Syrah, for which they are best known, but everything was sold out, so I took what I could get! I didn't get  price list (none are available quite yet for purchase but they all ranged from $40 - $75).

2011 Viognier
13.9% alcohol
Color: A pale straw color despite the fact that the wine spent 4 months in new oak.
Smell: Orange sherbet, white flowers/gardenia, fresh laundry hanging outside.
Taste: Lemon with a cucumber note. Fresh-picked herbs. A little like a sugar cookie (I mean this in a good way). Great acid, very fresh. 
Drink or sink?: Drink. This is the first release of this wine and I hope it's not their last. I'm still thinking about it! It had the perfect balance of full texture (the oak helps this), acidity, and fruit flavor.



2011 Queen's Road White
55% Marsanne, 45% Viognier, 13.2% alcohol 
Color: Deep yellow, which is what I'd expect from these two pigmented white grapes.
Smell: Similar to the Viognier but more intense with strong gardenia and white jasmine notes and a fresh laundry smell again. 
Taste: Like edible flowers and fresh cut herbs. A light, refreshing palate cleanser with great mouth-cleansing acidity. 
Drink or sink?: Drink. A nice, light summer wine. It would be great to sip on a patio, or with light appetizers or light, white fish in a oil or butter sauce.



2011 Grenache Blanc 
12.5% alcohol
Color: Virtually clear
Smell: Honey and tarragon with the fresh floral character that seems to be typical of Reynvaan's whites. A lot of lemon, and ripe apricot. 
Taste: Lemon, lemongrass, lime, and Asian pear flavors were all over this wine. But its texture was a little lacking. The acidity overpowered the lovely fruit and honey that the grape was trying to express. 
Drink or sink?: Surprisingly after that description, Drink. Although this was my least favorite of the day, I think in 6 months or a year it will become my top pick. Grenache Blanc often does better with a little bit of time in the bottle and I think this wine has all the elements of being fabulous if given some time to chill out. 


2011 Cabernet Sauvignon 
100% Cabernet Sauvignon. No idea what the alcohol is, as you can see from the photo it was one step from a barrel sample (very cool!)
Color: Like most of the Cabs from Walla Walla, this had a nice, rich ruby color from the long growing season that builds pigment.
Smell: Perfectly ripe black cherry, strawberry, blackcurrant, and a hint of tomato and dried dirt. 
Taste: Just like it smelled but more reserved -- the fruit was a little less pungent. There was also a great black tea taste and more earthy flavors than the smell implied. The tannins, acid, and alcohol were all perfectly balanced to give it a long, chewy finish that wasn't overpowering since the acid kept it in check.
Drink or sink?: Drink. I think this wine will age fabulously well. It had a perfect balance of all the elements a Cabernet should have -- the texture was amazing. I loved this wine and bought a bottle. I'll let you know how it tastes in a few years when I open it! 

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Rôtie Cellars

Downtown Walla Walla
near the Rôtie Cellars tasting room

Oh-so-conveniently located in an upstairs storefront in the middle of Walla Walla, Rôtie is a very small and focused shop. Winemaker Sean Boyd is a Rhône wine lover and since 2007 his aim is to make wines that are at the cross-section of Washington and Rhône. He makes his wines mainly from the Columbia Valley, not from Walla Walla, a curiosity I talked about in the Woodinville post if you want to know more. 

I have to admit that I sadly didn't learn that much about the wines or the winery because I guess I arrived at the end of a long day for the tasting room and the staff seemed a little weary! It was spring release weekend so they saw a lot of traffic -- I get it. That said, the wines were good and it's a place to check out for interesting stuff.


2012 Southern White, $28
70% Viognier, 15% Roussanne, 15% Marsanne from the Columbia Gorge and Horse Heaven Hills AVAs. 13.5% alcohol. 
Color: A dark, golden yellow color from the ripe, luscious grapes used. This wine was aged in stainless steel so the color is from the grapes. 
Smell: The Viognier dominated with lots of white flowers and lemons, and sugary fruit smells. The other grapes added a touch of green apple smell that was a nice counter-balance. 
Taste: Candied lemon and the sensation of biting into a ripe, red apple -- crisp yet sweet seeming with great acidity
Drink or sink?: Drink. A very nice, medium-bodied white.



2011 Southern Blend, $40
(this is a typical blend of Southern Rhône grapes)
65% Grenache, 23% Mourvedre, 6% Syrah, 6% Cinsaut from the warmer Horse Heaven Hills and Snipes Mountain in the Columbia Valley. 13.8% alcohol.
Color: A lovely light raspberry color (except for old vines, Grenache is lightly pigmented)
Smell: Lots going on here -- raspberry, strawberry, black pepper and then a woodsy quality -- a maple syrup/tree sap thing with some pine needles thrown in. 
Taste: Like raspberries or strawberries picked right from the vine with a ton of black pepper and cinnamon. Low tannins, higher acid made this very refreshing. 
Drink or sink?: Drink. A great wine with a terrific balance and lots of interesting flavors. 


2011 Northern Blend (typical grapes of the Northern Rhône), $40
95% Syrah, 5% Viognier from Walla Walla Vineyards ("In the Rocks") and other parts of the Columbia Valley. 13.8% alcohol.

Color: Ruby red, with thick legs dripping down the glass.
Smell: A little closed right now, this wine needs some time to age. I smelled a little raspberry, and some floral notes from the Viognier but it was a little stingy in showing it's stuff! 
Taste: A little more black plum and pepper here, with chewy tannins that lasted forever, but hard to describe because the wine is not ready for drinking
Drink or sink?: Totally inconclusive. I think it will be great in 3 years, but right now this bottle needs to lay down in a cool, semi-humid place and relax!

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So that's it! Two good experiences with producers concentrating on Rhône varieties. It's not the last of the Rhône lovers from this Washington series, so stay tuned. 

I'm hoping that wines like these and the others I tried will start to bring more people back around to Syrah, which is one of the best reds that no one seems to buy these days!