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W.T. Vintners
Part 5, Washington State: visiting one of North America's leading wine
growing regions
Jeff
Lindsay-Thorsen is wine director at RN74 in Seattle. He's now also a
boutique winemaker in the Woodinville Warehouse district, making
tiny quantities of some of Washington State's most compelling wines
under the label W.T. Vintners.
He made wine for the first time in 2007 with a friend in a domestic
garage. His current premises aren't a whole lot bigger!
I
asked Jeff about style. 'The hope is elegance,' he replied. 'I want
wines that are complementary to a broad spectrum of cuisines. I will
never make Cabernet Sauvignon. I want to work with extraordinary
vineyards. Burgundy and the Rhône
is where my heart is.'
He
thinks that Syrah is the future here. 'In 20 years' time Washington
State will be known for Syrah. Cabernet grows well in Washington;
Syrah reflects the place it is grown in Washington. It is important
to be champions of special places. We work with extraordinary
growers and extraordinary sites, and I want to champion those
places, usually through the lens of Syrah.'
'I
start all ferments native, but I don't have the balls or the money
for things to go wrong. If I have a stuck ferment I'll make a pied
de cuve; if I do inoculate I'll make a blend of yeasts and let them
battle for dominance.'
'A lot
of Washington winemakers didn't have the context to start with, when
they began. In my paying job I've had the fortune to taste lots of
great wines. These are Washington wines, but I know what these old
world Benchmarks are supposed to taste like, and it gives me great
perspective and some motivation to rein it in with pick dates and
acidity in the wines.'
'We
have a short, hot growing season,' says Jeff. 'Site specificity is
paramount.' He likes to work more naturally, but is pragmatic. 'In
2013 I had to do some acid additions,' he says, honestly. 'It kills
me; it hurts me to my soul.'
Cold
damage is the biggest viticultural threat here. 'Twice a decade we
have pretty monster frosts. If the sap hasn't descended, you get a
lot of vascular damage.'
THE WINES
WT
Vintners Celilo Vineyard 'Parasol' Rosé
2014 Columbia Gorge, Washington State
Pale but bright pink. Fresh and with some texture showing apple,
pear and cherry fruit with good acidity. 89/100
WT
Vintners Gruner Veltliner Underwood Mountain Vineyard 2014 Columbia
Gorge, Washington State
Textured and a bit creamy with nice pure melon and pear fruit,
as well as a hint of pepper. Very stylish with lovely fruit
presence. 90/100
WT
Vintners Stonyvine Vineyard 'Dalliance' 2012 Walla Walla, Washington
State
41% Mourvedre, 36% Syrah, 23% Grenache. Fourth fill barrel.
Beautiful nose of olive, red cherries, meat, blackberries, a hint of
pepper. Supple and elegant with pure, berrryish fruit. Has some nice
spiciness. 93/100
WT
Vintners Stonyvine Vineyard 'Dalliance' 2013 Walla Walla, Washington
State
53% Syrah, 37% Grenache, 10% Mourvedre. Lovely pure, ripe, sweet
red cherry and blackberry fruit with a smooth texture. Deliciously
warm and sweet, but with potential for development. 92/100
WT
Vintners Syrah Stonyvine Vineyard 2013 Walla Walla, Washington State
75% whole cluster. Meaty and aromatic with olive and black
cherry nose. Supple, elegant, smooth palate with a lovely peppery
edge. Very stylish with an almost Burgundian feel to it. Fine and
pure with a core of sweet fruit. 94/100
WT
Vintners Desting Ridge Vineyard 'Gorgeous' Syrah 2011 Horse Heaven
Hills, Washington State
From a vineyard planted in 1998 with Phelps clone Syrah, this is
50% whole cluster. Focused, pure and silky with fine black cherry
fruit and some delicate peppery notes. Raspberry freshness and
lovely purity and definition. 94/100
WT
Vintners Desting Ridge Vineyard 'Gorgeous' Syrah 2012 Horse Heaven
Hills, Washington State
From a vineyard planted in 1998 with Phelps clone Syrah, this is
50% whole cluster. Fresh and elegant with nice purity, good texture,
and some peppery notes. Bright black cherries and blackberries with
an elegance and freshness. Direct and pue. 93/100
WT
Vintners Damavian Syrah Les Collines Vineyard Block 30 2011 Walla
Walla, Washington State
50% whole cluster. Silky, open and appealing, showing black
cherry fruit with a nice peppery spiciness. Ripe yet supple and
focused with a long peppery finish. 94/100
WT
Vintners Damavian Syrah Les Collines Vineyard Block 30 2012 Walla
Walla, Washington State
This was 90% whole
cluster. Subtle meat and olive with black cherry and plum fruit.
Nice grip and texture with a spicy, peppery edge. Expressive and
delicious, this is a brilliant wine. 94/100
WASHINGTON STATE WINES
 Introduction
Betz
Columbia
Winery
De
Lille
WT
Vintners
Savage
Grace
Chateau
Ste Michelle
Andrew
Will
Airfield
Estates
Hedges
Milbrandt
Vineyards
Ciel
du Cheval Vineyard
Col
Solare
Powers/Badger
Mountain
J
Bookwalter
Pacific
Rim
Gordon
Estate
Long
Shadows
Seven
Hills
Charles
Smith
Geology
with Kevin Pogue
Leonetti
Woodward
Canyon
Gramercy
Cellars
L'Ecole
No 41
Columbia
Crest
Maryhill
Memaloose/Idiot's
Grace
COR
Cellars
Syncline
Wines
tasted 06/15
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