Winemaker Notes
Blend: 60% Grenache, 20% Mourvedre, 16% Counoise, 4% Petite Sirah
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Rocking levels of red plum and strawberry fruit, herbes de Provence, sandalwood, and peppery notes all emerge from the 2021 Besoleil, a beautifully pure, complex, graceful blend of 60% Grenache, 20% Mourvèdre, 16% Counoise, and the rest Petite Sirah that's all from the Olsen Vineyard. It's one of the finest examples of this cuvée I can remember and will evolve gracefully for at least a decade.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Tasted as a barrel sample and set to be released this fall, the 2021 Bésoleil is composed of 60% Grenache, 20% Mourvèdre, 16% Counoise and 4% Petite Sirah. Cherry, fruity and succulent with fresh florals and delightful mineral and potpourri essences, the nose is bright and focused. Medium to full-bodied, the Bésoleil offers a ripe and juicy frame of fruit before lingering notions of petrichor and soft cherry blossom essence sway on the fresh, balanced finish.
Barrel Sample: 92-94 -
Wine Spectator
Graceful in structure and expressive, with blueberry and cherry flavors laced with garrigue and savory pepper notes, which build richness toward elegant tannins. Grenache, Mourvèdre, Counoise and Petite Sirah.
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James Suckling
Attractive and fragrant, with spiced cherries, dried rose petals, tangerine peel and spices. It’s medium-bodied, juicy and persistent, with impressive concentration and energy to the fruit character. The tannins are sleek and well integrated. Crunchy and delicious with a vivid finish. 60% grenache, 20% mourvedre, 16% counoise and 4% petite sirah. Drink or hold.
With bold fruit flavors and accents of sweet spice, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre form the base of the classic Rhône Red Blend, while Carignan, Cinsault and Counoise often come in to play. Though they originated from France’s southern Rhône Valley, with some creative interpretation, Rhône blends have also become popular in other countries. Somm Secret—Putting their own local spin on the Rhône Red Blend, those from Priorat often include Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. In California, it is not uncommon to see Petite Sirah make an appearance.
A large and geographically diverse AVA capable of producing a wide variety of wine styles, the Columbia Valley AVA is home to 99% of Washington state’s total vineyard area. A small section of the AVA even extends into northern Oregon!
Because of its size, it is necessarily divided into several distinctive sub-AVAs, including Walla Walla Valley and Yakima Valley—which are both further split into smaller, noteworthy appellations. A region this size will of course have varied microclimates, but on the whole it experiences extreme winters and long, hot, dry summers. Frost is a common risk during winter and spring. The towering Cascade mountain range creates a rain shadow, keeping the valley relatively rain-free throughout the entire year, necessitating irrigation from the Columbia River. The lack of humidity combined with sandy soils allows for vines to be grown on their own rootstock, as phylloxera is not a serious concern.
Red wines make up the majority of production in the Columbia Valley. Cabernet Sauvignon is the dominant variety here, where it produces wines with a pleasant balance of dark fruit and herbs. Wines made from Merlot are typically supple, with sweet red fruit and sometimes a hint of chocolate or mint. Syrah tends to be savory and Old-World-leaning, with a wide range of possible fruit flavors and plenty of spice. The most planted white varieties are Chardonnay and Riesling. These range in style from citrus and green apple dominant in cooler sites, to riper, fleshier wines with stone fruit flavors coming from the warmer vineyards.