Winemaker Notes
With three-foot by three-foot spacing and 4,840 vines per acre, this two acre vineyard of Syrah and Grenache is the highest density planting in the Walla Walla Valley, and one of the highest in North America.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Picture Al Green singing “Take me to the Rhône River.” Dazzling aromas of lavender-packed garrigue, the fresh saline of a sea breeze, bacon fat and blackberries make one weak in the knees. Dark raspberry and blood-orange fruit flavors are joined by espresso and a trace of olive oil and grilled eggplant
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James Suckling
Rose petals, wild strawberries, red tea, licorice and hints of cinnamon stick on the nose. Peach skins, pink peppercorns and negroni, too. It’s vibrant and pure with beautiful pink fruit, accompanied by tight, sleek tannins. So elegant, silky and fresh.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Revealing a translucent ruby hue, the 2020 Grenache Sur Echalas Vineyard has a complex bouquet of earthy red and black fruits, cold fireplace, rose petals, and charcoal, with an incredibly meaty, gamey style that develops beautifully with air. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has fine tannins, a lively, elegant mouthfeel, and outstanding length. I don't think it matches the 2019, but it's clearly a beautiful, elegant, classic 2020 with tons to love. It should evolve for 10-15 years.
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Wine Spectator
Spirited yet brooding and tightly focused, this red offers a narrow beam of blackberry, bacon fat, black olive and stony mineral flavors that build toward firm tannins. Drink now through 2032. 300 cases made.
Grenache thrives in any warm, Mediterranean climate where ample sunlight allows its clusters to achieve full phenolic ripeness. While Grenache's birthplace is Spain (there called Garnacha), today it is more recognized as the key player in the red blends of the Southern Rhône, namely Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Côtes du Rhône and its villages. Somm Secret—The Italian island of Sardinia produces bold, rustic, single varietal Grenache (there called Cannonau). California, Washington and Australia have achieved found success with Grenache, both flying solo and in blends.
Responsible for some of Washington’s most highly acclaimed wines, the Walla Walla Valley has experienced a surge in popularity in recent years and is home to both historic wineries and younger, up-and-coming producers.
The Walla Walla Valley, a Native American name meaning “many waters,” is located in southeastern Washington; part of the appellation actually extends into Oregon. Soils here are well-drained, sandy loess over Missoula Flood deposits and fractured basalt.
It is a region perfectly suited to Rhône-inspired Syrahs, distinguished by savory notes of red berry, black olive, smoke and fresh earth. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot create a range of styles from smooth and supple to robust and well-structured. White varieties are rare but some producers blend Sauvignon Blanc with Sémillon, resulting in a rich and round style, and plantings of Viognier, while minimal, are often quite successful.
Of note within Walla Walla, is one new and very peculiar appellation, called the Rocks District of Milton-Freewater. This is the only AVA in the U.S. whose boundaries are totally defined by the soil type. Soils here look a bit like those in the acclaimed Rhône region of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, but are large, ancient, basalt cobblestones. These stones work in the same way as they do in Chateauneuf, absorbing and then radiating the sun's heat up to enhance the ripening of grape clusters. The Rocks District is within the part of Walla Walla that spills over into Oregon and naturally excels in the production of Rhône varieties like Syrah, as well as the Bordeaux varieties.