Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2012 Perigee Seven Hills Vineyard knocks it out of the park with its notes of currants, wild herbs, tobacco leaf and toasted bread and spice. Full-bodied, structured, concentrated and layered, it needs 3-4 years of cellaring. The blend here is 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc and 5% each of Malbec and Petit Verdot, that was aged 22 months in 50% new French oak.
Rating: 92+ -
Wine Enthusiast
This is just over half Cabernet Sauvignon, with the balance Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot. The aromas of herb, barrel spice, black cherry and coffee need time to reveal themselves fully. The dark cherry and blackberry flavors show richness and polish. Give it an extended decant if opening in the near term but it will be worth it. It will be best from 2020 to 2027. Cellar Selection.
-
Wine & Spirits
The power of a warm vintage comes roaring through L’Ecole’s Perigee in 2012, a concentrated and chewy blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, franc, malbec and petit verdot. Leading with leafy spice and cassis accents, this is dark and mineral, with enough fruit to carry forward all of its ferrous tannins. (1,040 cases)
-
Wine Spectator
A swarm of fine tannins eddies around a supple core of fresh currant, plum and spice flavors, coming together harmoniously as the finish lingers. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot. Best after 2017. 1,040 cases made.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
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.