Winemaker Notes
Extremely saturated burgundy in color. The nose opens with a heady depth of freshly picked blackberries and blueberry pie. The more subtle aromatics instantly trigger a nostalgia of Grandma’s old hope chest - fresh cedar and dried roses. The plush, rich mouthfeel of expansive fruit is perfectly balanced by acidity and tannins. This flagship of the 2021 vintage leaves you wanting more with a full, long finish.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Similarly vivid purple-hued, the 2021 Reserve is based on 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Malbec, 7% Petit Verdot, and the rest Merlot.It has an incredibly impressive, rich, full-bodied profile, and it's slightly broader and more opulent compared to the Cabernet Sauvignon, offering a kaleidoscope-like array of red, blue, and black fruits, truffly earth, graphite, tobacco, and spring flower aromas and flavors. With a great mid-palate, a deep, layered, opulent mouthfeel, and velvety tannins.
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James Suckling
This is a firm, focused red showing dark chocolate, black plums, ink and tobacco on the nose. Deep and sturdy with a full body and firm, polished tannins. Very classy. 75% cabernet sauvignon, 14% malbec, 7% petit verdot and 4% merlot.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The expressive and bold 2021 Walla Walla Reserve is layered with abundant dusty dark red and black fruit essences, complemented by subtle notes of brown baking spices, juicy tobacco and cedar. Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with 14% Malbec, 7% Petit Verdot and 4% Merlot, this wine offers an immensely powerful and seductive nose of dusty red flowers and succulent spices. Although full-bodied and generously layered, this beauty is still tight and requires at least two more years in the bottle to reach its full potential, promising to age gracefully for over two decades. Your patience will be rewarded. Rating: 95+
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Wine Spectator
Dark and brooding yet rich in structure and polished, with deep flavors of blackberry, mocha espresso and clove that build tension toward fine-grained tannins. Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Petit Verdot and Merlot.
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.