This week the annual Walla Walla Wine in Seattle event took place on Monday. Following a record number of days in which Seattleites endured non-stop rain, the clouds parted enabling the sun to dance off the glass in the grand lobby of Seattle’s McCaw Hall. Organized by the Walla Walla Valley Wine Alliance, over 40 wineries showed up and poured their latest releases for Seattle. Once again they proved there are exciting Walla Walla wines and wineries for consumers to experience.
Exciting – and Fizzy – Walla Walla Wine
One of the crowd favorites at the event was newcomer Grosgrain Vineyards. I can even brag that I worked with founder Matt Austin! Truth be told, it wasn’t for very long, although I did find him to be a genuinely nice guy. Since then, he and his wife Kelly moved to Walla Walla, purchased a vineyard on the Southside of Walla Walla, and started bottling some of the most fascinating wines that have everyone abuzz. This is without a doubt a winery to watch! Meanwhile, look for the Grosgrain Pét Nats. Yes, Pét Nat – a lightly fizzy, slightly cloudy wine (due to being unfiltered) that completes its fermentation in the bottle. At the trade tasting I relished a sip of the bone dry 2019 Sparkling Semillon Pétilant Naturel from Les Collines in the Walla Walla Valley. An inside source tells me this wine will likely be carried at PCC.
Speaking of Pét Nat, Foundry Vineyards was pouring a 2019 Sparkling Roussane Pét Nat. This is a fun wine full of ripe pear and apple notes. When summer finally arrives in Seattle, you’ll find me on the deck basking in the warm rays of sun with a book in hand and a bottle of this refreshing beverage on the table. By the way, Foundry Vineyards now has a tasting room open in Seattle. Who knew?
Rare Treats
No tasting event is complete without experiencing some of the harder to find wines, the rare treats if you will. With that in mind, I savored a sip of the 2016 Baby Bear Syrah. This damn fine wine (#sorrynotsorry) comes from actor Kyle MacLachlan’s brand Pursued by Bear. Washington wines from the 2016 vintage are so approachable right now, even age-worthy examples such as this Syrah. Although I sipped this wine in a crowded, noisy room it transported me to another place. It was as though I was in a dimly lit room in front of a fireplace, wrapped in a lavish cashmere throw, being treated to a moment of luxurious solitude.
Walla Walla newcomer by way of Spain, Valdemar Estates was present along with talented winemaker Marie Eve Gilla. This winery is definitely on our list of places to visit during our next Walla Walla trip!
What’s your favorite Walla Walla wine these days? Head on over to social media and #letstalkaboutwine!
Resources
Walla Walla Valley Wine Alliance
Other exciting Walla Walla Wines to get to know
Foundry Vineyards
Grosgrain Vineyards
Pursued by Bear
Valdemar Estates