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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 92.3 pts. and median of 92 pts. in 54 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by Janstan on 4/3/2024 & rated 88 points: Still quite too young will try again in 3 years. Tannins are dominant. Marion berry, blackberry then light cedar
. (339 views) | | | Tasted by kitkat4 on 11/19/2023 & rated 88 points: Had the 2017 and 2012 last year and liked them quite a bit, but could not get into the 2014. It was mosty about the fruit, little secondary notes, and the fruit seemed a bit harsh. Didn't take detailed notes. Really needed food to enjoy it (583 views) | | | Tasted by Wine12345 on 5/16/2023: Drink now; this wine is no longer improving with age. (965 views) | | | Tasted by PDXinSEA on 5/15/2023 & rated 92 points: Medium intensity of aroma, still quite dark with little bricking. Barrel notes still somewhat prominent. Despite noticeable oak notes, well-balanced with dark plum-like fruit starting to move into secondary phase. Some complexities of tobacco leaf. Medium+ length. I liked it a lot more than everyone else. (843 views) | | | Tasted by Folkmar on 4/5/2023: Sight: The wine is clear with a medium ruby color.
Nose: The nose is clean with a medium(+) intensity aroma of blackberry, black cherry, black currant, vanilla, baking spice, and a hint of leather.
Palate: The wine is dry with high acidity, medium(+) alcohol, medium(+) tannins, and a medium(+) body. The flavors on the palate are consistent with the nose, with additional notes of cedar and tobacco. The finish is long.
Conclusion: This is a high-quality wine with well-integrated tannins and a complex flavor profile. It can be enjoyed now or aged further (5-7 years). (852 views) | | | Tasted by PMHouser on 1/28/2023 & rated 95 points: still going strong, lots of structure and deep fruit. (927 views) | | | Tasted by ibglowin on 12/26/2022 & rated 90 points: This wine was good but just not great IMHO. It went up against a 2014 Gorman Zachary's Ladder and the Zac's Ladder blew it away and at half the price point of the Ferguson. Having had several bottles of Ferguson now it seems they may be better drunk early rather than later in life. Tannins had faded way back and the finish was not all that long. YMMV. (778 views) | | | Tasted by RJWallis on 12/21/2022 & rated 94 points: Love this vintage. Three hour decant of this magnum, consumed over next two hours, continuing to improve. Beautifully balanced, wonderful acidity with the malbec being deliciously present on the finish. WOTN our of a great lineup. (605 views) | | | Tasted by Monks_Mood on 3/29/2022 & rated 92 points: Still too tannic for my preference but not unexpected. Decanted for 1h30 and drank with a ribeye. Will hold the rest for 3 years minimum before trying again. (1055 views) | | | Tasted by rakasome on 2/28/2022 & rated 92 points: No change in my previous note. (989 views) | | | Tasted by PMHouser on 3/7/2021 & rated 95 points: Lovely wine, still has legs but is drinking well now. (1830 views) | | | Tasted by Quaffable on 2/18/2021 & rated 92 points: Still pretty tannic, needs time. (1537 views) | | | Tasted by rakasome on 12/15/2020 & rated 91 points: Not as fruity as I had expected. Is very good. Maybe another year or 3. (1661 views) | | | Tasted by Janstan on 12/11/2020 & rated 88 points: Elegant style but dies a bit quickly on the mid palate. It’s young for a L’ecole so will have next one in 3-4 years to see if it develops further. It went well with Denver steak. Huckleberry or Marionberry, Black RaspberryDark cherry at the end Cedar and Vanilla all very light in a tight wrapper (1389 views) | | | Tasted by Brentwjohnston1932 on 11/15/2020 & rated 95 points: Better than reviews indicate- couple hour decant- (1340 views) | | | Tasted by korkd on 10/17/2020 & rated 93 points: This is going to be special but needs time (872 views) | | | Tasted by jm98029 on 6/26/2020: Jammy, starting to lose alcohol, good mouth feel, blackcherry. A little bitter. Complexity. 4-5 years to mellow. (1112 views) | | | Tasted by SGates on 3/27/2020 & rated 92 points: Younger, stronger and more powerful than the 2008 Perigee but still came in second in WOTN. Both great, just preferred the aged bottle. This was dark but not opaque. cooked dark fruits (black berries pie, plum cobbler), some olive, lots of tannins. (1199 views) | | | Tasted by John McCabe on 2/1/2020 & rated 91 points: Has a kind of saltiness and overt sweetness I often find with Washington cabs, like the cheaper Quilceda Creek. A bit one-dimensional. Held up well on the 2nd day. (1306 views) | | | Tasted by domco on 11/5/2019: Really enjoyed this one. Big and round with a lot of flavor but just enough acidity and a little something herbal/savory in there to bring it all together. Drinking well from the jump, should go several more years but not sure I'd bury in the cellar long term. (1504 views) | | | Tasted by Motz on 8/31/2019 & rated 92 points: A complete wine. Well balanced, generous, appealing. For this palate, however, difficult to get excited about, as it lacks discernible sense of place, and features a generally non-descript red blend character. (1731 views) | | | Tasted by jm98029 on 7/6/2019 & rated 90 points: Fruit forward, full bodied, rich plum color, nice mellowing of cab with merlot.
Seems pricey, compared to many wines I have been having for $30, or less. The field of wines in WW has really gotten competitive. I guess one is paying for the consistency that L'Ecole offers. (1334 views) | | | Tasted by Motz on 6/26/2019 & rated 92 points: Consistent with previous note. While fruit forward, it would likely play in a blind flight of modernly styled Bordeaux. Showing well and likely to hold form, and perhaps improve, over the next several years. 92-93. (1560 views) | | | Tasted by FelineAvenger on 5/12/2019: Enjoyed with friends over for dinner. Lovely nose, flavorful wine, but still a bit hot, even though decanted a good 2 hours before drinking. This wine probably could benefit from a couple more years in the cellar. (1124 views) | | | Tasted by spicy1 on 2/8/2019 & rated 93 points: L’Ecole is one of my go to wineries so I might have some bias. This is my first bottle of this red blend (cab, merlot, cab franc and Malbec). The drinking range goes out to 2031 so no telling how great this will be. Now it is blackberry and dark sweet cherry with a large measure of black olive and oregano. If some black pepper shows up I will stop looking and fill my small cellar. (1182 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Elaine Chukan Brown
JancisRobinson.com (7/13/2022)
(L'Ecole No 41, Ferguson Vineyard Walla Walla Valley Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Stephen Tanzer
Vinous, Washington: Various Shades of Hot (Oct 2017) (10/1/2017)
(L’ecole No. 41 Red Wine Estate Ferguson Vineyard Washington Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Paul Zitarelli
Full Pull, Full Pull Something Old, Something New, Something Both (11/16/2017)
(L'Ecole No. 41 Estate Ferguson Vineyard) Hello friends. I love writing about L’Ecole No. 41. Not only because they’re Washington stalwarts who have been doing it – and doing it well – for a very long time, but also because they offer a roadmap for how Washington wineries can mature and evolve and maintain relevance. I feel like Marty Clubb and his team nail a few important principles: 1. It all starts with the land. Focus on estate vineyards. 2. Stay loyal to the vineyards and wines that brought your initial success, but don’t be afraid to expand and innovate. 3. Quality will out. Trust your own assessment of quality more than the whims of fashion, and that good enough wines will always find a market. Today we’re offering a trio of wines that encapsulate these principles; one from an old estate vineyard, one from a new estate vineyard, and one wine that combines the two. Originally offered May 14, 2017, and I cannot believe we have access to another parcel of this. It’s completely sold out at the winery, but some schmohawk refused an allocation someplace in the country, the wine ended up back in western Washington, and we were offered dibs on the parcel due to our list’s long support of this wine. Here are some excerpts from the original: The inaugural 2011 vintage was named best Bordeaux Blend in the world at the 2014 Decanter World Wine Awards in London. That’s a competition with 15,000 bottles and exactly 33 awards. Then the 2013 took home New World Bordeaux blend in the Six Nations Wine Challenge, held each year in Australia. The source of this award-winning juice is Ferguson Vineyard, planted high up in the Walla Walla Valley, at about 1400’ elevation, on a soil base that only goes about two feet deep before hitting a bed of fractured basalt. Here’s a brilliant video introducing the site. Ferguson is Walla Walla Valley 2.0. It’s the founders of the wine scene in the valley using all their accumulated knowledge to select the right site and plant it to the right varieties and right clones. It’s proof, at least to this wine writer, that the age of experimentation in Washington is coming to an end, to be replaced, I hope, by an era with even more smart, proactively-selected, carefully-planted vineyards. It’s an indication that the future is bright indeed. The blend in 2014 is 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, and 6% Malbec, and the juice was aged in French oak, 50% new, for 22 months before bottling in July 2016. It clocks in at 14.5% listed alc and begins with a nose betraying its origins: loads of flinty and ferrous minerality complementing a core of black cherry and black plum fruit, all overlain with lovely floral topnotes. The palate resembles good young left-bank Bordeaux; it’s all potential, with the fruit currently hidden behind imposing walls of structure: vibrant acidity and robust, serious tannin. This is sculptural wine, seemingly built to stand the rigors of time. Ferguson is one of the most important Washington debutantes of the past few years, and it’s still priced well below Washington’s cult wines (not to mention good Pauillac). Wine Advocate: Copyrighted material withheld. | By Paul Zitarelli
Full Pull, Full Pull Ferguson (5/14/2017)
(L'Ecole No. 41 Estate Ferguson Vineyard) Hello friends. The good news: for the second year in a row, we have access to a Washington wine that is making serious waves in the global wine market. The bad news: our parcel size is down 30%. Originally offered May 14, 2017, and I cannot believe we have access to another parcel of this. It’s completely sold out at the winery, but some schmohawk refused an allocation someplace in the country, the wine ended up back in western Washington, and we were offered dibs on the parcel due to our list’s long support of this wine. Here are some excerpts from the original: The inaugural 2011 vintage was named best Bordeaux Blend in the world at the 2014 Decanter World Wine Awards in London. That’s a competition with 15,000 bottles and exactly 33 awards. Then the 2013 took home New World Bordeaux blend in the Six Nations Wine Challenge, held each year in Australia. The source of this award-winning juice is Ferguson Vineyard, planted high up in the Walla Walla Valley, at about 1400’ elevation, on a soil base that only goes about two feet deep before hitting a bed of fractured basalt. Here’s a brilliant video introducing the site. Ferguson is Walla Walla Valley 2.0. It’s the founders of the wine scene in the valley using all their accumulated knowledge to select the right site and plant it to the right varieties and right clones. It’s proof, at least to this wine writer, that the age of experimentation in Washington is coming to an end, to be replaced, I hope, by an era with even more smart, proactively-selected, carefully-planted vineyards. It’s an indication that the future is bright indeed. The blend in 2014 is 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, and 6% Malbec, and the juice was aged in French oak, 50% new, for 22 months before bottling in July 2016. It clocks in at 14.5% listed alc and begins with a nose betraying its origins: loads of flinty and ferrous minerality complementing a core of black cherry and black plum fruit, all overlain with lovely floral topnotes. The palate resembles good young left-bank Bordeaux; it’s all potential, with the fruit currently hidden behind imposing walls of structure: vibrant acidity and robust, serious tannin. This is sculptural wine, seemingly built to stand the rigors of time. Ferguson is one of the most important Washington debutantes of the past few years, and it’s still priced well below Washington’s cult wines (not to mention good Pauillac). Wine Advocate: Copyrighted material withheld. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of JancisRobinson.com and Vinous and Full Pull. (manage subscription channels) |
| L'Ecole No. 41 Producer websiteRed Bordeaux BlendRed Bordeaux is generally made from a blend of grapes. Permitted grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec and rarely Carménère.Today Carménère is rarely used, with Château Clerc Milon, a fifth growth Bordeaux, being one of the few to still retain Carménère vines. As of July 2019, Bordeaux wineries authorized the use of four new red grapes to combat temperature increases in Bordeaux. These newly approved grapes are Marselan, Touriga Nacional, Castets, and Arinarnoa.
Wineries all over the world aspire to making wines in a Bordeaux style. In 1988, a group of American vintners formed The Meritage Association to identify wines made in this way. Although most Meritage wines come from California, there are members of the Meritage Association in 18 states and five other countries, including Argentina, Australia, Canada, Israel, and Mexico.EstateIn the United States, "Wines with “estate bottled” designations must: a) also designate an appellation of origin or an AVA, and both the vineyards and the winery must be located there; b) the grapes must come from vineyards owned or controlled by the winery; and c) the wine must have been produced, from crush to bottle, in a continuous process without leaving the winery’s premises."
- WINE LABEL FAQS: A QUICK SUMMARY OF LABEL DESIGNATION RULES" by David E. StollUSAAmerican wine has been produced since the 1500s, with the first widespread production beginning in New Mexico in 1628. Today, wine production is undertaken in all fifty states, with California producing 84% of all U.S. wine. The continent of North America is home to several native species of grape, including Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis rotundifolia, and Vitis vulpina, but the wine-making industry is based almost entirely on the cultivation of the European Vitis vinifera, which was introduced by European settlers. With more than 1,100,000 acres (4,500 km2) under vine, the United States is the fourth-largest wine producing country in the world, after Italy, Spain, and France.Washington Washington Wine Commission | Credit to Washingtonwine.org for this article
Washington Wine
Washington State is a premium wine producing region located in the northwest corner of the United States. Although a relatively young wine industry, it is now the nation's second largest wine producer and is ranked among the world's top wine regions. Washington wines are found nationally in all 50 states and internationally in more than 40 countries.
Wineries
With 30,000+ acres planted, the state has ideal geography and conditions for growing premium vinifera wine grapes. Primarily grown on their own root stocks, the vines produce grapes of consistent quality, resulting in strong vintages year after year. While its focus is on Chardonnay, Riesling, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, the region also produces a wide range of other spectacular whites and reds.
Growers
Winemakers from all over the world have chosen to establish themselves in Washington, where they can create wines reflecting this region's unique characteristics. Their hand-crafted wines are receiving wide acclaim from critics regionally, nationally and internationally for their consistently high quality. Many of them have received scores of 90 and above from the major wine media. Overall this is a higher percentage than other leading wine regions.
Regions
As the state's fourth largest fruit crop, the Washington wine industry is an important contributor to the long-term preservation of Washington agriculture. The industry is committed to sustainable agricultural practices and conservation of water resources.
Washington State is a premium wine producing region located in the northwest corner of the United States. Although a relatively young wine industry, it is now the nation's second largest wine producer and is ranked among the world's top wine regions. Washington wines are found nationally in all 50 states and internationally in more than 40 countries.
Varieties
Washington produces more than 20 wine grape varieties - a ratio of 56 percent white to 44 percent red. As the industry matures and experiments, it finds many grape varieties that thrive throughout Washington's microclimates. There are more than 16,000 vineyard acres of red wine varieties statewide.
History & Vintages
Washington's wine future is limitless. As consumers discover the quality of Washington wines, demand continues to grow nationally and internationally. New acreage and wine varietals are being planted and new wineries are opening at a remarkable pace. Washington State is recognized as a premium viticultural region around the world.
State Facts
Washington's wine industry generates more than $3 billion to the state economy. It employs more than 14,000 people, directly and indirectly, with projections to add nearly 2,000 more jobs by 2006. In terms of tax revenues accrued to the state and federal government, wine grapes are among the highest tax generators of any agricultural crops. Furthermore, Washington wine tourism attracts nearly two million visitors annually contributing to the positive growth of local and regional economies.
Washington State - the perfect climate for wine = ideal growing conditions, quality wines, business innovation, lifestyle, and social responsibility. All are key elements of this world-class wine industry.
Vintages
"2008 and even more so 2010 and 2011 were cool, even cold vintages (think: 2002 in the Barossa) without the extreme ripeness, extract and higher alcohol that had become the norm in the state’s post 1995 world. 2008 was manageable but the duo of 2010/2011 nearly caused a “great depression” in Washington State." - Jon RimmermanColumbia Valley Columbia Cascade Winery Association
The Columbia Valley AVA lies mostly in Washington state, with a small section in Oregon. The Cascade Range forms its western boundary with the Palouse regions bordering the area to the east. To the north, the Okanogan National Forest forms a border with the AVA and Canada. It encompasses the valleys formed by the Columbia River and its tributaries, including the Walla Walla River, the Snake River, and the Yakima River. The Columbia valley stretches between the 46th parallel and 47th parallel which puts it in line with the well known French wine growing regions of Bordeaux and Burgundy. The northern latitude gives the areas two more hours of additional daylight during the summer growing season than wine regions of California receive. The volcanic and sandy loam soil of the valley offers good drainage and is poor in nutrients, ideal in forcing the vine to concentrate its resources into the grape clusters.Walla Walla ValleyThe name translates as easily as it rolls off the tongue: Walla Walla. Many Waters. To the earliest Native tribes, the many waters came from the nearby Blue Mountains and gathered to form the Walla Walla River on its way to join the Columbia to the west. The waters flowed first; however, into a fair-sized Valley carved in the mountain's foothills, and bordered in part by the terrain of what is known as the Columbia Plateau. Tribal members knew the Valley's generally milder climate could maintain their people in winter villages. There were lush wild grasses which could sustain horses and attract game from the winter snows of the nearby Blues, or from the giant high plateau that becomes desolate and dangerous during the cold season. The rolling terrain and numerous watersheds offered protection from nature and other hazards of the day. Here the water was plentiful and full of fish and seldom froze, even in the coldest years. The meadows were wonderful places to gather with other people to trade, compete and celebrate treaties. Compared to the region around them, the Walla Walla Valley was a safe refuge from the treacherous conditions which can often be found during the winter for hundreds of miles around. In this unique growing region, most of the earliest records of grapes and winemaking reference the Italians who had immigrated here in the mid to late 1800's and who brought with them their tradition of growing, making and drinking wine. Vines with these origins still exist in the Valley today. The first post-prohibition winery was Blue Mountain Vineyards. It was bonded in 1950 by the Pesciallo family where they produced Black Prince and other Italian varietal wines for a period of several years before succumbing to economics and climate. To the wine world of today, Walla Walla has become know for the quality and style of its red wines, especially Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot with Syrah gaining notoriety in recent years. In the1970's, the pioneers of today's wine community began to think similar thoughts: that the Walla Walla Valley, with its long history of fruit growing, moderate climate, wine-making heritage, and interesting terrain might just be a place to grow vines and make wine on a commercial scale. These pioneers of the region applied for and received approval of the Walla Walla Valley as a unique American Viticultural Area (AVA) in 1984. It was the third in Washington State and also includes a portion of land in Oregon. In the time leading to the recognition of the appellation, four wineries had been bonded starting with Leonetti Cellar, and shortly thereafter, Woodward Canyon. L'Ecole Nº 41 and Waterbrook soon followed. In addition to the smaller vineyards that were being planted, the Valley's first large-scale, commercial vineyard Seven Hills was established. By the time the BATF recognized the Walla Walla Valley AVA, the Valley was beginning to gain attention from within the wine industry, as well as attracting publicity from journalists and media outside the region. The foundation for today’s industry had been laid and the benchmark for quality had been set. In addition, fruit from the area was now being harvested and a baseline for understanding the local growing conditions was being constructed. Every few years another winery would join the fold and take up the challenge of producing the highest quality wine and the growing of outstanding fruit. Seven Hills Winery and Patrick M. Paul each got their start during this time. More vines were added, although acreage increases were small each year. The industry was small and everyone knew everyone else involved, while the welcome mat remained out for any newcomers. Growers and winemakers alike regularly shared time in the cellar or at the table and together learned more about wines and vines. By 1990 there were just six wineries and the Valley's grape acreage stood at perhaps 100 acres. The total collective production of wine was microscopic by any measure, but it was the quality that was being noticed by many inside and outside the trade. As the tiny trickle of wine produced in the Walla Walla AVA began to flow to the outside world, a "wine renaissance" was beginning to happen globally. The Pacific Northwest had staked a claim in this new wine world and as people learned about the region, they also began to hear about Walla Walla. This interest spread rapidly to those with Walla Walla connections. The early 1990s saw the planting of more vines and the establishment of another large-scale vineyard, Pepper Bridge. At the same time, a group of local investors, working closely with the Napa based Chalone Wine group, laid the foundation for Canoe Ridge Vineyard, the Valley's first winery supported in part by a major outside investor. As the industry has grown, many new wineries have gotten their start in the arms of an established winery. Waterbrook Winery's modern production facility started the trend, sharing space, equipment, and any help needed. Other wineries also adopted “extra guests,” a practice that has helped form close, personal relationships throughout the local industry. By the turn of the new century, the Walla Walla Valley wine industry had 22 wineries and 800 acres of grapes. In the year 2000 the AVA had been expanded back to the original boundaries proposed in the1984 application. The year 2000 also saw the formation of the Walla Walla Valley Wine Alliance with 100% of the Valley's wineries and 98% of the Valley's planted acreage represented. Today, more than 60 Walla Walla Valley wineries and more than 1,200 acres of Walla Walla Valley grapes contribute to the ever growing, international acclaim garnered by the wines of this newly-emerging region of Washington State. |
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