91% C.S., 6% C.F., & 3% P.V., all from Eisele Vyd; 13.5% ABV, 0.56 T.A., & 3.64 pH; 2,305 cases produced, released 10/1/99;

N: Fragrant vanilla (poss choc) with creamy notes atop ripe berries with notes of pyrazines & undertones of spice;

P: MF body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by astringent pucker which NEVER loses contact with the init frt as it seamlessly morphs into a LONG finish with an enticing tangy swtness to the firming tannins. At its peak (or very close), but should hold another 4 or 5 yrs min -- & has PLENTY of substance left for food. My EXC+; 95 pts Jeannie Cho Lee (Jan '16), 94 & 95 RJonWine, 94 ea WA & WS, 93 Vinous (Tanzer), & 89 Jeff Leve (12/9/15).

N: Earth with just a BIT of dirty diaper; Intensity lurking

P: MF body; RNDISH entry with very NICE, ALMOST SWTISH frt (at least 1 experienced taster noting some heat) met by some astringent pucker which never loses the init frt as it evolves into a LONG, poss still very, VERY slightly puckerish finish with a chocolatey swtness to the dusty tannins. MIGHT still improve a bit through '21 (?), then holding for another 5 yrs easily. 14.9% ABV; My EXC/EXC+. 93 pts & "Cellar Selection" from WE @ $70, 92 RJonWine, 90 WE, & 89 Tanzer.

96% Syrah & 4% Viognier, both from Eisele Vyd. "The first 1st of Syrah harvested on September 4th, & the final grapes picked on September 16th. The fruit was sorted, de-stemmed, & cold-soaked, undergoing native yeast fermentations and & macerations in open-top fermentors. The wine was aged in 50% new FR oak barrels for 22 mos." 14.8% ABV, 0.61g/100ml, & 3.82 pH; 590 cases bottled in July 2009 & released 9/1/10.

N: RIPE, TOASTY berries with pyrizines & notes of spice

P: MF body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by puckerish astringency which never loses the init swtness as it evolves into a very LONG, init a bit astringent, but ULT *balanced* finish with a bitter/SWT choc veneer to the firming tannins. Poss still a yr or so of improvement poss, then drinking for at LEAST 5 yrs more. Impressive stuff! My EXC+/Exceptional-; 92 pts ea Vinous (Tanzer & Galloni).

N: Intensely SMOKY (imagine a tom-based BBQ sauce) aromas atop RIPE berries, poss pyrazines; [budosyu noted poss molasses, but oxidative scents that I didn't get.]

P: Med body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish BBQ tom sauce frt met by astringent pucker which evolves into a LONG, very, VERY slightly bitterish finish with a TANGY/swtness to the dusty tannins. I'd probably cellar this thru '20, poss '21, then drink for the ff 3-4 yrs. 13.0% ABV; My EXC-/EXC. 96 pts WA, 95+ Galloni, 91 ea WS & Jeannie Cho Lee, and 90+ RJonWine.

Note: The consensus was that this had rec'd LESS than "ideal" storage.

N: Barnyrd, blowing a bit to RIPE, choc berries

P: LM, poss Med, body; RNDISH entry with very NICE, ALMOST swtish frt FAIRLY quickly met by an astringent pucker which only loses some of its structure by the LONG, balanced, poss very, VERY slightly bitterish finish with a tangy/swtness to the dusty tannins. NEEDS through '22, quite poss more, then drinking for __ more? A *big* style that will LIKELY eventually be > my EXC. 13.0% ABV; 97 pts WS, 95 Jeannie Cho Lee (5/16/13), 92 Tanzer, 90 RJonWine, & 87-93+ John Gilman.

Supposedly 95% C.S. & 5% Merlot, typically from mtn vyds

N: Smoky berries with notes of choc

P: Med, poss MF, body; NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which does QUITE resolve by the balanced finish with ULT a refined, pleasant, bitter/swtness to the dusty tannins; For now (if one can deal with the brief, mid-P structure) & the ff 4 yrs or so. 14.1% ABV; My EXC/EXC+. 94 pts WA (4/'14), 92 Vinous (Tanzer), and 91 ea RJonWine & WS.

N: Smokey, touch of bacon fat? Some earthiness; Intensity lurking

P: LM, poss Med, body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by just a bit of astringent pucker which fairly seamlessly evolves into a LONG, BALANCED finish with delightful, tangy/swtness to the few, dusty tannins. For now & the next 4 yrs or so? VERY nicely done! 13.5% ABV; My EXC+/Exceptional-. 97 pts Jeff Leve (3/4/14), 96 WA, & 93 WS.

83% C.S., 8% Merlot, 4% Carmenere, 3% C.F., & 2% Malbec from the Mill Creek Upland, Loess (Estate), Seven Hills, & Pepper Bridge Vyds, ALL Walla Walla Valley; "Aged in new & 2nd fill FR & AM oak barrels for 22 mos;" 2,754 cases produced.

N: Smoke slightly atop toast with notes of cherries & undertones of pyrazines; Intensity lurking

P: MF, poss Med, body; NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which stays in touch with the init frt as it seamlessly evolves into a LONG, beautifully BALANCED finish with a tangy/swtness to the dusty tannnins. May still improve for a couple of yrs, then approach its 25th? 14.6% ABV; My EXC+/Exceptional-. 96 pts & "Cellar Selection" WE @ $80, 95 Vinous (Tanzer), 94 WA, & 92 WS.

Harvested 9/28-10/29/95 @ 23.2-24.4° Brix; "16-22 mos in oak;" 0.64 g/100ml T.A.; Bottled August 1997, released March 1999;

N: Smoke, poss some choc; Intensity lurking?

P: Med, poss LM, body; NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by the barest hint of astringent pucker which seamlessly transitions into a LONG, BALANCED, tangy/swt finish to the basically non-existent tannins. An ELEGANT wine for now & several yrs more! 14.1% ABV; My EXC+. 94 pts WA, 92 WS, 91 ea RJonWine & Vinous (Tanzer), 90 Jeff Leve, & 17.5/20 Jancis Robinson.

Note: The OVERWHELMING consensus was that this had rec'd LESS than "ideal" storage, & therefore had evolved prematurely.

N: Toasty oak atop RIPE berries; Intensity lurking

P: Med, poss MF, body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by some astringent pucker which, SURPRISINGLY, pretty much resolves by the LONG, BALANCED finish with POSS a very, VERY slight bitterness to the unoffensive, dusty tannins with an alluring tangy/swtness. For now & making its 15th, poss more. 14.5% ABV; My EXC+.

"The Wedding Vyd covers 11 gently sloping acres (up to 15°, oriented SW) on our Mountain Estate at an elevation of 1,200 ft. ≈9 acres were replanted in 2002 under the careful guidance of David Abreu: 7 blocks of Cabernet (clone 337 & Martha's Vyd clone), 1 block of P.V. (clone 400), & 1 block of C.F. (clone 327). 78% C.S. & 22% C.F.; Racked off primary lees only once, conserving aromatics & phenolics; Aged sur lees 21 mos in 100% new FR oak barrels; 420 cases bottled unfined & unfiltered, July 2011."

N: Earth, toast, ripe berries; Intensity lurking

P: Med, poss LM, body; Very RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by a puckerish astringency which does somewhat resolve by the LONG, balanced finish with a bitter/swt choc veneer to the dusty tannins. A potentially elegant style that NEEDS through '21, then at least approaching its 20th. 14.5% ABV; My EXC+; 93 pts ea WA & Vinous 2x (Tanzer & Galloni), and 88 Jeannie Cho Lee (2/1/16).

N: Earth/minerals slightly atop RIPE berries; Intensity lurking

P: LM, poss Med, body; NICE, ALMOST swtish frt mety by an astringent pucker which, while staying within hailing distance of the init frt, fairly seamlessly evolves into a very LONG, balanced finish with a tangy/swtness to the varietally typical, DUSTY, though basically unoffensive, tannins. For now & 3 or 4 yrs more... safely, + should be FABULOUS with appropriate entrees! 13.5% ABV; My Exceptional- (96,97/100 on that scale). Supposedly 92 pts WA, 91 WS, & 89 Vinous (Tanzer).

100% C.S. from the Champoux, Lake Wallula, Palengat, & Wallula Vyds; Aged 20 mos in 100% New FR oak barrels; 6,125 cases bottled June 2017.

N: Slightly closed; Earth & smoke atop ripe berries

P: Med body; RNDISH entry with ALMOST swtish frt (approaching threshold R.S.?) met by astringent pucker which does pretty much resolve by the LONG, BALANCED, very, VERY slightly tangy finish with a distinct swtness to the dusty tannins. DESERVES/needs through '21, then EASILY making its 10th. 15.2% ABV; My EXC-/EXC™. 99 pts Dunnuck, 98 & #36/Top 100 of '18 Int'l Wine Report, 96 ea WA (Kelley), Suckling, Vinous (Tanzer), & WE with #74/Top 100 '18 Cellar Selections @ $200, and 94 WS!

™I've UNDOUBTEDLY underrated this, likely as my palate was LOOKING for the maturity that the other 14 reds in this flight tended to bring.

N: Slightly closed; Roses with notes of tar

P: LM body; Very NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by astringent ucker which somewhat resolves by the LONG, slightly puckerish finish with a distinct SWTNESS to the dusty tannins. A *balanced* style that deserves/NEEDS through its 15th, then drinking beyond its 20th. 14.5% ABV; My EXC+.

51% Merlot, 44% C.S., & 5% C.F.

N: Slightly closed; Ripe, TOUGH to parse; Intensity lurking

P: Med, poss LM, body; RNDISH enty with very NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by some astringent pucker which NEVER loses touch with the frt as it seamlessly evolves into a LONG, ELEGANT finish with an attractive, tangy/swtness to the firming, dusty tannins. Would be sensational with food right now, + I can see it approaching its 35th. 13.7% ABV; My Exceptional-/Exceptional (96-100/100 on that scale).

"The hand-picked fruit was crushed, chilled, & pressed immediately. Neutral yeasts were used for the 3-4 wk fermentation in s/s tanks. The wine was then cold-settled, racked, & filtered prior to bottling, without any influence from malolactic fermentation or oak." 11.0% ABV, 2.8 g/L RS, 7.63 g/L T.A., & 2.90 pH;

N: EARTHY, with aromas I can't quite parse, but poss including lemons; After 2+ hrs in a small tasting glass, a toastiness

P: LM body; Rndish entry with NICE (though subtle) frt met by a PUCKERISH acidity which makes itself felt into the LONG, tangy, LEMONY finish with ULT a discrete swtness &... BALANCE. My EXC-/EXC, though I'd quite expect higher for this IMPECCABLY *balanced* wine with an addt'l couple of yrs in the cellar. 97 pts James Halliday (& 1 of his top 100 for '15), 96 Huon Hooke, 95 Jeremy Oliver, 93 Tom Cannavan, 92+ WA (Czerwinski), 92 ea Wine & Spirits, RJonWine, Vinous (Raynolds), & WE (Czerwinski) with "Cellar Selection" @ $48, 17+/20 Jancis Robinson (Hemming), + 2 medals on wine-searcher's "Tasting Notes" pg.

Note #1: With 1 addt'l exception, the group was NOT "into" this wine, perhaps because it's an unusual style (for other than this var/area) that no one came even remotely close to placing. [Wines @ the Fri Group Tastings are served blindly.] Also, IDEALLY this wine likely NEEDED at least a yr or 2 more of cellaring, & even then, though I'M a fan, I quite "get" why the majority of even experienced tasters likely would NOT find anything "special" 'bout the style. :(

Note #2: Even @ room temp after 2+ hrs in a small tasting glass, I still got PUCKERISH acidity when it FIRST hit my mouth, then the *BALANCE* & frt kicked in. So, since this is an outlier style/varietal that REQUIRES patience to "understand", very, VERY few are realistically going to take the requisite interest/effort.

Supposedly 45% Roussanne, 26% Chard, 14% Petite Manseng, 10% Viognier, & 5% Marsanne, coming from the Eleven Confessions (40%), Cumulus (29%), & Bien Nacido (31%) Vyds. Supposedly aged 19 mos in new FR oak (46%) with the remainder in used barrels & concrete eggs;

N: TOAST with notes of lemons & other unparsables, but NOT unattractive

P: MF body; RNDISh entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish OAK/"frt" met by a bit of astringency which PRETTY much ult loses THAT aspect (other than a remaining bit which is possibly even a +) as it transitions into a LONG finish. A *very* interesting wine which, at least for my palate, MIGHT have been better a yr or so ago. 15.4% ABV; My EXC-/EXC. 97 pts WA, 95 Jeff Leve, & 92 Vinous (Galloni).