2/16/2024 - JasonG Likes this wine:

Clean and precise, nothing overly special but nice. Maybe wait a bit longer.

1/13/2024 - JasonG Likes this wine:

Shockingly good first Pinot for Isenhower wow. Very clean profile, allows only the core of the fruit and particular soils of Chehalem Mountain shine through. Would buy again without hesitation. Perfect time from vintage to drinking.

2/4/2024 - JasonG wrote:

Average and straight up the middle. Typical Walla Walla profile, but nothing extra to make it special. This WWV black label bottle belongs more in the cheaper white label group, and doesn’t come close to pre-acquisition shine.

2/3/2024 - JasonG Likes this wine:

Consistently lemon, floral, mineral. Never waxy or flabby. Delicious.

1/13/2024 - JasonG Likes this wine:

Unexpectedly drinking really nicely now, perfect for the impatient.

12/6/2023 - JasonG Likes this wine:

Medium garnet color. Some funk in nose, blows off after an hour. Tastes richer than I remember in past years, more fruit and forest depth and less acidic crunch balance issues. I think this 2021 vintage could be really tasty if this lays down for 3-5 years.

12/5/2023 - JasonG wrote:

Fine, right up the middle. Sweet initial, but some balance in basic minerality on finish. I’ve had better for less from Alsace. Ah well.

12/3/2023 - JasonG Likes this wine:

Decant for at least 2 hours, or else it tastes leafy. Dark ruby magenta. Nose is classic WWV: cocoa nibs, raspberry compote, cedar, pomegranate. Lots of interesting secondary nose elements here. Taste is lush, grapeseed still a bit, more cool jam. Could use another 3-5 in the cellar, but it does drink nice now with patience.

11/28/2023 - JasonG Likes this wine:

Lovely depth of character untypical for this price. Would buy again just to taste that second dimension most daily Chianti is missing.

10/28/2023 - JasonG Likes this wine:

Precise and pure, distinct top note of berry from Yakima vineyards. Focused on the fruit more than the barrel. Lovely.

10/24/2023 - JasonG wrote:

Still so very young. Hold at least 5 more years before drinking. Lots of young leafy fruit, vanillas. Taste is full and bold, but just little secondary quality without long open times.

9/9/2023 - JasonG Likes this wine:

Peak drinking. Nose trending towards more oak dominant as fruit fades, but not in mature oxidizing state yet. Taste is a raspberry cola powerhouse, but baking spice and pie crust has faded. Great with food, but just starting to roll over the other side of the hill. Now we know on Sojourn: 10-15 years past vintage is ideal.

4/23/2023 - JasonG Likes this wine:

Medium, youthful, floral, bright trace of coffee behind a core of forest fruit and cherry. Taste polished and balanced, although lacking the earthiness of its Italian cousins. Easy drinking and enjoyable.

3/30/2023 - JasonG Likes this wine:

Completely molten essence of dark cool fruit, earth, spice. Intensely enjoyable, especially after grapeseed burns off. Has another 5-10 years left but wow drinking great now.

3/25/2023 - JasonG Likes this wine:

Medium color, flinty blueberry and raspberry. Just lovely, one of the best at WWV.

3/26/2023 - JasonG Likes this wine:

Still in perfect condition, peak form. Jammy berry flavor with seed sense when first opened. Oak fully integrated. Powerful across two days. Extending drink dates through 2027, it’s in fine form if you have one of the hood bottles.

3/8/2023 - JasonG Likes this wine:

Even better in this age, dark cool blueberry everywhere. Very balanced. The best value WA has to offer.

2/25/2023 - JasonG Likes this wine:

Unexpectedly still quite complex, reflecting pre-acquisition heritage of the best of Walla Walla. Showing mid maturity on open, but after 30 minutes just the darkest brooding blackberry and raspberry you can imagine. Forest floor everywhere. Still lovely, drink this year or next before it starts decline.

1/22/2023 - JasonG Likes this wine:

Dark magenta. Lovely nose that’s surprisingly cool and dark. Blueberries and cedar. Low astringency and oak profile. Enjoyed a lot.

1/10/2023 - JasonG Likes this wine:

Still going strong, graphite and raspberry compote. Oak completely integrated, at half-life. Enjoy it, real treat, reminder of a different time in Walla Walla.

1/12/2023 - JasonG wrote:

Finally way past it’s prime, brown, shoe polish, no fruit or character left. Should have expected this but hoped for one last great visit from this rebooked Olsen Syrah. Alas.

10/22/2022 - JasonG wrote:

Thin, astringent, like too-young Rioja. I was hoping for more volcanic sense from Canary Islands wine, but there’s little redeeming here. Put in cellar for 3-5 years more and hope for improvements.

7/25/2022 - JasonG Does not like this wine:

Thin and watery, distinct lack of flavor. Little redeeming quality. Do not spend your money on this.

4/26/2022 - JasonG Likes this wine:

Absolutely phenomenal and still going strong. Extremely dark magenta. Brooding nose of molten berry compote. Cedar and dark flowers. Lasts forever in finish. A touch of medicinal after open an hour but really great out of the bottle

3/28/2022 - JasonG Does not like this wine:

Unbelievably metallic and ascerbic. Like someone ground up aluminum foil and swapped it for any kind of fruit taste. Totally unredeming.

2/28/2022 - JasonG Does not like this wine:

Disasterous by Nature perfectly describes this terrible wine. Ascerbic, thin, overextracted, full of volitive acidity and nail polish. Never buying again.

2/20/2022 - JasonG Likes this wine:

Dark dark dark. As good as it gets. Molten, dark berry core. Fascinating cedars and tobaccos after being open for an hour. Lovely wine.

2/12/2022 - JasonG wrote:

Medium dark Ruby red. Nose of grape seed, Forest fruit, sweet top edge. Mellowed out after an hour. Tannins present but not cloying. A touch on the sweet side but otherwise big and bold. A fine, clean, rich effort from this nascent wine region.

1/30/2022 - JasonG Likes this wine:

Glorious, but you must decant for 1-2 hours. The dark core of fruit and tertiary essences don’t reveal themselves until then. Or, second day after stopping up.

1/17/2022 - JasonG wrote:

In fine shape. Medium garnet. Nose still has clear forest fruit edge, vanillas have pulled way back, classic WA wine. Not overly inky or smoky, balanced, acids still present. Lovely. Open for 60 min at least for maximum fragrances.

11/25/2021 - JasonG Likes this wine:

Still in very fine form. Dark color. Forest fruits still intact, a bit of vanilla lingers, but overall earthy, honest wine. Fine treat.

12/31/2021 - JasonG Likes this wine:

Pure, clean, WA cab. No overexteaction to be found Vibrant ruby color. Nose still has a bit of leaf across a broad raspberry core. Taste still has youth, no oxidation has crept in at all. Needs 1-2 hours in decanter to fully open up.

11/21/2021 - JasonG wrote:

Tropical, but a bit unctuous on the finish. No tertiary flavors. Just so so, not a great value at all. Needs more balance and character to shine

11/14/2021 - JasonG Likes this wine:

Lovely rich canary color. Nose tropical but not unctuous. Lasting flavor. Surprisingly good value.

11/14/2021 - JasonG wrote:

Rather average, poor QPR. Straw color, something disjointed in the faintly watery quality against the middling mild tropical fruit. Would have expected higher acidity given 12.5% but maybe it was just watered back without acid balance. Not great.

10/17/2021 - JasonG wrote:

Thin in color and taste, would not buy again

8/30/2021 - JasonG wrote:

The wine is fine, golden straw, normal Chablis nose and taste. It’s just not worth $20 - you’re far better finding almost any other white at better QPR.

8/3/2021 - JasonG Likes this wine:

Still shining, revising drink dates out to 2025 easily. In late first stage but still right after peak, very little bricking. Nose and taste of all the usual good WA Wine things in 2010: cool berry compote flavor, tobacco, earth. Finish is lasting. Needs 15-30 min opening, but then expressive and soft mouthfeel after. Nicer even on second day.

8/2/2021 - JasonG wrote:

Always interesting to try something new. Gold color. Star fruit nose and taste. Acidity lacking a bit to hold this up fully, better with food. Probably would not but again.

5/8/2021 - JasonG Likes this wine:

Glorious, drinking so clean and fresh right now. Bright berry and balanced fruit to oak. This is nkf a tar or Rocks bomb, more GSM style.

4/22/2021 - JasonG wrote:

Initially tastes like NZ SB but instead of minerality we get hit with a tired overripe star fruit sense at the back. Savory though, would go best with cream sauces or butter and mollusks.

4/22/2021 - JasonG Likes this wine:

Really enjoyable, a cut above others at this price. Light green Apple to straw color. Nose is full of citrus and tropical, with present wet slate. While the acid is puckery, it doesn’t stand alone - there’s these streaks of elevated complexity throughout and it’s neither sweet nor overly rind (like star fruit or melon rind). Easily drink all summer and wish for more come fall.

4/19/2021 - JasonG Likes this wine:

One of the best WWV I’ve had since the buyout. A reminder of the old days. Epic tertiary fragrances all over the nose. Dark magenta to purple. Nose of blackberry compote, cedar, tobacco, forest floor. Taste is full, lasting, cool, delicious. Inquired if they have more, sadly this is the last year they made it and it’s all gone, business reasons. Sad because PV does so well in WA.

4/7/2021 - JasonG wrote:

In second half of life, clear bricking at edges. I agree with muted fruit and bramble here, sweetness seems to be from mild oxidation. Much better second day though, mouthfeel improved and harsh tart edge gave way to forest fruit. Aged Pinot lovers will like it, otherwise meh.

3/17/2021 - JasonG Likes this wine:

Great value, would absolutely buy again and drink at the 10 year mark. Rings true of region and Tempranillo blend. A reminder some of the best Spanish wines are not from Rioja.

3/29/2021 - JasonG Likes this wine:

Time has helped. Medium ruby color. Nose clear woody stem and seed, some bramble and refined blackberry on swirl. Barrel notes gone. Taste full of forest berry, tobacco spice, mild astringency. Much more fruit than the Cabs, a welcome change of pace. Surely one of the best honest Merlots in WA state.

3/3/2021 - JasonG wrote:

Lovely after a couple years in the cellar. Very French, southern Rhone without the dirt. Dark in color, lots of forest fruit and cedar. Vanillas still there when opened but gone next day. Excellent value.

2/14/2021 - JasonG Likes this wine:

Dark magenta. Ready to drink. Nose of blueberry and raspberry, plenty of tobacco and cedar. Taste is richer than expected, probably depth from Petit Verdot. Dionysus really shines and gives the wine a jammy “sweet” pleasant taste full more of earth and fruit than barrel or alcohol. Drinking great, don’t hesitate.

1/27/2021 - JasonG wrote:

Some brick red to orange on the outside edges. Medium color. Nose is woody but still a raw jam quality. Taste has some of that oxidation on front, but does yield to spicy raspberry toward end, lots of power lurking. On the decline but not dead. Drink up.

1/31/2021 - JasonG wrote:

Dark and lush in color. This wine is so challenging. Initially opened up with usual dense berry core and cedar notes on nose, but very tight taste. Then it goes into a weird mute taste, then finally rounds out a bit after an hour but never archived the glorious tertiary qualities found in River Beauty Syrah or Batchelor Button cab. Not my favorite in the lineup. At least it’s not over extracted - no bell pepper to be found.