Vinous

• By Stephen Tanzer
  New Releases from Washington: A Bonanza for Consumers (Dec 2019), 12/1/2019 (link)

  (Kevin White Winery Red Wine (yakima Valley) Washington Red) Subscribe to see review text.

Full Pull

• By Paul Zitarelli
  Full Pull Kevin White, 2/18/2019

  (Kevin White Winery Red Wine) Hello friends. In the beginning, Kevin White would release his wines once a year to great buzz and excitement. We’d offer his ridiculously excellent La Fraternite and En Hommage, immediately sell out, and set the clock 365 days forward. Starting in 2016, Kevin inaugurated a second release, offering one well-priced gateway-drug wine and one rare single-vineyard gem. So now, about 182½ days after the first release of the year, we offer his ridiculously excellent Red Wine and Heritage, immediately sell out, set the clock roughly 182½ days forward, and the cycle continues. Today is that day:*As far as logistics go with this particular wine, we’re likely to only get one shot. Unlike Kevin’s higher-end wines, which are carefully allocated and doled out, this red is being offered in open inventory. The good news: we can ask for whatever amount our list members want; the bad: so can every other account in town. Reviews aren’t out yet, but the 2016 vintage garnered 91pts from Wine Spectator and 90pts from Sean Sullivan, impressive achievements at this price point. If that happens again—which would surprise no one—this wine will be gone before reorders are even submitted.* [And on that note, Sean Sullivan just posted the following on his Washington Wine Report Facebook page: Okay team, by now most of you know the drill. The Kevin White Winery 'Blue Label' wine gets released around this time every year (released at the winery today). I tasted the new vintage yesterday. This wine is always outrageously good (check); it is consistently one of the best values in the state drinking well above its $20 price (check); and it inevitably sells through quickly (certain as death and taxes, this one will again). The 2017 vintage more than lives up to previous years. A blend of Syrah, Grenache, and Mourvèdre, it has compelling aromas and flavors of blue and red fruit, with plenty of herb, smoked meat, and black pepper accents. The palate is soft and layered, with a dazzling sense of purity that is the hallmark of this producer. I need more wine in my cellar like I need a(nother) hole in my head but will be adding some of this to the collection. It's flat out delicious at a great price, able to be enjoyed on a Tuesday but have it taste like a Friday. Get thee hence. Sean’s strongest previous Enthusiast review for Kevin’s red was a 92pter for the 2015; reading the tea leaves, I see another 92 or possibly even a 93 when Sean eventually publishes a review in Wine Enthusiast. As he says, get thee hence.] Probably the most important thing to know about the wine itself is that it comes entirely from Kevin-vinified juice. He’s not purchasing any bulk juice to fluff this wine up. And while he’s not revealing the exact vineyards or breakdown involved (wisely, so as not to aggravate the excellent growers he’s working with, who might not be so crazy about seeing their grapes end up in a sub-$20 bottle), we can intuit the suspects: Upland and Olsen, Boushey and Elephant Mountain. All fantastic sites for Rhone varieties in Washington. And this wine is indeed chock full of Rhone varieties: 57% Syrah, 24% Grenache, 19% Mourvedre. It clocks in at 14.8% listed alc and is made with all native yeasts—something Kevin implemented with the entire 2017 vintage. The nose showcases a glorious trinity of laser-focused berry fruit, stony minerals, and blossoming florals. Euphoric for any Rhone fan. The palate shows off Kevin’s trademark textural elegance—it’s a marvel of energy and propulsive character. Classy as it is pleasurable, the overall package is consistently one of the strongest sub-$20 Rhone blends coming from Washington, punching well above its price class. It’s another charming data point arguing that this is a real growth category for our state going forward. Pair this with just about anything you make in the following braising months; it was made for the dinner table.