One of the nice things about being an independent wine reviewer that makes really good money elsewhere is that I don’t work for the industry. I personally can’t believe the scores 2 of these wines received and they are clearly smoke tainted. Some of my favorite wineries from Washington Kevin White & Januik had some really bad smoke tainted wines as well. When tasting at Januik this past summer I was able to educate my niece about what to look for in smoke tainted wines.
- Chalkiness in a red wine. Normally you will find this in Champagne or Sparkling wines but not common in red wines and on smoke tainted wines it is really overwhelming whereas in Champagne added complexity to the wine.
- Smoke or charcoal dominating and hiding the fruit that should be there.
I have tasted more wines from 2020 in Washington that did not show smoke taint then have. Here are some examples and could keep going.
- 2020 Result of a Crush Claret – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley (8/19/2024)
Day 1: Rocks funk, spice, minerals, earth, dark fruits and menthol. Complex and delicious wine. 92 points (92 points) - 2020 Kontos Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley (7/13/2024)
2024 Celebrate Cabernet Walla Walla Festival Grand Tasting (Marcus Witman Hotel, Walla Walla): Another stellar find from the Walla Walla Cab Fest. A little funk along with sour cherry, cedar, dust, plum and minerals. Complex wine that is drinking really well now but will be rewarded with time. (93 points) - 2020 Saviah Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley (7/13/2024)
2024 Celebrate Cabernet Walla Walla Festival Grand Tasting (Marcus Witman Hotel, Walla Walla): Jared pouring again. Great guy and family owned winery. This showed nice fruit featuring plum, cherry and raspberries along with mild oak, spice, dust and earth. Medium plus finish and balanced offering. (93 points) - 2020 Saviah Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon The Funk Walla Walla Valley – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley (7/13/2024)
2024 Celebrate Cabernet Walla Walla Festival Grand Tasting (Marcus Witman Hotel, Walla Walla): Outstanding with stone, subtle funk, minerals, dark fruits, sour cherry, wood and floral notes. Medium plus finish. Drink now to 2032. (93 points) - 2020 Figgins Estate Red Wine – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley (7/13/2024)
2024 Celebrate Cabernet Walla Walla Festival Grand Tasting (Marcus Witman Hotel, Walla Walla): 2020 is a vintage all over the place and normally Figgins would be better but not this vintage. Should be a drink now to 2028. Red currants, spices, mild oak and floral notes. Medium finish. (92 points) - 2020 Armstrong Family Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Sally Mac – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley (7/13/2024)
2024 Celebrate Cabernet Walla Walla Festival Grand Tasting (Marcus Witman Hotel, Walla Walla): Nice wine overall with cherry, plum, cassis and earth. Not a long finish but solid overall. (91 points) - 2020 Watermill Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Estate – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley (7/13/2024)
2024 Celebrate Cabernet Walla Walla Festival Grand Tasting (Marcus Witman Hotel, Walla Walla): Good overall with minerals, dried flowers, red currants and earth. Medium finish. (91 points) - 2020 Hoquetus Wine Co Syrah Seven Hills Vineyard – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley (7/13/2022)
Charcoal, smoked meats, dark fruits and earth. On the medium finish picks up some minerality. (92 points)
WTSO had a 2020 K Vintners Sale and two of these wines are just not drinkable for me. I am sure they will refund me and willing to ship the remaining bottles back. The first wine was beautiful and no smoke taint what so ever. Highly recommend it.
- 2020 K Vintners Syrah Cattle King Upland Vineyard – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley Snipes Mountain (10/31/2024)
Day 1: Natural cork. After trying two from the Powerline Vineyard this is a refreshing difference in quality. All on the same shipment but this wine is not showing smoke taint and yes and I am super accurate and sensitive to it. A powerful wine with oak, blackberries, spice, earth, cherry, coffee beans and rose petals. Loving this wine and will be looking to get more. 94 points (94 points)
These two are still drinkable as smoke taint wines can be but clearly not enjoyable compared to other vintages.
- 2020 K Vintners Syrah Powerline Vineyard – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley (10/30/2024)
Day 1: Not showing the normal fruit you would expect from this wine. Smoke taint for sure with plum, dirt, spice and tar. Short to medium finish. Concerns.
Day 2: Not as bad as the Creator but getting some smoke taint on this wine. Burnt toast, muted fruits, spices, dirt and olives. These wines are usually bursting with flavors but not seeing it on this wine. Very concerned about these 2020 wines from K. 80 points
Day 3: Charcoal, chalk, mild spice, light fruit and dirt. This wine is the 2nd purchased from WTSO that is clearly smoke tainted. Stay clear of the Powerline Vineyard wines.
Recommendation: Don’t buy no matter the discount. (80 points) - 2020 K Vintners The Creator – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley (10/29/2024)
Day 1: From WTSO for under $46 so good deal. Pop and pour and concerns with smoke taint. I have found Washington in 2020 hit or miss so will allow some time on this one to make that clear determination. Smoke, earth, dirt, spice, muted fruit and gravel. Will sample later tonight but not a good showing on a pop and pour which many Walla Walla Wines have showed better. No Score.
Day 1.5: As one of the few honest critics this is clearly smoke taint. Fruit is muted and smoke taint very obvious. Trying to mask with wood. Will try on day 2 but smoke taint will be more present. A real shame a wine critic gave this 97.
Day 2: This is a bit better on day 2 but the smoke is overpowering the fruit on this one. Raspberries and sour cherry with smoke and smoke, spice and black pepper. A wine that so far is not even close to any of the other vintages of the Creator. 78 points
Day 3: A harsh, chalkiness to the wine which masks any fruit that is trying to emerge. I can tell they also oaked these wines probably more than usual to mask some of that smoke taint. All in all this wine is very poor in quality compared to any other vintages I have sampled.
Recommendation: There was a reason WTSO dumped these wines a week or so ago as no one from the tasting room was buying them. Buyer beware. (78 points)