Washington State Trip Day 4

July 26, 2022

Result of Crush

This was the highlight of the Walla Walla Trip as it was the only tasting room that every wine was 90 points or higher and the prices are the best and I mean the best in Walla Walla. This is fruit that goes into Reynvaan is the same fruit that goes into Result of Crush/The Unnamed Series.

  • 2016 Result of a Crush Grenache Blanc, Marsanne and Viognier – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley
    Visited the tasting room in Walla Walla. 45% Grenache Blanc, 33% Marsanne, 22% Viognier. The complexity here is amazing. Floral, dust, stones, baked apples and mild funk. Good acidity and medium plus finish. Outstanding. (92 pts.)
  • 2016 Result of a Crush Claret – USA, Washington
    Spice, blueberries, minerals, earth, sour cherry and dust. Medium finish. Nice value. (91 pts.)
  • 2018 Result of a Crush Merlot Cabernet – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley
    A blend of 42% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Cabernet Franc. Expressive nose and this wine features redcurrants, minerals, mild spice, floral and earth notes. Balanced wine and medium plus finish. One of the better Bordeaux Blended wines I have tasted from Washington in some time. (92 pts.)

The Seminar

This was a very enjoyable seminar run by Elaine Chukan Brown from Jancis Robinson US and she did a great job moderating the festivities. All 5 did a great job talking about the wine and their philosophies.

Panel Moderator: Elaine Chukan Brown

Saviah Cellars: Richard Funk

Sleight of Hand Cellars: Trey Busch

Valdemar Estates: Devyani Gupta

Denner Vineyards: Anthony Yount

Winery Sixteen 600: Sam Coturri

The wine reviews:

  • 2018 Saviah Cellars The Funk Estate Syrah – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley
    Wine 1 at the Tasting Panel of Walla Walla Syrah Festival Weekend. With some air this wine really blossomed. Black olives, roasted meats, white pepper, red currants and iron. Savory wine in which this should drink well beyond 2030. Outstanding and my wine of the 5 at this seminar. (94 pts.)
  • 2019 Sleight of Hand Syrah Psychedelic Stoney Vine Vineyard – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley
    Wine 2 at the Tasting Panel of Walla Walla Syrah Festival Weekend. 100% Syrah. Medium purple. Roasted peppers, underbrush, raspberries, unripe strawberries and black pepper. Not a big wine and very elegant for Rocks district. This will easily age for another 15 years. (93 pts.)
  • 2019 Valdemar Estates Syrah Blue Mountain – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley
    Wine 3 at the Tasting Panel of Walla Walla Syrah Festival Weekend. This was my wine of the five up front but no one was next to me and was able to revisit all these wines later. The most fruit forward of the five. Dark purple. Cherry, blueberries and plum along with floral, earth and coffee beans. Medium plus finish and very good. (93 pts.)
  • 2019 Denner The Dirt Worshipper – USA, California, Central Coast
    Wine 4 at the Tasting Panel of Walla Walla Syrah Festival Weekend. This wine lacked concentration for me. Sour fruit, potpourri, bramble, earth, black pepper and violets. Not a bad wine but did not stand up to the 3 Walla Walla Wines. (91 pts.)
  • 2019 Sixteen 600 Syrah Dos Limones Vineyard – USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Mountain
    Wine 5 at the Tasting Panel of Walla Walla Syrah Festival Weekend. My least favorite of the five at the tasting panel event. Medium purple. Dust, spice, soy, pepper and tobacco. A big style wine but lacks fruit. Medium finish. (90 pts.)

My wine of the night was the 2018 Saviah Cellars Funk Estate. Just opened up over the course of the seminar and was amazing. Well done Richard Funk!

Wine Dinner Series

Location: Sleight of Hand Winery

For sure picked the right dinner to go to for the Walla Walla Syrah Festival Weekend. Trey opened a few bonus wines at the end to top the night off.

  • 2021 DaMa Wines Grenache Blanc – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley
    Minerals, lemon, orchard fruits, spice, flint and grapefruit. Good acidity. (91 pts.)
  • 2020 Denner Theresa – USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles
    Lemon, dust, mild spices, pie crust and toast points. Nice acidity and very nice wine. 91+
    40% Roussanne, 22% Grenache Blanc, 12% Picpoul, 12% Marsanne, 8% Clairette Blanche, 6% Vermentino (91 pts.)
  • 2019 Sleight of Hand Grenache Sorceress Reserve – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
    Cranberry, floral, spice, raspberries, earth and minerals. Drinking well on the younger side but some age will work. (92 pts.)
  • 2019 Denner The Ditch Digger – USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles Willow Creek District
    I liked this a lot better than the Ditch Worshipper. Spice, minerals, bacon fat, dark fruits, violets and underbrush. Long finish. Excellent wine. (93 pts.)
  • 2020 Sleight of Hand Syrah Spiders from Mars – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley
    My wine of the night at the Sleight of Hand/ Denner & Dama Wine Dinner. Black olives, funk, smoked meats, stones, dark fruits and gravel. LONG finish and super concentrated. Highly recommend this wine. (95 pts.)
  • 2017 Sleight of Hand Syrah Force Of Nature Les Collines Vineyard – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley
    Trey pulled out a few bonus wines and this was very nice. Blueberries, underbrush, dust, stones and pepper. Medium plus finish. (92 pts.)
  • 2017 Sleight of Hand Syrah Light Years Syrah Lewis Vineyard – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
    Sweet fruits, underbrush, smoked steak and pepper. Savory and delicious. No hurry to drink these. (93 pts.)

Spiders from Mars was clearly wine of the night. $150 what a value! Napa this would be $400.