Walla Walla Wine Cellar

Our buddy Justin is putting together some great information on grapes and wines in Washington. He’s offered to share some of his knowledge. Why? There’s no better way to explain than in Justin’s own words, so here’s a paragraph straight from the man himself.

In an ever-growing wine drinking community, I find that many people aren’t willing to try new things. Wine, like anything else requires a bit of devotion to fully understand and even then it seems like an endless journey. Many folks either get stuck on white wines or if they have made it to the reds “only drink cabernet or merlot” or even worse “don’t drink merlot”. Considering the fact that wine has been around longer than any living person you would think more people would want to explore its depths and truly take it all in. Perhaps to some it is just another alcoholic beverage and that’s fine. I don’t think it should be placed on any sort of pedestal but I do believe that people should spread their wings a little more and try new things. There are literally thousands of different grape varieties. Italy alone is home to over three thousand varieties of grapes. You could spend your entire life there tasting wine and probably not taste every wine made. To some folks, that may sound like an intimidating challenge. To me, it sounds like a great way to spend free time.

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With that said, I think we’d like to start talking about some specifics. What exactly can we explore here in Washington? Today I think we’ll focus on two of the lesser talked about varietals we can find right here in Walla Walla. Petit Verdot and… wait for it… Cab Franc.

Petit Verdot: This tough little guy is native to the wines of Bordeaux, France. Generally used as a blending grape to add color tannin and flavor. A little bit goes a long way when blending. This grape can easily over power the likes of Cabernet Sauvignon or merlot. Its small but it packs a serious punch. While it is not uncommon to see wines containing only 1% Petit verdot there are a few producers using it as a stand-alone variety. The grape has found a home in several Washington vineyards and some of the state’s finest wineries are using it. It lends itself to making very inky, well-perfumed, dense wines with lots of blueberry and dark fruit like flavors. If done right it can be a great treat.

Cab Franc: I know, I know its been here for a very long time. What most people don’t realize is that this wine is not just a blender. Most commonly known for being used in Bordeaux styled blends Cab Franc is a major variety in France’s Loire Valley. It tends to make very earthy, esoteric and sometimes vegetal tasting wines. If done right the vegetal characteristic can be minimized creating well perfumed earthy wines with some good red fruit flavors. This variety by itself is capable of aging anywhere from 10 to 20 to 30 years and in some cases even further than that. The wines of Rafault in Chinon (a Loire Valley region) are renowned for living well past 30 years often resulting in a religious experience of sorts upon tasting. The grape has amazing potential in Washington and quite a following. Cab Franc lovers are die-hard and loyal. There are quite a few people in Washington doing wonderful things with this grape. If any of you were lucky enough to get the last release of the Tamarack Cellars Cab Franc, you know what we mean.

There is more information to come, so don’t be shy and check back again soon. Next up are more Bordeaux blending grapes.