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2024 Echolands Grenache — Rivière Galets Vineyard

Walla Walla Valley, Washington

Grape Varietals

• 89% Grenache
• 7% Syrah
• 4% Cinsault

Location
Walla Walla Valley AVA
Rivière Galets Vineyard
The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater

Cellar Window
Drink now through approximately 2032

Tasting Notes
This is a particularly elegant and savory interpretation of Grenache. Echolands describes a wine whose relatively light color belies its aromatic complexity. Expect wild strawberry and ripe summer strawberry, joined by raspberry and caramelized orange, followed by more savory notes of untoasted tobacco, amaro, lavender, Russian sage, licorice and dried herbs. The palate is lively rather than heavy, with energetic tannins and an appealing combination of fruit, herbs and savory earthiness. The rocky Rivière Galets site can also contribute the distinctive mineral, earthy and almost smoky character associated with The Rocks District. The fruit was harvested on September 26, 2024, fermented at low temperatures with minimal extraction in small open-top tanks, then aged for 10 months in a combination of oak foudres, puncheons and neutral barrels, with only 10% new oak. The result is a wine where oak remains in the background and the Grenache fruit and vineyard character stay front and center.

Food Pairings
The bright fruit, moderate body and savory herbal character make this Grenache exceptionally versatile at the table. Pair it with herb-roasted pork tenderloin, grilled lamb, roast chicken, duck, grilled sausages or pork chops. It would also be excellent with mushroom dishes, lentils, ratatouille, grilled eggplant or a pizza topped with sausage, mushrooms and herbs. Mediterranean flavors are especially appealing: rosemary, thyme, olives, roasted peppers and garlic will echo the wine’s herbal and savory qualities. For cheese, try Manchego, aged Gouda, Pecorino or a moderately aged sheep’s-milk cheese. Because this is a lighter, fresher expression of Grenache, I would serve it slightly cool—around 58–62°F—rather than at warm room temperature.

About the Producer
Echolands Winery was founded in 2018 by Doug Frost and Brad Bergman, with the goal of producing balanced, elegant wines that clearly reflect the Walla Walla Valley. Frost is one of the rare wine professionals in the world to hold both the Master Sommelier and Master of Wine qualifications. Brian Rudin joined Echolands as winemaker and general manager in 2023 after more than 17 years in the Washington wine industry, including nine years with Duckhorn Wine Company, where he helped develop its Red Mountain project, Canvasback. Echolands describes its philosophy as one of restraint: the winery wants to “echo” what is already present in the vineyard rather than manufacture character in the cellar. The team emphasizes responsible vineyard farming, minimal additives, restrained oak and wines with freshness, texture and balance. Its own estate vineyard in Walla Walla is now certified organic, and the winery also works closely with sustainably farmed vineyard partners throughout the region.

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2022 Kiona Vineyards Estate Bottled Merlot

Red Mountain, Washington

Grape Varietals

• 87% Merlot
• 6% Cabernet Sauvignon
• 3.5% Cabernet Franc
• 3.5% Petit Verdot

Although labeled Merlot, the small additions of the other Bordeaux varieties are important to the final wine: Cabernet Sauvignon contributes structure, Cabernet Franc adds aromatic and savory complexity, and Petit Verdot provides additional color, tannin and depth.

Location
Red Mountain AVA
Benton County, Washington

Fruit comes entirely from Kiona’s own Red Mountain vineyards:

• 66.5% Kiona Estate Vineyard
• 22.5% Artz Vineyard
• 11% Heart of the Hill Vineyard

The most historically significant component comes from Kiona Estate Vineyard, the pioneering vineyard of Red Mountain. Kiona has four separate Merlot blocks there, ranging in planting date from 1976 through 1995, and all four are represented in this wine. That 1976 planting makes some of the Merlot fruit exceptionally mature by Washington standards and is an important part of the concentration and complexity found in the finished wine.

Cellar Window
Drink now through approximately 2035

Tasting Notes
This is a distinctly Red Mountain expression of Merlot—powerful and structured while retaining the plushness and elegance associated with the variety. Expect dark plum, blackberry and wild berries accompanied by black cherry, pepper and subtle coffee tones. Beneath the fruit are savory notes of graphite, dusty earth, spice and a subtle balsamic character. The palate is generous but remarkably balanced, with soft, concentrated fruit supported by fresh acidity and a firm mineral backbone.

The winemaking helps explain that balance. The grapes were 100% hand harvested, then mechanically and optically sorted before fermentation in small open-top stainless-steel fermenters. The wine completed malolactic fermentation and spent 22 months in barrel: 20% new French oak, 5% new American oak, 2% Hungarian oak and the remainder neutral barrels. That relatively restrained new-oak percentage allows the mature vineyard fruit and Red Mountain character to remain more prominent than overt vanilla or toast.

Food Pairings
This Merlot has enough concentration for substantial dishes while retaining enough acidity to remain very food-friendly. Pair it with braised short ribs, roast beef, beef tenderloin, grilled steak, lamb chops, beef or mushroom Bourguignon, or slow-roasted pork. Its plum and dark-berry fruit will complement roasted meats, while its graphite, pepper and savory notes make it particularly good with mushrooms, rosemary, thyme and caramelized onions. A mushroom risotto or grilled portobello dish would also work beautifully. For cheese, try aged cheddar, Gouda, Manchego or a firm alpine-style cheese. If serving it now, I would give the bottle roughly 30–60 minutes of air to let the fruit and savory layers open.

About the Producer
Kiona Vineyards and Winery is one of the foundational producers of Washington’s Red Mountain region. In 1972, John Williams and Jim Holmes purchased land on what was then a largely undeveloped stretch of desert. In 1975, they planted the first commercial vineyard on Red Mountain, beginning with Cabernet Sauvignon, Riesling and Chardonnay; Merlot followed in 1976. What seemed highly experimental at the time ultimately helped establish Red Mountain as one of Washington’s most important wine-growing regions.

Kiona remains a family-owned, multigenerational farming operation. The family now farms five estate vineyard sites on Red Mountain and supplies fruit to more than 60 other Pacific Northwest wineries in addition to producing its own wines. That farming identity is central to Kiona—the winery deliberately calls itself Kiona Vineyards because it considers grape growing, rather than simply winemaking, the foundation of its work. The 2022 vintage is also significant from a sustainability standpoint: Kiona Estate has been Sustainable WA certified since the program’s inaugural 2022 vintage. The family’s long experience with Red Mountain, combined with some of the AVA’s oldest vines, gives Kiona access to vineyard material that few other producers in the region can replicate.