Tag Archives: Precept Brands

60 Second Wine Review — Erath Pinot noir Rosé

A few quick thoughts on the 2017 Erath Pinot noir rosé from Oregon.

The Geekery

Erath Pinot noir rose wine

Dick Erath founded his eponymous winery in 1968 with the purchase of vineyard land in the Chehalem Mountains. Sourcing fruit from the Dundee Hills as well, he released his first 216 cases of commercial wine in 1972.

An engineer by training, Kenneth Friedenreich notes in Oregon Wine Country Stories that it was the “left to right brain relay” of winemaking that appealed to Erath. Planting dozens of different grape varieties to see what would grow in the nascent Willamette soils, Erath found he could test and experiment while indulging in the creativity of wine production.

In 2006, Erath sold the winery to Ste. Michelle Wine Estates where today it is part of a portfolio of brands that includes 14 Hands, Columbia Crest, Red Diamond, Snoqualmie and Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars among many others.

The current winemaker for Erath is Gary Horner who previously worked at Bethel Heights, Witness Tree Vineyard, Washington Hills Cellars (now part of Precept), Avatar Partners in Napa Valley and Benton-Lane Winery before joining Erath in 2003.

The 2017 Pinot noir rosé is 100% Pinot noir from fruit sourced throughout the state. The wine was made using the short maceration method of brief skin contact with 16,600 cases produced.

The Wine

Photo by Picasa 2.0 AutoCCD . Uploaded to Wikimedia Commons under CC-BY-SA-2.5

Simple strawberry notes characterize this wine.

Medium intensity nose. A mix of red strawberry fruit, white peach and vague floral notes. A little sweet smelling.

However, on the palate the rosé comes across as dry with medium-plus acidity. Light bodied fruit carries through more strawberry than the peach. Short finish ends on the fruit.

The Verdict

At $12-15, this Pinot noir rosé is decent but definitely not anything that would particularly wow you. It’s best role was probably as a simple summer time patio sipper.

However, as we enter the cooler fall and winter seasons where rosés need more “umph” of depth to hold up to heartier food pairings, I fret that this Erath may be too light to get the job done.

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60 Second Wine Reviews — Sound Purveyors Cabernet Sauvignon

A few quick thoughts on the 2016 Sound Purveyors Cabernet Sauvignon from the Columbia Valley.

The Geekery

Sound Purveyors is a collaboration project between winemakers Morgan Lee of Two Vintners and Peter Devison, formerly of Efeste and now with Cadaretta in Walla Walla.

Lee began his winemaking career as an intern for Columbia Crest before moving to Woodinville in 2007 to take the assistant winemaking position at Covington Cellars. He eventually took over full winemaking duties and partnered with David and Cindy Lawson of Covington to start Two Vintners in 2010. (Check out our review of their 2014 Zinfandel here)

In 2016, Lee was named a “Winemaker to Watch” by Seattle Magazine as part of their 11th Annual Washington Wine Awards.

Devison is a Canadian winemaker who studied viticulture in New Zealand. He worked harvests both there and in Australia before moving to Washington in 2005. His first job in the state was at Tsillan Cellars in Lake Chelan. In 2007, he moved to Precept Brands to oversee the winemaking of Alder Ridge and Apex Cellars.

In 2012, he succeeded Brennon Leighton as head winemaker of Efeste where he stayed until leaving in 2017 to join the Middleton family’s Cadaretta winery and to oversee the production of their second label, Inconceivable.

The majority of the fruit for the 2016 Sound Purveyor Cabernet Sauvignon comes from Red Mountain.

The Wine

Photo by FotoosVanRobin from Netherlands. Uploaded to Wikimedia Commons under CC-BY-SA-2.0

The French oak spice in this wine compliments the big fruit.

Medium intensity nose. Rich black currants and plums with noticeable oak spice.

On the palate, those dark fruits come through but balanced by medium-plus acidity. The ripe, high tannins hold up the full-bodied fruit and are softened by the creamy vanilla from the oak. Moderate length finish ends on the dark fruit and oak spice.

The Verdict

I enjoyed this young full-bodied and rich Cabernet Sauvignon. It will certainly be giving pleasure for several years.

Crafted by two of the best winemakers in Washington, it’s a very delicious and well-made bottle in the $25-30 range.

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Who makes your Supermarket Wine? (A Running List)

April 2019 update: A lot of brand movement following the huge deal between Constellation Brands and E & J Gallo.

Sept 2018 update: If I come across new connections that haven’t been widely publish I will update this page. But I’d like to direct folks interested in this info to Elizabeth Schneider’s way more user-friendly and searchable list on her Wine For Normal People blog. It’s also regularly updated and is a fantastic resource that is worth bookmarking.

Beverage Dynamics released their report this month of The Fastest Growing Wine Brands and Top Trends of 2017.

One of the most glaring features of the report is how often you see the names Constellation Brands, E & J Gallo, The Wine Group and more appear in the rankings with their multitude of different brands. As I described in my post The Facade of Choice, when you walk the wine department of your typical grocery store the vast majority of the wines you see are going to be made by the same handful of companies.

It’s important for consumers to be aware of just how artificially limited their choices really are–especially because consumers should have choices when there are over 4000 wineries in California, over 700 each in Washington and Oregon and tens of thousands more across the globe.

Yet the average wine drinker is only ever going to see a fraction of a percent of these wines–especially those of us in the US. This is not just because our archaic three-tier distribution system severely limits consumers’ access to wine but also because of the wave of consolidations among large wine distributors.

Consolidation of Choices
Photo by Tatsuo Yamashita. Uploaded on Wikimedia Commons under CC-BY-2.0

To the best of my knowledge, General Mills and Unilever are not in the wine business….yet.

For the sake of efficiency (and profits) these large distributors tend to focus on the big clients in their portfolios–the Constellations and the Gallos. They can back up a trailer to a warehouse and load in pallets of “different wines” with different labels from all across the globe and then take that trailer right to the major grocery chains. With about 42% of the “off premise” wine (as opposed to on-premise restaurant purchases) in the US being bought at supermarkets, every consumer should take a hard look at how limited their options really are.

In some cases, you have more true options in the yogurt section than you do in the wine department.

For a couple years now I’ve been keeping an Excel spreadsheet of the various brands I’ve came across and which mega-corporation they’re made by. This is FAR from an exhaustive list and has room for a lot of expansion. Plus with the way that winery brands get bought and sold almost like trading cards it will probably be outdated by the time I hit publish. If you know of any additions or errors, please post in the comments.

Note some of the names are linked to the companies by exclusive distribution agreements.

Constellation Brands

7 Moons
Alice White
Charles Smith Wines
Cooper & Thief
Dreaming Tree
Drylands
Inniskillian
Jackson Triggs
Kim Crawford
Meiomi
Robert Mondavi
Monkey Bay
Mount Veeder
Naked Grape
Night Harvest
Nk’Mip
Nobilo
Paso Creek
Red Guitar
Rioja Vega
Ruffino
Schrader
Simi
Thorny Rose
The Prisoner
Woodbridge

E & J Gallo

Alamos
Allegrini
Andre
Apothic
Arbor Mist
Ballatore
Barefoot
Bella Sera
Black Box
Blackstone
Blufield
Bodega Elena de Mendoza
Boone’s Farm
Bran Caia
Bridlewood
Carlo Rossi
Carnivor
Chocolate Rouge
Clarendon Hills
Clos du Bois
Columbia Winery
Cooks
Covey Run
Cribari
Dancing Bull
DaVinci
Dark Horse
Diseno
Don Miguel Gascon
Ecco Domani
Edna Valley Vineyard
Estancia
Fairbanks
Franciscan Estate
Frei Brothers
Gallo of Sonoma
Ghost Pines
Hidden Crush
Hogue Cellars
J Vineyards
J. Roget
La Marca
Laguna
Las Rocas
La Terre
Liberty Creek
Livingston Cellars
Locations
Louis Martini
MacMurray Ranch
Madria Sangria
Manischewitz
Mark West
Martin Codax
Maso Canali
McWilliams
Mia Dolcea
Milestone
Mirassou
Orin Swift
Paul Masson
Peter Vella
Pieropan
Polka Dot
Primal Roots
Prophecy
Rancho Zabaco
Ravenswood
Red Bicyclette
Red Rock
Redwood Creek
Rex Goliath
Sheffield Cellars
Simply Naked
Starborough
Souverain
Talbott
Taylor’s
The Naked Grape
Tisdale
Toasted Head
Winking Owl
Turning Leaf
Vendange
Vin Vault
Whitehaven
Wild Horse
Wild Vines
William Hill Estate

Brown-Foreman

Sonoma Cutrer
Korbel Sparkling wine

Delicato Family Vineyards

Black Stallion
Bota Box
Brazin
Diora
Domino
Gnarly Head
Irony
Night Owl
Noble Vines
Twisted Wines
Z. Alexander Brown

Terlato Wines

Boutari
Bodega Tamari
Chimney Rock
Domaine Tournon
Ernie Els Wines
Federalist
Hanna
Josmeyer
Klipsun
Il Poggione
Luke Donald
Markham
Mischief & Mayhem
Rochioli
Rutherford Hill
Santa Margherita
Seven Daughters
Sokol Blosser
Tangley Oaks

Precept Brands

Alder Ridge
Browne Family
Canoe Ridge Vineyard
Cavatappi
Chocolate Shop
Gruet
House Wine
Pendulum
Primarius
Red Knot
Ross Andrews
Sagelands
Sawtooth
Shingleback
Ste. Chappelle
Waitsburg Cellars
Washington Hills
Waterbrook
Wild Meadows
Willow Crest

Vintage Wine Estates

B.R. Cohn
Buried Cane
Cameron Hughes
Cartlidge & Browne
Cherry Pie
Clayhouse Wines
Clos Pegase
Cosentino Winery
Cowgirl Sisterhood
Delectus Winery
Firesteed
Game of Thrones
Girard
Girl & Dragon
Gouguenheim
Horseplay
If You See Kay
Layer Cake
Middle Sister
Monogamy
Promisqous
Purple Cowboy
Qupé
Sonoma Coast Vineyards
Swanson
Tamarack Cellars
Viansa Sonoma
Windsor
Wine Sisterhood

Ste Michelle Wine Estates

14 Hands
Chateau Ste Michelle
Col Solare
Columbia Crest
Conn Creek
Erath
Merf
Motto
Northstar
O Wines
Patz & Hall
Red Diamond
Seven Falls
Snoqualmie
Spring Valley Vineyard
Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars
Stimson
Tenet/Pundit wines
Vila Mt. Eden
Villa Maria

Crimson Wine Group

Archery Summit
Chamisal
Double Canyon
Forefront
Pine Ridge
Seghesio
Seven Hills Winery

Jackson Family Estates

Arrowood
Arcanum
Byron
Cambria
Cardinale
Carmel Road
Copain
Edmeades
Freemark Abbey
Gran Moraine
Hickinbotham
Kendall Jackson
La Crema
La Jota
Lokoya
Matanzas Creek
Mt. Brave
Murphy-Goode
Penner-Ash
Siduri
Silver Palm
Stonestreet
Tenuta di Arceno
Yangarra Estate
Zena Crown
Wild Ridge

Vina Concha y Toro

Almaviva
Bonterra
Casillero del Diablo
Concha y Toro
Cono Sur
Don Melchior
Fetzer
Five Rivers
Jekel
Little Black Dress
Trivento

The Wine Group

13 Celsius
Almaden
AVA Grace
Benzinger
Big House
Chloe
Concannon
Corbett Canyon
Cupcake
Fish Eye
FlipFlop
Foxhorn
Franzia
Glen Ellen
Herding Cats
Insurrection
Love Noir
Mogen David
Seven Deadly Zins
Slow Press
Pinot Evil
Stave & Steel

Treasury Wine Estates

19 Crimes
Acacia
Beaulieu Vineyards
Beringer
Butterfly Kiss
BV Coastal
Cellar 8
Ch. St Jean
Chalone
Colores del Sol
Crème de Lys
Dynamite Vineyards
Etude
Gabbiano
Greg Norman
Hewitt Vineyard
Lindeman
Matua
Meridian
New Harbor
Once Upon a Vine
Penfolds
Provenance
Rosemount
Rosenblum Cellars
Seaview
Sledgehammer
Snap Dragon
Souverain
St. Clement
Stags’ Leap Winery
Stark Raving
Sterling
The Walking Dead
Uppercut
Wolf Blass
Wynns Coonawarra

Bronco Wine Company

Black Opal
Carmenet
Cellar Four 79
Century Cellars
Charles Shaw
Crane Lake
Colores del Sol
Estrella
Forest Glen
Forestville
Gravel Bar
Great American Wine Co.
Hacienda
Little Penguin
Montpellier
Quail Ridge
Rare Earth
Robert Hall
Sea Ridge
Stone Cellars

(LVMH) Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessey

Bodega Numanthia
Cheval Blanc
Cheval de Andes
Cloudy Bay
Dom Perignon
Domaine Chandon
D’yquem
Krug
Mercier
Moet & Chandon
Newton Vineyard
Ruinart
Terrazas de Los Andes
Veuve Clicquot

Trinchero Estates

Bandit
Charles & Charles
Dona Paula
Duck Commander
Fancy Pants
Folie a Deux
Fre
Joel Gott
Los Cardos
Menage a Trois
Montevina
Napa Cellars
Newman’s Own
Pomelo
SeaGlass
Sutter Home
Sycamore Lane
The SHOW

Deutsch Family Brands

Cave de Lugny
Clos de los Siete
Enza
Eppa
Fleurs de Praire
Hob Nob
Joseph Carr
Josh Cellars
Kunde Family
Peter Lehmann
Ramon Bilbao
Ruta 22
Skyfall
The Calling
The Crossing
Villa Pozzi

Guarachi Wine Partners

Black Ink
Castillo de Monseran
Guarachi
Kaiken
Nobilissima
Santa Ema
Surf-Swim
Tensley
Tenshen

Foley Family Wines

Acrobat
Awatere Pass
Butterfield Station
Chalk Hill Winery
Chalone Vineyard
Clifford Bay
Dashwood
EOS
Firestone
Foley Johnson
Four Sisters
Goldwater
Guenoc
Lancaster Estate
Lincourt
Lucien Albrecht
Merus
Nieto Senetiner
Pebble Row
Pepperwood Grove
Piccini
Poizin
Roth
Sebastini
Smoking Loon
Tahbilk
The Four Graces
Three Rivers Winery
Wayne Gretzky

Pernod Ricard

Brancott
Campo Viejo
Graffigna
Jacob’s Creek
Kenwood
Stoneliegh
George Wyndham

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The Legend of W.B. Bridgman

With more than 900 wineries producing over 17.5 million cases, the future of the Washington wine industry looks bright.

But as we wrap up Taste Washington Wine Month, it would be remiss not to take a look at a pivotal figure of the past who put Washington on the path to such a future–A Canadian ex-pat from Sunnyside, Washington named William B. (W.B.) Bridgman.

Early History and Irrigation Laws

Born in 1877, W.B. Bridgman grew up on the Niagara Peninsula in Ontario where his family grew Concord grapes. Ronald Irvine notes in The Wine Project that it was at Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota where Bridgman met Walter Hill, son of railroad tycoon James J. Hill. To help pay his way through law school, Bridgman became a tutor for the younger Hill. This arrangement led Bridgman to accompany Walter on a rail journey to the Pacific Northwest in 1899.

Intrigued at the opportunities in this new frontier, Bridgman found work at a local irrigation company. He settled permanently in the Yakima Valley in the town of Sunnyside–about 175 miles southeast of Seattle. An expert in irrigation laws, Bridgman wrote many of the early statutes that outlined access and development of irrigation usage for agriculture in Eastern Washington. Several of his laws are still on the books today.

Due to the rain shadow effect of the Cascade Mountains, a significant portion of the central basin of Eastern Washington averages only around 8 inches of rain a year–most of it in winter months. To grow grapevines that often need 3 to 6 gallons of water a week during the heat of summer to avoid heat stress, the development and use of irrigation proved vital to the growth of viticulture in Washington.

Planting of Harrison Hill and Snipes Mountain

Settling into Sunnyside, Bridgman was elected mayor twice. Then, in 1914, he purchased land on two uplifts that are today separated by Interstate 82. Among the first vines he planted on Harrison Hill were Black Prince (Cinsault), Flame Tokay and Ribier. In 1917, he planted Muscat of Alexandria and Thompson Seedless on Snipes Mountain.

Map a derivative from Washington State AVA map provided by the Washington State Wine Commission for public use.

The Snipes Mountain AVA with a rough approximation of the location of Harrison Hill and present-day Upland Vineyard bisected by Highway 82.

Eventually, Bridgman expanded to plant Zinfandel, Alicante Bouschet, Carignan, Mataro (Mourvedre), Pinot noir, Semillon, Sauvignon blanc, Black Malvoisie and many other varieties.

In the early years, Bridgman mostly sold grapes to Italian and Croatian immigrants in Cle Elum and Roslyn. But when Prohibition was enacted in 1919, Bridgman saw demand skyrocket.  A “loophole” in the legislation permitted up to 200 gallons a year of self-made wine. This essentially produced overnight what Ronald Irvine describes as “a nation of home-winemakers.”

Upland Winery

Thomas Pinney notes in A History of Wine in America, Volume 2 that by the end of Prohibition, Bridgman had over 165 acres of vinifera planted. He decided to open a winery in 1934, hiring German winemaker Erich Steenborg. A graduate of the famous Geisenheim Institute, Steenborg had worked for several wineries in the Mosel.

Photo taken by self. Uploaded to Wikimedia Commons as User:Agne27 under CC-BY-SA-3.0

Soil sample from Upland Vineyard on Snipes Mountain.

At Steenborg’s urging and with his connections, Bridgman brought in around a half million cuttings of Riesling, Sylvaner, Gutedel (Chasselas), Blauer Portugieser and Müller-Thurgau vines. (Incidentally, Irvine notes that most of the Riesling cuttings that Upland brought in turned out to be Scheurebe.)

Named Upland Winery, Bridgman and Steenborg desired to make dry European-style table wines from vinifera grapes. However, post-Prohibition wine drinkers favored sweet dessert and fortified wines made from a mix of vinifera, hybrid and labrusca grape varieties.  To pay the bills, Upland produced “ports” and “sherries” to meet market demand.

When Steenborg left in 1951, Bridgman hired Marie Christensen, the winery’s lab assistant, to take over winemaking. Her promotion made her the first woman in the state to head winemaking at a major winery.

Changing Markets and Challenges

Dealing with market forces that favored sweet and boozy wines eventually proved too much for Bridgman. He sold the winery in 1960 to George Thomas. Thomas changed the name to Santa Rosa Winery.  The winery continued to operate it in some degree until shuttering in 1972.

Today, the Newhouse family own the old buildings of Upland Winery and vineyards, having purchased the property in 1968.  Several of Bridgman’s original 1917 Muscat of Alexandria vines are still producing grapes. Paul Gregutt speculates in Washington Wine that these may be the oldest Vitis vinifera vines in the state.

In addition to selling grapes from Upland Vineyard to over 20 different wineries like Betz, DeLille, Pomum, K Vintners and Kerloo–the Newhouses produce wine under Todd Newhouse’s Upland Estate and Steve Newhouse’s Newhouse Family Vineyards made in partnership with Ron Bunnell.

Influence on the Washington Wine Industry

Grenache made by Kerloo Cellars from Upland Vineyard.

If Dr. Walter Clore is the “Father of Washington Wine,” W. B. Bridgman can rightfully be called “the Grandfather.”

After Prohibition, Bridgman and his Upland Winery were charter members of the Washington Wine Producers Association. Founded in 1935, Bridgman was the only charter member from the east side of the mountains as most of the winemaking during that period was done on the west side of the state by fellow charter members St. Charles Winery and Davis Winery on Stretch Island, Wright Winery in Everett, Werberger Winery on Harstine Island and Pommerelle Winery in Seattle.

In Goldendale, Bridgman advised Samuel Hill (who married Walter Hill’s sister, Mary) to plant a mix of vinifera and American hybrids developed by Thomas Volney Munson in what is now Maryhill in the Columbia Gorge AVA.

Dr. Walter Clore

Pinot gris from Upland Vineyard on Snipes Mountain.

In 1940, Bridgman encouraged a young horticulturalist from Washington State University named Walter Clore to plant wine grape varieties at the Irrigation Experiment Station in Prosser. With Bridgman supplying many of the initial vine cuttings, this experimental vineyard would eventually become known as “The Wine Project” and include over 250 different varieties of vinifera, hybrid and American wine grape varieties.

Observing the success of several varieties in the vineyard, Clore authored academic papers extolling the viability of a wine industry in Washington State. Spurred on by the results of Dr. Clore’s work, the Washington wine industry today is responsible for more than 27,000 jobs. Overall, the industry has an economic impact of nearly 15 billion dollars for the state.

Associated Vintners

In 1954, W.B. Bridgman sold grapes to a group of University of Washington professors making wine under the name of Associated Vintners. Impressed by the wines produced by Lloyd Woodburne, Bridgman gave the young academics advice and encouragement in their endeavors. In 1960, Bridgman met with the AV group in Seattle to discuss the future of the Washington wine industry.

That meeting would lead to a long term contract for grapes. This eventually turned into Associated Vintners purchasing the 5.5 acres Harrison Hill Vineyard in 1962 from Bridgman. Uprooting most of the older plantings, AV replanted with Cabernet Sauvignon and other red grape varieties. While Associated Vintners is now known as Columbia Winery and owned by Gallo, those Cab plantings at Harrison Hill Vineyard (managed by the Newhouse family) are today some of the oldest and most prized plantings in the state.

Legacy Today

A Columbia Valley Syrah made under the W.B. Bridgman label by Precept Brands.

William B. Bridgman died in 1968 at the age of 90, leaving a last imprint on the Washington wine industry even as his name has faded into obscurity.

Beyond the irrigation laws he authored that allowed viticulture to prosper, the roots of Upland Vineyard and Harrison Hill Vineyard continue to produce world-class wine grapes. The first Chardonnay in the state was planted here. Mike Sauer used cuttings from AV’s replanting of Harrison Hill to plant Red Willow Vineyard in the 1970s.

To help keep the name of Bridgman alive, Washington Hills Winery (co-founded by Brian Carter) created a select line of wines in 1993 to honor the pioneer. When Precept Brands acquired Washington Hills in 2003, they kept the Bridgman Cellars label and today still produce wines that bare the name and legacy of W.B. Bridgman.

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60 Second Wine Review — Apex Catalyst

A few quick thoughts on the 2015 Apex Catalyst Red Blend from the Columbia Valley.

The Geekery

Apex Cellars was founded in 1988, as Washington Hills Cellars, by Harry Alhadeff with Brian Carter as winemaker.

The winery, and its second label W.B. Bridgman, was acquired by Precept Brands in 2008 where it joined a portfolio that today includes Browne Family, Canoe Ridge, B. Lovely, Gruet, House Wine, Jacqueline Leone, Pendulum, Radius, Primarius, Red Theory, Sagelands, Paradise Peak, Ste. Chapelle, Summit Estates, Skyfall, Wild Haven, Waterbrook and several others.

Paul Gregutt notes in Washington Wines, that Precept’s CEO, Andrew Browne, acquired Apex with the goal of making it a “white tablecloth prestige brand”.

The winemaker for the Apex line is Jon Zimmermann who also does the wine production for Willow Crest. Previously Zimmermann was at Canoe Ridge Vineyard, Tefft Cellars, Wahluke Wine Company, Silver Lake and Hogue Cellars.

The wine is sourced from several of Precept’s estate and contract vineyards–often including fruit from Alder Ridge, Canyon Vineyard Ranch, Goose Ridge, Jones & Shaw and Willow Crest. I couldn’t find details for the exact blend of the 2015 version but the Catalyst is usually a Bordeaux style blend with a healthy dose of Syrah.

The Wine

Medium-minus intensity. A little shy with mostly woodsy oak notes and a mix of red and dark fruits.

Photo by Steven Depolo. Uploaded to Wikimedia Commons under CC-BY-2.0

Dark fruits like black cherries characterize this wine.

On the palate, the dark fruits come through and become more defined as black plum and black cherry. The oak notes also carry through, adding nutmeg and clove as well as dark chocolate that makes me think this blend may be Merlot dominant. Medium acidity adds enough lift for balance. The medium-plus tannins are firm but hold the medium-plus weight of the fruit well. Short finish.

The Verdict

Right now this wine isn’t as strong as the 2013 version of the Catalyst which, at $16-20, was one of the best values in Washington.

I’ll give its youth the benefit of the doubt and look to revisit it in several months to see how it develops.

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60 Second Wine Review — Browne Site Series Cabernet Sauvignon

A few quick thoughts on the 2015 Browne Site Series Cabernet Sauvignon from the Horse Heaven Hills.

The Geekery

Browne Family Vineyards was founded in 2005 by Andrew Browne of Precept Brands–whose background in the wine industry includes stints with Southern Wine & Spirits, Constellation Brands, Corus Brands, Chateau St. Jean and Associated Vintners (now Gallo’s Columbia Winery).

Precept is the largest privately owned wine company in the Northwest and includes an extensive portfolio of brands like Apex, Canoe Ridge, W.B. Bridgman, B. Lovely, Gruet, House Wine, Jacqueline Leone, Pendulum, Radius, Primarius, Red Theory, Sagelands, Paradise Peak, Ste. Chapelle, Summit Estates, Skyfall, Wild Haven and Waterbrook.

With Paul Gregutt, Peter Dow and Ross Mickel, respectively, they manage Waitsburg Cellars, Cavatappi and Ross Andrews. They also have a partnership with the Davey family in Australia to bring their Shingleback, Aficionado and Red Knot brands to the US.

John Freeman is the winemaker for Browne, joining Precept after previously working for the Napa Valley wineries Franciscan and Miner.

For the Site Series, they source from several of their contract vineyards in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA which includes Alder Ridge, Canoe Ridge and The Benches.

The Wine

Photo by Subhashish Panigrahi. Released on Wikimedia Commons under CC-BY-SA-4.0

Noticeable oak influence in this wine.

Medium-plus intensity nose. Lots of noticeable oak but it’s more spice than vanilla. Dark fruits like black currants and cherries.

On the palate, those dark fruits and oak spice carry through with juicy medium-plus acidity. Hefty medium-plus tannins adds to the full-bodied weight of the wine but the vanilla of the oak comes out to round them for a smooth mouthfeel. The finish is a bit short and hints at the youth of the wine.

The Verdict

For around $30-35, the Browne Site Series is a very solid Cabernet Sauvignon from the Horse Heaven Hills. That region doesn’t get anywhere near the attention of the “sexier” AVAs of Red Mountain and Walla Walla but is consistently the source of outstanding Washington wines.

The 2015 is young and could benefit from another year aging (or decanting) but it has lots of potential.

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